Insider's Playbook: Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50

Can You Improve Your Serve After 50 Without Changing Your Grip? | Ian Westermann

September 29, 2026·28 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

👉 Go Deeper with Coaches and Pros Who Actually Know Senior Tennis https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081 Can you improve your tennis serve after 50 without changing your grip? In this episode of Insider’s Playbook, Ian Westermann joins Mike Rogers to analyze video of a player whose serve was limited by a shallow racket drop. Ian shows her original motion, the changes she made during a lesson, and why he chose to work on her racket position before considering a grip change.You’ll see how Ian uses video feedback and a step-by-step progression to help the player move from shadow swings to hitting serves. He also explains why an improved motion in practice may disappear when a ball is introduced, and what it takes to carry a technical change into match play. If you’re a tennis player over 50 looking to improve your serve, this conversation offers a close look at how one coach approaches the process.Ian Westermann founded Essential Tennis to help recreational players improve through online coaching. Through its instructional courses and YouTube videos, he teaches players how to understand their strokes and build better habits on the court. He is also the author of Essential Tennis: Improve Faster, Play Smarter, and Win More Matches, a book about the process of improving your game.5 key takeawaysA shallow racket drop can limit how much energy you put into the serveChanging your grip may help, but it is not always the best first stepVideo feedback can reveal the gap between what your serve feels like and what it actually doesA new motion may disappear as soon as a ball is introduced, so build up to hitting in stagesTo carry a change into matches, you need enough practice repetitions to make the new motion familiar Contact Ian Westermann:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/EssentialTennisIan’s Book: https://www.essentialtennis.com/bookProgressions List: https://essentialtennis.com/progressions.pdf ⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Coming Up - Show Intro01:12 How a shallow racket drop limits your serve05:01 Why Ian did not change her grip13:10 What video reveals about your serve15:02 Why the old motion returns when a ball appears18:44 Building a new serve that holds up in matches26:49 Show Wrap Up  #TennisServe #TennisOver50 #SeniorTennis #EssentialTennis

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