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Ready Position

     No matter what shot you are about to hit you always want to start in ready position. While in ready position you should be on the balls of your feet with you knees slightly bent. Your arms should be straight out in front of you at about waist height. This will allow you to quickly move to the ball and prepare for the shot.

    Forehand

     The forehand is probably most players favorite groundstroke. A groundstroke is a shot where you wait for the ball to bounce once and then hit it before it bounces a second time. If you don't hit it before the ball bounces a second time you automatically lose the point. You want to hold your racket in you dominant (the hand you write with) hand. When preparing to hit a forehand you need to turn all the way sideways to the right if you are right handed and to the left if you are left handed.. This will allow your hips to upturn while hitting the ball so you can have more power to your shot. You want to hit the ball out in front of your body and about at waist level. You want to hit up on the ball so it goes over the net and finish with your racket above your non dominant shoulder.

Backhand

     Just like with a forehand you prepare for a backhand by turning your body, although for this shot you want turn the opposite way. You want to hit the ball about waist level. You also want to make sure that you are upturning your body and hitting the ball with a low to high swing. When you finish both of your arms should be holding your racket above your dominant shoulder.  

Volleys
     Volleys are shots that you hit before the ball bounces. You normally hit them about ½ way between the service line and the net. When hitting a volley you do not swing. Volleys are not about power, you can just tap a volley over the net but if you place it right your opponent will never get to the ball in time. One of the most important parts of hitting a volley is to keep your wrist firm. You want to step towards the ball with your non dominant foot on forehands and your dominant foot on backhands. You do not follow through when you are done hitting your shot. You want to return to ready position as soon as possible.

Overheads

     In some ways overheads are very similar to high volleys, but they are also different in a lot of ways. Just like volleys overheads are hit before the ball bounces. However unlike volleys overheads are all about power. When you prepare for an overhead your racket should be behind your back. Your dominant hand should be holding the racket and your elbow should be bent. Your non dominant hand should be up in the air as if you were going to catch the ball. You should hit the ball as high as you can reach and a little bit out in front. You finish with the racket head by your knee on the opposite side of your body than you started with.