"Before Essential Tennis Academy, I was searching all over the Internet for valuable tennis lessons and tips.
I live in NYC, and a private lesson can cost up to $80 an hour plus court fees.
There are so many different instructions saying so many different things about how to do this or that, and it can be very confusing.
At times, these instructions contradict each other. Sometimes, I come away more confused.
Academy presents all concepts, fundamentals, in a very concise, easy to understand format.
I don't feel insulted as if Ian is talking to me like a 5 year old, but it's comprehensive enough to understand whether you are just a beginner or an advanced player.
What's more convincing to me is that, Ian demonstrates the shots himself, as opposed to having his students do them.
I like that personal approach.
I have improved my game from just being an Academy member.
I am able to execute my shots based on the solid fundamentals I have gained through Academy. My level of play has gone up, and I can compete with the higher ranked players.
What's more important is that I have become more consistent, I am not spraying my shots all over the court, I have reduced my unforced errors during matches. I am able to apply my knowledge to empower my game by choosing better shot selections, placement, execution to win more points.
I like the fact that Ian presents all his concepts in phases, or stages. He calls them drill progressions.
Basically, you learn one drill before you go to the next. He takes you from theory to execution.
He takes time to explain the reason why it is done a certain way, and leads you through each progression towards the achieved goal.
For example, a topspin course isn't just about executing a forehand topspin shot. The course describes how to produce topspin, when to use it, how to use, and the different approaches in using it. Each one of these is covered.
To sum it all up, Ian makes the effort to your success by explaining the strategy involved in using what you just learned. This is the best part.
After all, what is the use of learning something, but not know how to use it? This is what I love about Academy.
The information is priceless.
I am able to execute my shots better, and go into a match with a game plan.
My serve improved so much that I no longer cringe at having to serve a second serve on set point or break point I used to hit my shots just for the sake of hitting it back across the net, if I was even able to get to the ball at all.
Now I hit with a purpose and authority, with a target to better win points.
All these helped me play at a much higher level. I am playing more confidently against better players, knowing that I can beat them. In order to beat them, you need an arsenal of shots, and Academy provided that for me.
I am a 3.5 player, and recently I teamed up with a 4.0 player to beat a 5.5/3.5 player team on the very first match of my indoor league season.
Before Academy, I would have given up and not even try.
The advanced player made very nice comments about how much I have improved from last season. He asked me how I learned to hit like that.
I gave him a nice smile, and told him I have a good teacher.
Academy is the best investment I have ever made for my game."