Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

Teaching "Loading" Alone Is Ruining Your Players' Timing (And What to Teach Instead) By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method Every coach knows the importance of ground reaction forces in tennis. We teach players to "load"—bend their knees and thrust upward to create racquet-head speed. It's fundamental to every powerful groundstroke, serve, return, and overhead. However, here's the problem: teaching players to  only  load the ground creates  more timing issues than it solves. The Loading Trap That's Destroying Player Development Loading refers to a player interacting with the ground by bending their knees and thrusting out of that position to create greater racquet-head speed. While this happens on all good shots, the instruction to "just load" is backfiring for most players. Here's what typically happens: A coach tells a player to load. The player dutifully bends their knees—precisely what the coach wants to "see." For a small ...

  Master the Two-Handed Backhand: 4 Essential Tennis Techniques for Control and Power By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method Complete guide to developing a versatile two-handed backhand with professional-level control, spin, and directional accuracy The two-handed backhand can be one of tennis's most reliable and powerful strokes when executed with proper technique. However, many tennis players struggle with consistency and versatility because they focus on rigid grip positions rather than understanding the fundamental mechanics that create control and power. These five essential elements will transform your two-handed backhand from a defensive liability into an offensive weapon. By mastering hand positioning, power generation, and directional control, you'll develop the backhand versatility needed for competitive tennis success. 1. Bottom Hand Positioning: Controlling Your Contact Zone Length The bottom hand grip position directly plays a part in the length of your two-handed bac...

From Talented Amateur to Tennis Pro: The 3 Non-Negotiable Mental Shifts By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method The gap between talented players and elite professional tennis players isn't talent—it's how they think, train, and compete every single day. Here are my three non-negotiables that separate professional athletes from the rest. 1. Every Ball Counts Elite Player Mindset Elite tennis professionals don't have an "on/off" switch. They treat every ball with the same intensity. This isn't just about effort—it's about mindset. Over many years, I have observed that top players never switch off or hit aimlessly. I find myself telling young players daily to focus on their fundamentals, to stay aware of the adjustments needed for each ball, reminding them that “every ball is different,” and asking them not to “save their legs” on difficult shots. When you practice casually, you're training your brain to remain calm in high-pressure situations. Y...

Why 95% of Tennis Coaching Accidentally Creates Chokers Why 95% of tennis coaches are accidentally creating chokers (and the 3AM method that fixes it) By Paul Dale | 50 Years of International Coaching If you're still teaching players to "slow down, relax and breathe their way through stress," you're using the same outdated methods that have created generations of practice champions who can't cope with pressure and crumble at competition time. Here's what most coaches need to realise: Every breathing technique, every ritual, every "stay calm" instruction is actually making your players weaker under pressure. We're approaching the topic of stress and pressure all wrong. Players don't need to learn avoidance strategies to conquer their mental meltdowns; they need to see pressure as a motivator and something to be embraced. Avoidance of pressure and stress is a very Western way of dealing with the problem.  The Practice Champion Problem (Yo...

Visual Blocking – Dictating Your Opponent's Next Shot By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method

I'm in a Match-Now What? The 5 Elements of Match-Play You’ve trained for days, maybe weeks. You’ve worked on technique, movement, fitness, and strategy. Now, you’re standing alone on the court on match day, and it hits you — this is it . All the advice, all the drills, all the repetitions have led to this moment. But here’s the truth: without a clear plan, all that work can slip through your fingers. A player who walks into a match with a plan — even a simple one — will beat 85% of the opponents they face. So, what should your plan be? Forget complicated tactical charts and overthinking every situation. Your job on match day is to make sure five critical elements are in place from the first ball to the last. This is where your focus goes immediately. Without these five working for you, winning becomes more difficult, and at higher levels, almost impossible. The Five Elements of Match Play 1️⃣ High Percentage of First Serves Start every point with the advantage. Missing too...