looking at S2R's thread about tennis strings reminded me of this lesson i had a few years back: for about 7 years i played tennis religiously (from middle school to freshman in college) for at least 3-4 hours a day with my friends from school or local tennis buddies. i thought i was pretty good (for an amateur), and though my ambition for a professional tennis career was dashed after seeing Agassi and Sampras play at The Forum in Inglewood, i kept playing in junior tournaments and in school, helping my school win a league championship. after the second year in college i became engaged in many social activities that weren't so good for my health (including smoking...er...smoking )

anyway, the last time i picked up a racket was about 3 years ago at a friend's house (he has a tennis court in his back yard). my brain remembered how my body SHOULD be working at the prime of my physical prowess, yet my body couldn't keep up with my brain. my coordination was totally off, and i huffed and puffed like i was going to have a heart-attack after only FIVE minutes of running around on the court - this is after i bragged to my friend how good i was in tennis many years ago (which was somewhat true ). i was so ashamed i put my racquet away for the past 3 years.

i'm thinking of picking it back up, but i don't think i could muster the "face" nor have the luck to find a partner that's better than me and spend the next year or so getting back into shape.

just thought i'd share that

 

oh, i'm sure you could get back into the swing of things! just remember that like any other athletic activity, when you lay-off of the sport for extended periods, you have to ease back into it. take your time getting back into 'shape' and you'll do just fine. especially since you've been playing for as long as you say you have. your brain remembers, but your body doesn't. it'll just take some practice.......

 

Richard-

Take a few lessons from a pro and see how it goes.

 

Oh, and I have two friends at the gym who are tennis pros and really nice, down-to-earth guys. Let me know if you need a referral.

 

I tried to pick up water skiing after not doing it for 10 years. It's just amazing how much my center of gravity had shifted!

 

Through highschool, I played racquetball four times a week for about an hour each. Got good enough to place well in the lower rankings of a few tournaments. I've only played here and there in the next ten years.

Now I'm playing regularly - once a week - and I'm enjoying the crap out of it. It's a fun game for me, and I like the feeling of physical exertion.

If you can do it for fun instead of trying trying to beat somebody, you might have an easier time.