How To

• Sets: 2-4 per exercise
• Reps: 10-15
• Repetition Maximum: select an appropriate weight for a set of exercises that will allow you to perform the desired number of repetitions without breaking proper form and which will cause you to feel significant fatigue within the muscle during the last 1-2 repetitions of the set (119).
• Rest: 20 second rest periods between sets.
• Frequency: Most general strength training programs recommend three times per week to build strength, with a day of rest between training sessions. (120)
• Method: Emphasize a slow, controlled movement when working with weight machines, free weights, or elastic tubing or bands. A slower, more controlled movement ensures that you raise and lower or push and pull the weight, working the muscle in both the shortening and lengthening phases, just like you do during tennis play (120)

Question: Daily Routine...do I hit a little of each area per workout or choose one area to work on per day?

...perform a lower-body exercise, such as the Lunge, after working a muscle group in the upper body, for example the biceps. This allows the biceps to recover without taking long periods of inactivity between exercises. (119)

Fitness

Traditional Periodized Training

• Preparation Phase
• Precompetitive Phase
• Competitive Phase
• Active Rest Phase

Develop a strength and fitness base (Preparation Phase)

• Challenge the aerobic energy system, for example, 20-40 minutes of aerobic training at 70-85% of maximum heart rate three of four times per week.
• Establish a strength base, for example, strength training using a high-repetition (10-15 reps per set for 2-3 sets), low-resistance training program. (156)

Perform a high number of repetitions of exercises using weights light enough that you can perform 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions. Exercises can include many of the traditional weight room exercises to build strength: bench press, squat, lunge, lat pull-down--but stay away from overhead lifting. (161)

Early in the periodization training cycle, do not focus on developing power...Engage in low-level plyometrics early on... (161)

Identify a period (or several periods) of 6-8 weeks that you are willing to devote to building a strength and conditioning base.

Become even more detailed, and outline exercises, sets, and repetitions for each day...some foresight should go into your planning, and you should know what you are going to do several weeks or months down the line. (164)

Maximal Heart Rate = 220-36 or 184

The body's aerobic energy system provides fuel to muscles for endurance events, activities lasting longer than several minutes. The anaerobic energy system provides energy to fuel short, high-intensity bursts of activity. Tennis play fits into both definitions. (6)

from NY Times

http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/the-importance-of-momentum-in-tennis/

The Importance of Momentum in Tennis

The match is a good example of the importance of momentum in a tennis match. In Chuck Kriese’s coaching bible “Total Tennis Training,” he describes why this invisible force is so important for a player to understand: “Tennis more than any other sport, is a game of momentum. The absence of a clock to do the dirty work of finishing off an opponent, and a scoring system based on units used makes the flow of the match much more important than any lead that has been established.”

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What can a player do when momentum shifts? Alistair Higham, a British tennis coach, has written a fascinating book on the subject. “Momentum, The Hidden Force in Tennis.” He believes that there are five distinct phases of momentum and that players can learn to recognize what stage they are in. At one end of the spectrum, momentum is totally against you, and Higham suggests slowing things down, being deliberate and following rituals. In baseball, when a pitcher is getting knocked around, the pitching coach strolls to the mound hoping to stall the rally. Timeouts in basketball are used for this reason as well.

When momentum is turning against you, Higham suggests increasing energy and playing more aggressively. When momentum is neutral, each player is vying to not only win points, but also to begin to control the momentum.

Who Am I Playing For?

An interesting realization...?

Who am I playing for? Why do I feel, when not playing well, when not playing up to my potential, that I am being judged.

Older men. First the coach, years ago. Brian Horan in NH. Russ Steere at Rally Point. And now Jacques Faulice on the Newport team.

The other night, I played a horrible doubles match. By the second and third set, I was afraid to serve.

Afraid to serve.

I love serving.

Afraid to serve. Hoping not to have to.

I beat myself up a good deal when I play tennis. I care very much what others think about me. I care...too much. I want them to think I am good. I worry about what they will say when I lose. I am a tortured soul on the tennis court. I think a lot about what people will say.

Why?

How can I stop it?

What are its consequences?

The funny thing is--we won the match the other night. But I still felt lousy. I was embarrassed that Jacques saw me playing the way I did. I feel like I always have something to prove to these men. Even when I win, I feel as though I lost. How do i stop worrying about their judgment?

Steve Masso (6-4, 6-2)

Played Steve on a windy day, at NK high. First time I've played him. I only won because he made too many mistakes. Serve was off (again). Had several opportunities to close out first set and close out match and did not close. Stayed on the court longer than I should have.

What did I do well? Slice backhand worked well. Realized as I was playing that if I could just keep the ball in play, he would make a mistake, eventually. Consistency level was okay. Beginning to take returning-game more seriously and thinking more when returning serve.

Tips and Pointers

4 Ways to Maintain a High-Level Match

What typically separates elite players and mediocre players is the ability to compete at a high level consistently. This includes eliminating slow starts and performing at higher levels from start to finish.

Inconsistent performers are players who may get easily distracted or fade away, especially if the score is lopsided in their favor. For the inconsistent performer, footwork and stroke production/consistency wax and wane throughout the match. These players may hit a string of winners but then go off on an unforced error bonanza.

Simply telling yourself to double your footwork, or forcing yourself to take extra steps to the ball is one of the most effective methods of overcoming early jitters, tightness, or inconsistent play.

Before each match, you should feel ready to compete physically and mentally. If you are not ready physically, you will not be ready mentally and your performance will reflect it.

Re-focusing on the strategy or game plan throughout the match is another easy method of getting back on track. Focusing on the game plan you and coach have outlined offers a distraction from previous points/games/sets and gives you a future oriented task to move forward with.

You might notice one common thread among all these suggestions: each is a controllable factor. Tennis is full of uncontrollable areas, but performance and effort is not one of them. Ultimately, you are the one to decide how to respond to situations faced on the court.

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