I am guessing that most recreational tennis players are already familiar with Ian Westerman through his online site, Essential Tennis. He is a prolific producer of instructional videos, blog posts, and podcasts. Soon there will be another offering to add to the list. I recently received an advance copy of Essential Tennis: Improve Faster, Play Smarter, and Win More Matches. Based on that first look it may be the best packaging of Westerman’s message yet.
The book Essential Tennis benefits from years of experience as Westerman crafted and refined his instructional philosophy. To say that he is extremely process focused is an understatement. As an example of the level of detail, the book asserts that players should develop an awareness of their most effective learning styles to optimize their tennis improvement journey. Essential Tennis hits the sweet spot for those of us that do best with written forms of instruction.
Westerman is a strong advocate of tennis improvement through complex and highly detailed stroke progression sequences. For that reason, some tennis players seem to regard Westerman as an exclusively technique focused instructor. However, Essential Tennis packs in a wide variety of critical success factors for tennis improvement. That includes the improvement lifecycle, off-court preparation, tactics, strategic play, and the mental game.
Essential Tennis is highly descriptive and not overly prescriptive. While there are specific recommendations in the book, the real value is conveying the improvement lifecycle framework that smart players will use to design their own tennis development plan. By thoroughly explaining the thought process and reasons behind his recommendations, Westerman provides the tools that serious tennis players need to tailor that knowledge into a system that will work best for each unique individual.
The importance of strategic game planning as well as the ability to make effective adjustments in match play is emphasized from many different angles. By exercising the philosophies described in Essential Tennis, players are provided the insight required to develop habits and skills required to achieve high levels of performance.
To put this review in perspective, I played Junior tennis and am a nationally ranked Senior player competing at 55+. On the USTA NTRP scale, I recently dropped from 5.0 to 4.5. I have been using many of the ideas and drills contained in Essential Tennis my entire life. However, the book also contains new perspectives that I plan to add to my own development journey. Any tennis players willing to invest in their own game will benefit from the ideas presented in this book.
Essential Tennis: Improve Faster, Play Smarter, and Win More Matches was written for the player that loves the competitive battle and is committed to being the best player they can be. In this work, Westerman provides the tools that players at all levels can use to elevate their level of performance.
Essential Tennis: Improve Faster, Play Smarter, and Win More Matches is scheduled for release May 31.
 | Essential Tennis: Improve Faster, Play Smarter, and Win More Matches |
In the second paragraph, “To say that he extremely process focused”, should be “To say that he is extremely process focused”.
The correction is made. (Thanks!)