If you're trying to play tennis competitively, you probably already have a coach; it's one of the best ways to get an edge and improve your overall game. But if you simply enjoy tennis as a recreational pastime with some friends, is there much point in taking professionally-taught lessons? For many people, the answer to that question is yes—and here's why.

Understanding the game helps you to enjoy it.

As with many things in life, you get out of tennis what you put into it—and a pro can teach you all kinds of facts, tricks and rules you never even knew existed. As your understanding of the game deepens, you'll find that your enjoyment of it does too. This is a lot of what a good tennis coach can do for any player: introduce them to a new way of looking at their hobby and show them all the cool hidden tips they wouldn't have picked up on otherwise.

You'll reduce the risk of injury or overextension.

All physical activity carries with it some level of risk, and amateur tennis is no exception. With good teaching, you'll learn how to use your body in ways that don't leave you in danger of strains, sprains and other mishaps—meaning you'll be able to keep playing for many more years to come. There are even ways to mitigate the risk of the infamous tennis elbow! Even a couple of basic lessons can make a huge difference, leaving you free to enjoy your social games at your leisure.

It's excellent exercise and forms part of a perfectly balanced routine.

A quick, casual tennis game is pretty good exercise—but a session with a qualified tennis coach is an entire workout. If you enjoy the game, this is a great way to get more exercise in and boost your overall body health—and with proper warmups and cooldowns, it could even end up being the main kind of physical activity in your life while still leaving you balanced, healthy and in amazing shape.

Friendly, local competitions are a lot of fun too!

Once you've improved your game a little, you may find that you start wanting to take it to the next level after all. This doesn't need to mean serious training and a total dearth of fun, either! if you stick to local competitions, you'll be able to keep things enjoyable and pretty low-key--while still putting your new skills to brilliant use. 

Reach out to a company like Netsports to learn more.