February 2019 – Tennis POC

Training Tips For Tennis Players

Posted on February 26, 2019 by blogger

Tennis is a lovely game and most of us love playing it. We all know winning is fun and for sure we all hate to lose. However, winning is not easy and it demands a lot of practice. Modern day tennis demands, speed , skill, strength and stamina and fortunately all of these four can be developed through proper training.

Demands of the game: Unlike a race, where you have a fixed goal to achieve, tennis is very much unpredictable. If you are Steffi Graf, you can mop up an opponent in less than an hour, whereas a men’s five setter can go on for four hours or more. This means you must be prepared for the worst eventuality, up to three hours for women and five for men. Endurance in such matches is a key factor, since when you get tired mistakes creep in and your attention starts to wander.

The surface you play on is important too because it can dictate the length of the rallies. On fast grass they tend to be shorter and more explosive, while on a slower clay surface they can last for 20 strokes or more, depending on your skill and your opponent’s. Once again, endurance counts.

Playing tennis for fitness, even on clay, is not the answer to aerobic conditioning. Strong and powerful legs, which can be developed through strength training both on and off the court and strong upper body is very important, particularly in the playing arm, back and shoulder region. Mobility and agility are the other key areas that you need to consider when analyzing a tennis player.

Phases of training: Peaking is not an important factor in tennis, at least not for professionals. If your goal is to win a club or county tournament, then the opportunity for peaking is far more possible. You may perform more endurance and basic strength development exercises during the off season, then concentrate more on agility and sharpness in the months approaching the event.

The training week: The structure of a tennis player’s training week differs from that of most other sports, partly because of the unpredictability factor already discussed. One may be relying on a week’s hard slog in a particular tournament and then get knocked out in the first round itself. In addition, much of the training week will be spent in hours of court practice, grooming the serves and drilling ground strokes down the line. Physical conditioning must be built carefully into this schedule so as not to interfere with the racket practice. Strength training should be aimed not only at toning the muscles involved but also at redressing the inevitable imbalances that can occur because of using one side of the upper body much more than the other, so as to help prevent injury.

In the weights room one should choose exercises to train muscles in the upper and lower body, particularly the legs, lower and upper back, shoulders and arms. Body weight exercises may also help these areas and the abdominals. Drills on and off court helps in improve the ability to move your feet quickly into the correct position, while short, intense shuttle exercises to increase speed, followed by adequate recovery to maintain quality, helps in covering the court quickly and effectively.

On court one can perform shuttles forwards and backwards, from baseline to service line and back, touching the ground with your hand at each turn. Moving from the centre of the court to the left hand tram lines, back and to the right hand tramlines quickly, always facing the net is another way of practicing fast, fluent court movement. Alternatively, a coach or friend can randomly call the direction for you to move, forwards, backwards, left, right, so that you practice changing direction quickly in response to the unexpected. There are also various types of tennis equipment that helps in such training.

Running is useful because you spend your time on court on your feet and exercises like, cycling and swimming helps in conditioning the heart and lungs without the wear and tear from pounding out the miles, and may be enjoyed as an active recovery.

Tennis Nutrition Tips For Players

Posted on February 24, 2019 by blogger

It is important for tennis players to possess excellent endurance to be able to adapt to any playing situation. Because tennis matches are unpredictable and may last 3 even 5 sets, players must also have the stamina to keep playing without getting exhausted. Tennis players need to be able to perform well when its hot out. Did you know that it can be 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit hotter on the court than the ambient temperature So if there is a temperature spike, you dont want to wilt under the heat. To have the energy and stamina required for the game, it is important for players to follow a well structured tennis nutrition plan and a well balanced diet.

Top TennisNutritionTips

Here are the topmostTennis Nutritiontips for players:

Cut down on pro-inflammatory foods:Some foods are anti-inflammatory while others are pro-inflammatory. If youre ever injured, roll an ankle, pull a muscle, strain something etc.. It is important to cut out pro-inflammatory foods. Youll just exacerbate your injury. Focus you nutrition regimen on anti-inflammatory foods that will promote quick healing.

Drink ample amounts of water:Nutrition does not mean just eating well keeping hydrated is essential to good nutrition. Keep yourself well hydrated to avoid being easily tired and to help maintain high concentration levels required by a tennis match.

Increase protein intake:By increasing your protein intake either through a nutritional supplement or the nutrition you receive from your diet, you can speed up the process of muscle growth and repair. For the best results, you should consume foods rich in protein and low in fat. Such foods include lean meats (beef, pork, and many others) and poultry (turkey, chicken etc).

Eat complex carbohydrates, nutritious fruits and vegetables:Foods rich in complex carbohydrates help provide the nutrition you need to create long lasting energy. Some examples are brown bread, whole wheat breads, brown rice and starchy vegetables such as corn, potatoes and peas.

Vitamins and mineral nutrition supplements:Vitamins and minerals supplements can be used to provide the right amount of nutrients required for optimal performance on court.

Proper sleep:Ok so this isnt tennis nutrition per se, but nutrition aside, this is super important. A proper 8 -10 hours of sleep is a must for players to deliver their best performance.

So dont overlook your nutrition! Even if you have the worlds best trainer and the latest racquet, it is impossible to consistently win matches if you fail to follow a well-balanced tennis nutrition plan.

How To Buy Tennis Shoes

Posted on February 22, 2019 by blogger

Tennis is all about balance. You have to strike a balance between power and control on your shots. You have to maintain good balance when you swing. It’s critical that your footwear be properly matched to the anatomy of your feet and the surface you play on. Poor-fitting shoes can lead to blisters, ankle and knee pain, and loss of movement on the court. Because tennis is a game of non-stop movement, the best tennis shoes on your feet can be your most reliable teammate.

What’s Your Foot Type?

The first step in finding the right shoe is to figure out what type of foot you have. There are three basic foot types pronated, supinated, and neutral. A simple wet footprint test can tell you which foot type you have. If you see a crescent-shaped footprint with little or no impression made by your arch, you have a supinated foot. Supinators tend to wear out the outside part of the sole (the lateral side) before the medial (big toe) side. Supinators also tend to have wide feet and need to look for a shoe that provides extra room in the forefoot and toe box (e.g. New Balance Tennis shoes.) Or they may need a shoe with extra cushioning to compensate for their high arches (e.g. Nike and Asics Tennis shoes.) If your foot leaves a wet mark on the floor that’s completely filled in, arch and all, you have a pronated foot. Pronators often have flat feet, and the medial portion of their shoe bottom wears down before the lateral part. People with this foot type often need extra support from their shoes so a mid-cut model or a shoe with extra stability on the medial side is usually a wise choice (e.g. Prince and K-Swiss Tennis shoes.) If you’re one of the few people who leave a wet footprint with a moderate amount of arch, you have a neutral foot. Consider yourself lucky-this is the most efficient and biomechanically versatile foot type. Players with neutral feet can play tennis in almost any shoe. Some of the most popular choices are Adidas Barricade, Nike Air Max Breathe Cage, Asics Gel Resolution, and Babolat Tennis Shoes.

Understand the Design

The next step is understanding the shoe’s design so you can pick the one that will perform best for you. There are four parts of a shoe you need to consider:

Upper:

The top portion of the shoe, or the upper, is usually made of leather, synthetic leather, or a combination of materials. If you need extra support, look for lacing systems that thread into reinforcements going down the sides of the shoe; they’ll provide added stability. When you try a shoe on, be sure the upper is comfortable against the top of your foot and is not too tight. If you drag your toe when you serve, look for a durable toecap.

Insole:

This is the portion of the shoe that your foot rests on, and it’s the least technical part of the operation. Most tennis shoes these days have removable insoles, allowing you to replace a worn-out insole with an over-the-counter one that provides extra cushioning, or to fit a custom orthotic.

Midsole:

The midsole is the section that lies between the shoe bottom and the insole. It’s generally made from ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam or polyurethane (PU) and in many cases is supplemented by air or gel inserts. The midsole effectively supplies a shoe’s cushioning. It can often be tough to tell when the midsole breaks down and ceases to perform, but as a rule of thumb, a two- or three-day-a-week player will wear out a midsole in five to six months. Frequent players and people who are extremely aggressive on the court will go through midsoles more quickly due to the pounding they give their shoes. If your shoes don’t feel as cushioned as they did when they were new, the midsole may be shot. You should consider buying a new pair.

Outsole:

This is where the rubber meets the road. The outsole’s design affects the traction you’ll get on hard and clay courts. Herringbone designs that form a tight, wave-like pattern perform best on clay, while outsoles with the most variation in the design (a little herringbone here, a wider groove there) give you the best traction on hard courts. An outsole should also be durable enough to stand up to your style of game. If you play often or wear out shoes quickly, look for heavy-duty outsoles and try to get a pair with an outsole warranty.

Heavy or Light?

How heavy should a pair of tennis shoes be? Well, light is nice, but heavy has its advantages, too.

The lighter your shoes, the faster you can zip around the court. So why are tennis shoes almost always heavier than running shoes? The stop-and-start demands of tennis require that shoes have ample cushioning, extra support, and more durable outsoles, all of which add weight.

In an effort to lighten up their shoes, manufacturers often use an hourglass-shaped outsole design for some models. But this may move the shoe’s flex point toward the middle of the shoe, near your arch, rather than at the ball of the foot, where your foot naturally bends. (To test a shoe’s flex point, hold it firmly around the heel in one hand and press the palm of your other hand against the sole at the toe end. Notice where the shoe bends. If it’s back toward the arch, you could have problems with support and stability.)

Only you can decide how much weight you’re willing to live with in the name of increased stability and durability. Consider owning two pairs of tennis shoes: a lighter game-day shoe and a heavier training shoe (this technique has been used by distance runners for years). If you practice in a heavier shoe and play your matches in a lighter shoe, you’ll feel quicker in competition and you’ll go through your shoes more slowly while you’re at it.

The Correct Way To Hold A Tennis Racket

Posted on February 18, 2019 by blogger

Many players of tennis will not throw a good glance with the importance of their handle on the racket of tennis. The expert will recommend that you restring your racket several times every year, but do not explain to the players that to have the right handle will mean much when it has suddenly played your well of play and to have the best points of tennis like possible.

When you make shopping for a racket of tennis, it is so important to consider the rigidity and the principal size of him. Once that you took to the decision you should make sure that the racket is the correct size of handle for you. The sizes most available start to 4 and will be increased by the eight of inch.

There are so many various manners of seizing a racket of tennis. According to the level which you play, you can learn one or more from the manners of seizing on the racket. There are the Westerner, Eastern, and the continental manner to seize. One in the basic ways to hold the racket of tennis must act is if you grapping the hand of the someone to shake. You will see that it is a comfortable handle on the racket, which will enable you to have a better play. It can be strange at the beginning, but once that you learn it, you will obtain used with the feeling.

If you feel the need for increasing your size of handle, you can apply and handle of surplus to your regular manner to hold the racket. This will save you on the use of your handle and a better feeling will also give you. The good handles of surplus of thing approximately is which are not expensive and you can judge them until you find one which feels the best for you.

It really does not import if you are a professional or a beginner, should include/understand the various handles and the options to you which are outside there for you so that you can have a better play. If you are not comfortable with the handle which you have on your racket of tennis, you cannot have recreation as much on the courses. You must make sure that you have all information so that you can have the recreation and to be good with the play too.

You should not be a complete professional to hold the racket. Very that you must make must be been willing to give him a test and to have the recreation with him. You will see that you can be propagated with the play more quickly if you hold the racket of tennis in the correct way. You will improve your play and to have more recreation at the same time when you have the suitable form and the handle.

Tennis Skills Needed To Win

Posted on February 17, 2019 by blogger

Tennis is a game that requires a lot of certain skills. Some of these skills are ones that you may have picked up in other sports, though some skills are solely picked up through playing tennis. There are generally five skills that will help you in becoming the most successful tennis player you can be.

First and foremost, your ball judgment must be excellent. It is best to pick up this skill before you finish your teenage hood, or else it is very hard to pick up. You need to have a sense of where the ball is going to go, and where you must hit. If you can do this, tennis will be very enjoyable. If not, playing tennis can be a pain and you will find yourself wanting to quit very quickly.

Next, balance is very important for a tennis player. Most humans have a good degree of balancing skills. Think back to how many times you have lost your balance accidentally and still recovered. In tennis, you are moving quickly, coming to sudden stops, and then moving again. Balance is important or you will find yourself on the floor in no time. Nonetheless, if your balance skills are not up to par, they will improve as you play more and more tennis.

Hand-eye coordination, needless to say, is important in tennis. When the ball is coming to you, it is your hand-eye coordination that will determine how you hit the ball. Similarly to ball judgment, hand-eye coordination is a skill that children will learn much faster than adults. There are players who have natural hand-eye coordination, and then there are those who need to practice excessively to master it.

Footwork is right up there with any of the other skills mentioned. You must be able to differentiate between different stances, or else you will find your shots and returns not as you want them. Many people get on the court and just hit the ball like no tomorrow, not even considering their stance. This is a big no-no, and your stance will make all the difference in your game.

Lastly, and most obviously, is concentration. Tennis is a game of concentration. If you cannot concentrate, tennis is not the game for you. The game of tennis requires extreme concentration, or else you will find yourself losing game after game. It is a game of back and forth, and with no concentration, you will make big mistakes on the court.