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As part of the 2018 World Tennis Fitness Conference, the International Tennis Performance Association hosted a half day Summit on Tennis Technology and Analytics. The purpose behind the Summit was to bring practical experts together to discuss the State of the Tennis Industry and provides some recommendations for the future.“The Science of Today is the Technology of Tomorrow”The growth of technology and analytics in all sports has grown exponentially in the last decade. The tennis industry has embraced many aspects of technology and analytics, but also has many areas that continue to be developed to improve the sport in all the various areas.Tennis Needs InnovationThe first step in innovation is understanding where the areas of strength and the areas of opportunity exist. To improve technology and analytics in the sport of tennis, it is paramount to bring together the best minds in the industry and focus on what we currently do well and what we can improve on.The Tennis Technology and Analytics Summit presented by the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA) was hosted in Atlanta, Georgia on July 22nd, 2018.The first of its kind, Tennis Specific Technology and Analytics Summit focused on the evidence around quality technologies to help teach, train and test tennis athletes. Ashton Eaton, winner of two Olympic decathlons, has been quoted as saying that tennis is the “next most athletic sport,” one that requires an interplay of technique, agility, and mind-body awareness.
It is one of the few modern sports where athletes under six feet tall still be among the game’s elite, with names like Diego Schwartzman, David Ferrer, David Goffin, and Alex De Minaur competing against those who are more physically imposing. The same could be said regarding those who are taller than the average tennis professional, with giants like Alexander Zverev, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Kevin Anderson all predicted to have year-end top ten rankings in 2018.
These athletes are undoubtedly genetically-gifted, possessing required base levels of athleticism that keeps moving the sport to new heights. However, it is their movement around the court—the ability not only to reach their opponents’ shots and recover, but also get in an ideal position to produce the effective transfer of forces through ball contact—that allows these men to earn their paychecks.
The start-and-go nature of the sport is very taxing on the neuromuscular system, which requires both effective technique and conditioning. While it is not possible to make a slow athlete fast, it is possible to make them faster and is a trainable aspect in a strength and conditioning program.It’s important to consider the open-skill nature of the sport of tennis, where each ball is hit at different locations on the court with varying degrees of spins and velocities. This requires a great degree of reactiveness, responding to stimuli and simultaneously providing an adequate amount of ground reaction force for first step quickness. The concept of developing relative lower-body strength (at loads of at least 80% of 1-RM) becomes paramount in recruiting the muscle fibers necessary for explosive movement around the court. Research by Hoope et al has found that teenage tennis players perform around 50-55 accelerations and 45-50 decelerations over the course a two-set match. The average explosive burst covers around 3 meters (Kovacs, 2006), and depends on the ability of the tendons to utilize the fast-stretch shortening cycle.
Tennis trainers should understand this demand of the sport, using resistance training to develop both eccentric and concentric strength in addition to the reactive strength required provide rapid force development.It has been argued by top tennis coaches that the sport is won not necessarily through hitting winners but rather inducing forced errors; variables like spin, depth, power, height, and taking time away from the opponent can all be used to force players out of position, where ideal movement application and power production allow a player to remain in the point. The nervous and muscular systems must be able to provide continual activity, requiring both the work capacity AND its ability to endure the activity. That being said, any improvements in the anaerobic and aerobic capacity would be beneficial to a tennis athlete and allow them the best opportunity to keep the point alive. A recent 2018 study by Isha et al.
Has demonstrated that SAQ (speed, agility, and quickness) training can significantly improve junior performance for both T-test (movement) scores and VO2-max (aerobic capacity) compared to a control group. The experimental group, who received SAQ training 3 times a week over the course of a month, performed drills that consisted of resisted runs and upper-lower body plyometrics at similar work to rest intervals seen in tennis points (about 20 to 30 seconds of work with 1 to 2 minute breaks). The authors suggest that this tennis-specific overloading of the proprioceptive organs leads to positive adaptations and should lead to improved movement capabilities on the court.The necessity of effective movement training cannot be overemphasized, as even a split- second difference in multiplanar displacement can result in being in an offensive position as opposed to a defensive one. Gil Reyes, the legendary trainer of Andre Agassi, has said that “weak legs obey, while strong legs command,” with the lower body commanding both the strength and endurance to compete in the sport. In end, it could be what separates the “good” from the “great.”Isha, Garg, and Khurana Sunal. Effective Conditioning Program for Junior Tennis Players.
Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine, and Treatment in Sports, 21 May 2018, juniperpublishers.com/jpfmts/pdf/JPFMTS.MS.ID.555629.pdf.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2653871/. By Lalo Vicencio, CTPS, MTPSClay court season is in full swing, and Roland Garros will be here in a blink of an eye.
For coaches, players, parents and fans who follow tennis, the tournaments leading up to any Grand Slam are always exciting. Tennis is a unique sport where athletes play on different surfaces, weathers, altitudes; the list goes on. Tennis also offers the audience the possibility to watch the best athletes in the world play on 3 different surfaces during the course of 4 Grand Slams every year.
Let’s put aside the many variables that players and coaches encounter on the tour, and let’s focus on the physical preparation required to compete on clay. Here are some factors to consider:PreseasonFor many athletes the word “preseason” brings flashbacks of long days, hard work and a good amount of physical pain.
Don’t take me wrong, all those things are necessary in order to improve the level of fitness and achieve some goals. Pre-season provides the time to regroup, write down and prioritize your goals, make a plan, create a calendar, take a look at your budget, evaluate your level of fitness, prepare for the unexpected, etc. Everybody can do long days and spend hours at the gym or on the tennis court.
However, it is paramount for an athlete to have a well-organized plan where all the training variables are working together to enhance the athlete’s performance while minimizing the risk of injury.These are some aspects where coaches and players have to make the best decisions:. How many pre-seasons for this year? When would it be the right day to start preparing for the clay court season?. How many weeks does the clay court season have?
How many total weeks of competition?. What is the current level of fitness of the player?
Is the player going to reach a peak by the French Open? What about Wimbledon?. How much off court training? How much on court training? How many days? Injury prevention?
Power?The challenge for all tennis and fitness specialists is to accommodate all these variables into the year-round calendar of the player.Sliding on the dirtAll tennis players may have a different approach to prepare for the clay court season, and we can argue all day long about the best process to reach this goal. However, the one thing most players have in common is: to play more on clay.
This means that players run practices, movement sessions, drills, practice matches, etc. From the physical point of view these are some considerations:.
Identify muscle groups that will be used (above average). For example: leg adductors. Lower extremities: ankles play a huge role in movement. A good balance between strength and flexibility is needed to be efficient on the court. Hip and core stability. Keeping a low center of gravity and a very stable core is important at all times when playing on clay.
Tennis players rely on these two factors to produce power and to keep the body stable during sliding movements such as defensive situations.Longer pointsIt is no secret that clay courts make the ball bounce slower. A slower bounce has a direct impact on the game at many levels.
So what if the game is slower? Wouldn’t that make tennis easier?
Sounds like the answer would be yes. However, if players have more time to hit the ball, then they have more time to produce more power, more speed and more spin on the ball.
This process of power – slow bounce – power – slow bounce – goes on during rallies making them longer and more physically demanding for the player. These are some factors that coaches and players may find when getting ready for clay court events:. Tennis specific endurance. Athletes need to put it all together! You name it: aerobic base and anaerobic power and capacity. Upper and lower body: a strong shoulder. It is very important to consider strengthening of the shoulder and having a good injury prevention program for the player.
If the ball bounces slower and the player has more chances to hit the ball harder, then we would think that the shoulder needs a lot of attention, correct? The answer would be yes but the shoulder is not the sole responsible for the racquet acceleration during a tennis stroke. Using the lower body with a good base to initiate the stroke is key to hit a powerful shot. Moving to the ball quickly, setting up a firm base and using the legs and hips to execute are paramount elements. Powerful strokes initiate at the lower body.Hydration, food intake and recoveryAt a high level of tennis most athletes understand the importance of hydration, nutrition and recovery. They understand that their bodies need to be ready for another session of training or another competition match. They know that the smallest difference can be crucial to win a match.
Paying attention to detail is key and it is a process. Junior tennis players usually do not pay as much attention to hydration, recovery and nutrition as professionals do.Here are some factors to be considered when playing on clay:. Hydration.
Before and after practice or competition. How are the weather conditions?
Hot and humid? What type of sport drinks work better for the athlete? Do you use a powder supplement for hydration?
What to drink for matches over 4 hours? What to drink right after a match?. Nutrition.
Eating the right way not only means to eat healthy; it means to eat adequate amounts at the right times. What to eat before practice or competition? Which would be the best snacks in between?
What to eat during matches over 4 hours? What to eat right after finishing a match?. Recovery. How long?The mastery of putting together training and competition variables is always a learning process. Every athlete is different and unique and the calendar of a tennis player is changing constantly.
If you want to know more and help your athletes with decisions based on science and based evidence, then come to iTPA and become a Tennis-specific strength and conditioning specialist! Headed into the professional clay court season, common perception is that in tennis surface matters. As we get older, clay courts are the surface of choice. “It’s easier on the body” is the most repeated phrase. “Hard courts hurt my knees and my back” is often heard. But what if the injuries were not a result of the playing surface? Most players over time get some type of overuse injury.
Whether it’s the playing arm, the back, or the knees and ankles, everyone gets “niggles.”A recent 2016 study in Netherlands evaluated 4 different surfaces and their injury rates over a 6 month period. Hard courts, clay courts, sand filled artificial grass and red sand filled artificial grass were used. The average age of the participants was 49 years old. 20,000 adults were invited to participate, 18% (3656) participated.
There were 4047 injuries (53%) reported by 1957 participants. 80% of the injuries were overuse injuries and 20% were acute injuries. Participants who played on multiple surfaces suffered from overuse injuries compared to those who played on one surface. The researchers concluded that there was no significant injury prevalence of injury with the different surfaces.This study shows that unless a player suffers a freak injury such as Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the 2017 Wimbledon or David Goffin at the 2017 French Open, the grand majority of injuries are due to overuse and not surface type. Essential to maintaining a healthy body is rehabbing minor injuries and strength training to prevent injuries.
Rest is vital for the body. More is not always better.Another study evaluated the influence of tennis court surfaces on player perception and biomechanical response. The researchers noted that there was a difference in the way players stood on a hard court compared to a clay court. Players on a hard court were in a more upright position.
This allowed the athlete to be more on their toes in anticipation of sliding. They did note that players with previous clay court experience may experience a reduction of injury as a result of reduced loading on the knees and lower limbs.Research is clearly showing that playing surface has limited correlation with injuries in tennis. The injuries reported were preexisting injuries. Past injuries from other sports or accidents can be exacerbated because of the start/stop nature of the sport. The forces generated can place extra stress on the body and cause flare ups in injuries that were not properly rehabbedSo how much is too much in professional and recreational tennis?Professional players travel 25-35 weeks a year between tournaments, preseason camps, and home visits. Recreational players play between 2 and 3 times a week. While some individuals can argue that Courier, McEnroe and Lendl all played 85+ matches in the past, there are many variables that have changed.
For recreational players, you have to worry about outside stress from home and work. The professional athletes are stronger, faster and fitter than ever. Matches are going 4+ hours in Grand Slams with the winner having 36 hours to recover before playing again.
The physical toll on the athlete’s body after these matches is tremendous. In recreational players recovery can take a few days depending on how much outside weight lifting and endurance training is done. Technology has played a part in developing more powerful racquets allowing players to hit harder and add more spin to the ball.3 Takeaway points. Injury prevention begins before you step on court and does not stop when you leave the court.
Stretching, foam rolling, dynamic warmup all help. Basic Injury Prevention Exercises for Tennis. Stress Management – outside stressors such as work and family can have a negative impact on the body. Meditation, reading a book or any activity that activates the parasympathetic nervous system will greatly reduce stress levels. Technology- USE IT! With the advances in technology today there are a lot of tools that can speed recovery not just from an injury standpoint but also after a practice or match.
Just make sure you use technology that has a track record of success and has evidence based support.Here are another few nice resources from the iTPAAre You Helping or Hurting Your Young Tennis Players? -Sources:The influence of tennis court surface on player perceptions and biomechanical responseInjury rates in recreational tennis players do not differ between different playing surfacesCommon sports injuries in young tennis playersAlternating Hot and Cold Water Immersion for Athlete Recovery: A ReviewPreventing overtraining in athletes in high intensity sports and stress recovery management. Patrick Aubone, CTPS & Dr. Mark Kovacs, CTPS, MTPSPractice may be the most important part of playing tennis but recovery is just as, if not more, important in order to stay injury free. Injuries increase every year. Tennis elbow makes up for 50% of arm injuries in recreational tennis. Plantar fasciitis and knee tendonitis are other common injuries found in tennis players at both the competitive and recreational level.
Technological advancement in the last 10 years has helped recreational and professional athletes increase recovery times post practice/match. As a recreational athlete you want to be able to play as much as possible and stay injury free. Below are the top 6 bang for your buck ways to decrease injuries and increase performance. . Stretching Routine – A stretching routine can take as little as 4 minutes or as long as you want. Getting a good stretch post match or practice will not only help with muscle tightness the following day but will also increase muscle range of motion.
A simple routine including 4-6 exercises completed for 30-60 seconds at a time for 1-3 rounds will help in numerous ways with muscle flexibility. Foam Rolling – The foam roller might be painful but your body will thank you for it afterwards. The soft tissue massage provided by the foam roller also helps improve blood flow and reduce stiffness. Research shows that foam rolling post practice or competition can help reduce the feeling of fatigue and reduce the soreness in your muscles. Muscle Stimulation - Are now made available to the public at an affordable price.
It is commonly used to treat various issues in the recovery space. A decade ago it was common to utilize ice as a prevention treatment after training. Now using electrical muscle stimulators and other blood flow focused devices has become a more appropriate and common technique to help speed recovery. Here is some info on ways to utilize these technique on various parts of the body -. Sports Massage – A massage is probably the most commonly used recovery/relaxation technique in sports.
If you have ever had a massage you know the body “feels” great once it is completed, but is it worth your time and money? Current research shows that a massage as a modality does not improve recovery or that it benefits performance. Does that mean you should not do it? Absolutely not! If you feel like getting a massage after a match or practice will help get the aches and pains out then do it.
Recovery Boots - These techniques have become very popular over the past few years due to the portability and ease of use. The concept revolves around compression followed by relaxation around the muscles involved. The basic premise focuses on vasoconstriction followed by vasodilation of blood cells. The goal is to increase oxygenated blood to the area while moving deoxygenated blood away.
Here are two companies that provide the technology and are used by athletes on a regular basis. Recovery Pump -Normatec –. NSAIDS or Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs – NSAIDS are probably the most commonly used of all the above modalities. A lot of players will take some before, during, and/or after a practice or match. Research shows that in the short term there are benefits in pain reduction.
The long term risk may involve increase risk of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal and renal problems. The short term effects of taking NSAIDS will allow you to practice discomfort free but taken over the long term on a consistent basis is not recommended. Below are a few articles of interest related to the topic of NSAIDS in athletes.
Bring on Exercise, Hold The Painkillers. International Olympic Committee consensus statement on pain management in elite athletes -Here is a link to another older blog post dating back to 2012 from the International Tennis Performance Association discussing recovery modalities that is another great resourceAll of the above mentioned modalities can help increase performance and decrease injury risk. Some have more benefits than others. It is up to you to pick which ones work best for you and combine it with your daily routine to get the most of your tennis playing experience.Sources. Hydration - Dehydration is one of the main causes of cramping.
The majority of athletes walk into a match or practice already dehydrated. During a match an individual can lose between 1.5 to 3 liters of sweat. The main element lost in sweat is salt. An easy test to see how much an individual sweats is to wear a dark colored shirt.
Once the practice or match is complete look for white stains around the shirt, as this is a sign of the amount of sodium lost during the practice or match. The more white (salt) the shirt has is the heavier a sweater he/she is. Consuming a sports drink such as Gatorade will help prevent cramping. If he/she does not like a sports drink, adding salt to your water or drink of choice is a good way to substitute the sodium lost during play. Recent research has shown that drinking Alkaline water also helps keep a higher PH level in the body.
Preparador Fisico Conceptos A Evaluar Para
This allowed for more efficient utilization of lactate after high intensity exercise. Also remember that hydration begins before the match or practice. Nutrition – Nutrition plays a big role in an athlete’s performance. Tennis is a high intensity sport with short points (5-20 seconds) and long breaks (20-25 seconds). Carbohydrates are very important for a tennis player. They provide immediate energy during a match.
Gel packets and sports drinks are commonly seen being consumed by tennis players because they provide quick energy. Recent research shows that consuming 16g of glucose improved endurance by 14% compared to drinking only water. A suggested consumption of 20-90g of carbohydrates is recommended per hour. This all depends on your ability to digest a gel or sports drink during competition. It is also important to consume enough calories before and after playing.
Consuming the right balance of carbohydrates, fats, and protein in your diet is important to have enough energy throughout the practice or match and prevent cramps. Physical Preparation – The final piece to the puzzle is fitness. For most professional athletes this is not a problem, but for recreational players it can be.
Most recreational players participate in a league or play with friends once or twice a week. The problem is that if they don’t do any work in the gym or supplemental fitness when they aren’t playing tennis they run the risk of cramping during longer matches.
Tennis is a high intensity sport. Combined with the pressure of winning and possible hot and humid conditions there is a high risk of cramping no matter the level of he or she competes in. He or she should try and exercise 2-3 times a week outside of a practice or match in order to improve their fitness levels. This will help prevent cramps muscle fatigue which can lead to cramping. Emotional & Mental Preparation – Most cramping occurrences happen during matches and competitive environments. Therefore, it is very important to not overlook the stress response and the impact it has on muscle function and physiological responses that contribute to the exercise associated muscle cramping timeline and mechanical process. Working on breathing routines, focusing on the process rather than the outcome and having overall general routines is very beneficial in this perspective.
Here is a great resource that has many lesson plans and practical examples on how to improve the emotional and mental skill developmentIn conclusion, the 4 main causes of cramping are a lack of hydration, nutritional deficiencies, physical preparation and emotional/mental preparation.Here is another great resource from the iTPA on Cramping in Tennis:Cramping in Elite Level Tennis -Calambres musculares en el tenisResources. By Patrick Aubone, CTPS & Dr. Mark Kovacs, CTPS, MTPSFor the first time in the Open era a Grand Slam lacked major star power on the men’s side with nearly half of the top players being unable to play due to injury.
The list of casualties from the top 10 was pretty big: Andy Murray (hip), Novak Djokovic (elbow), Milos Raonic (wrist), Kei Nishikori (wrist), Stan Wawrinka (knee). Five of the top 11 players in the world missed the US Open this year. Last year Roger Federer took the final 6 months of the year to recover from an off court knee injury while Rafael Nadal has been battling injuries for years.This year at Wimbledon, the men’s draw alone had 7 first round retirements and 11 total in the first 2 rounds.
Preparador Fisico Conceptos A Evaluar Con
According to an ESPN, since Wimbledon 2007 there has been 237 retirements in Grand Slam tournaments for men alone. This is an astounding number! 'Are all these retirements due to the schedule?
Too much travel? Off court stress? Ineffecitve off-court or on-court training? Looking at the ATP Tour website, post US Open, Alexander Zverev and Roberto Bautista Agut lead the top 10 players in matches played with 76 and 71. That doesn’t take into account the upcoming indoor season and year end tournament. Nadal is a close third with 67 matches played, Federer is at 41, and Del Potro is at 46. Federer has only recently had some injury problem with his knee and most recently his back but prior to age 33 he only experienced an ankle issue one year and still came back for the season ending tournament.
Del Potro aside from his multiple wrist surgeries has had an injury-free career though he is still young at 28. Outside of the top 10, Goffin and Theim are the only players above 75 matches.How much is too much?The players travel 25-35 weeks a year between tournaments, preseason camps, and home visits. While some individuals can argue that Courier, McEnroe and Lendl all played 85+ matches in the past, there are many variables that have changed.
The athletes are stronger, faster and fitter than ever. Matches are going 5+ hours in Grand Slams with the winner having 36 hours to recover before playing again. The physical toll on the athlete’s body after these matches is tremendous. Technology has played a part in developing more powerful racquets allowing players to hit harder and add more spin to the ball. It has also played a big part in the recovery process with such innovations as compression garments by 2XU & Body helix, Pneumatic Compression like Normatec or Recovery Pump Boots and non-fatiguing Muscle Stimulation machines like the Marc Pro Plus. Most are not even well versed in the various other aspects that contribute the the stress and recovery process.Here is a good resource from the USTA with some in-depth review of Recovery in Tennis. Here is the Recovery in Tennis Coaches, Parents and Players Booklet -If you are interested in reading more in-depth science around tennis recovery here is the expert written book on the topic (398 pages) edited by Drs.
Kovacs, Kibler and Ellenbecker:Even though the increase in top star players injuries is the focus of many articles (see below), the actual yearly data of overall injuries on the ATP World Tour is actually rather consistent with years past. It is just that we have for the first time a large percentage of the Top 10 players unable to play a major championship (the US Open). As a result, it attracts major attention and shines a light on injuries in the sport. However, it is always important to look at the data and understand what is actually happening. By Oliver Stephens:ITPA Master Tennis Performance Specialist, PTR Master of Tennis (Performance and Development), USPTA Elite ProfessionalAs a Tennis Professional, I have been blessed to have some amazing educational opportunities in the last several years. None more so than my involvement with the International Performance Tennis Association (iTPA). I went all in with this organization and took all three of their courses, culminating with the Master Tennis Performance Specialist Course.
All three courses were a deep dive into the science behind tennis specific fitness training, including injury prevention, power training, tennis specific endurance training, training 10U players, seniors, periodization and planning, tennis movement, stroke analysis and so much more.The courses were a great chance for me to learn in great detail some of the more advanced techniques used by the top professionals in the industry. To learn from Dr. Mark Kovacs is an amazing opportunity in itself, but it was equally amazing to have the opportunity to learn from some of the other amazing professionals on the courses such as Jonny Fraser, owner of Science in Tennis and Satoshi Ochi from the USTA.As I said, we took a deep dive into the detail but the one thing I noticed was the emphasis on getting the fundamentals correct. This position is obviously incorrect, and if performed over time, will put tremendous stress on the ACL and other joints and muscles.
This condition is sometimes an orthopedic issue, and of course, you should refer to a specialist to see if this is the case. However, I have also found that this is sometimes a condition that can be trained to be better by increasing muscular strength in the Abductor area and by simply training the athlete to be more in control of their body.Here is my three-step progression that I have had good success with my athletes with:1a.
Can the athlete squat and pick up a medicine ball up off the ground with correct form?Very simply, train your athletes to be able to pick up a 4-6lb Medicine ball up from the floor. The emphasis of course should be keeping the spine neutral and using your legs to do all the work while keeping the knees in the correct position. You will be amazed at how many of your BEST tennis players won’t get this right the first time!
As I mentioned above, it may simply be an awareness issue that the athlete just needs to fix with correct training and consistent re-enforcement.1b. At the same time that you are working on the first progression, you can also incorporate some lateral and forward monster walks into the fitness program. This will strengthen the hip Abductors, which will help your athletes keep their form in more advanced exercises.
Make sure that you don’t apply too much resistance, start with lighter bands and work your way up. I even have my athletes begin without any resistance at all in order to get the form correct from the start. I would recommend 3 sets of 12 monster walks 2-3 times a week as part of their fitness routine.2. Train your athletes to jump and land correctly. Without any boxes, steps etc, your athletes need to be able to start with their feet 12-18 inches apart, go into a shallow squat and jump 6-12 inches in the air and land with correct form. This exercise is to be done slowly and with an emphasis always on posture and correct form.
When your athletes can perform this well, have them jump (slowly) over a 6-12 inch hurdle. Always remember, you can always go back and work on more simple progressions (regressions), if your athletes are struggling with form.3. Before you progress to box jumps, work on box landings. Have your athletes stand on a low box or step and then jump down and land with the correct form. Your athlete must be able to perform this 10 times without losing their form before you move onto a traditional box jump.Remember, don’t be afraid to go back and regress if your athlete loses his or her form and take your time with these exercises.
It may take a few months to have your athlete box jumping efficiently.Exercise #2 Forehand and backhand Medicine Ball Toss, Deep, Short and Wide.This is a very common exercise and for good reason - it is great for tennis players if performed correctly! However, so often it is not. Here are the basic fundamental rules to perform an effective Medicine Ball toss. Don’t go too heavy!Start with a lighter weight, even a soccer ball in order to get the form correct from the beginning. In fact, I wouldn’t even have the players catching and throwing at the beginning, rather, I would have them simply shadow the strokes with the light ball in order to work on PERFECT FORM. Posture is everything in this exercise:As in the point above, overloading of the athlete, or, too many repetitions will cause athletes to lose their form and especially lose their posture. Always remind your athletes of the importance of good posture in all their exercises.
This is especially true when you start to incorporate catching and throwing the weighted ball. Can your athletes keep good posture when they catch the ball as well as when they throw it back?. Make sure they are in the correct stance for the ball they are receiving:When they move to a shorter throw they should use a closed stance. When they move to a neutral ball, a neutral stance and when they move to a wide ball, an open stance. Be precise with your feedback and make sure the athlete is aware of this requirement.In these kind of exercises the athlete knows what kind of ball they are receiving (closed skill training).
Therefore, we must make sure we are getting the athletes working as accurately as possible and performing the skills as close to perfection as is possible.Exercise #3: Cone DrillsMany of you will be using cone drills with your students such as figure 8’s, wide shadow strokes and forwards and backwards recovery drills. Again, these are great drills and you should use them often. But we MUST make sure we get the fundamentals right. Here are some tips to make these drills fundamentally sound:. Make sure your athletes are in an athletic ready position before they begin the exercise. Do they have good posture?
Are they on the balls of their feet and do they generally look ready to go?. In the figure 8 drill, have your athletes do a split step at the beginning of every figure 8. I have found that this small detail makes the drill so much more tennis specific. To quote the iTPA study guide directly “The closer the athlete can experience movements, feelings and situations that will be experienced during competition, the better prepared the athlete will be.”.
When performing wide recovery drills, focus on the specific footwork that the recovery should have. For example, on a ball that you only have to move a few feet for, you make a simple side step to recover. For a ball that brings you wider, say 15 feet or so, you should have a crossover step as your first recovery movement and for a very wide ball that takes you outside the singles sideline, the athletes should be trained to turn and run a few steps until moving into a more traditional side step recovery movement phase.These are all simple points that I have tried to make.
I hope you will join me in teaching the FUNDAMENTALS well and not moving your athletes too quickly through the progressions of your exercises and workouts. Let them walk before they can run and in the long term, you will see better results than if you tried to build Rome in a day!