Blog

Ok here is a blog for the all the players out there that want to improve quickly, win more matches and do them both with minimal effort…… Sound enticing? Read on

Many players will struggle to improve on a consistent basis, with both their tennis workouts and tennis game. They reach a point when added momentum will be required as levels start to plateau or even worse, injuries occur.

The many factors that can contribute to this situation include coaching, motivation levels, knowledge, application and attitude. But in our experience, some simple questions often reveal that players can identify at least three simple steps that they can implement immediately to help them make instant improvements.

Finding these things can propel players forward, providing momentum and boosting their motivation. They are often simple things (you don’t want to get too complicated).
The realisation that players can create change instantly is enough to shift their thoughts and will get...

I have been guilty in the past of being up and down with my training and I'm a trainer! So I know how hard it can be. Staying disciplined and focused is tough, but it is what it takes for players to be tennis pros.

What is important is to keep changing what you do, progressing your programming, continually challenging yourself.

This not only adds variety, but it is needed to allow your body to continually adapt and improve.

When done correctly it adds serious physical progress, who doesn’t want that!

I’ve admitted I’ve been slack a few times with my tennis fitness training, I’m human, I really had no excuse.

I know what to do and when to do it, in the rare occasion I’ve slipped it’s been a case of I’m too busy, no excuse. Others on the other hand, maybe even you have an excuse – You don’t know what to do and when to do it.

Maybe you think you do, but is it really working for you? I hope so!

Over the last couple of weeks, we have...

Whether it be tennis, fitness, football or any other sports we all remember those hard tennis coaches that worked us to the bone. Everyone that is 30 or older, will have stories to tell about some of the hard and intense tennis fitness training we were put through in our youth.

By today's standards it could even be classified as a little brutal, but we talk to the kids we train about how different it was back in our day and how tough and challenging the kids tennis training was.

Fast forward to today and those hard tennis fitness training days are hardly recognizable.

I remember a drill that a coach used to put us through growing up. He used to stand at the net with his basket of balls and have us stand on the service line at the other end with our rackets up looking to defend for our lives.

What would soon follow was ten tenaciously struck balls hit at us with the purpose of teaching you to hold your ground and defend yourself at the net, the coach felt he was the victor if he...

When it comes to tennis exercise and preparing your body to play your best tennis, it is important to do the right things at the right time. That includes resting and changing what you do, even if you feel your current routine works. Tennis training variety is often overlooked.

Some people prefer consistency, so do the same things all the time then often wonder why they are not improving. Others jump from tennis program to another without allowing the body time to adapt.

Whatever your "training personality", it is vital for long-term development (at any age) and performance to phase the tennis training you do. Often known as periodisation, phase training is as important as your actual tennis exercises. This is how it works ...

PREPARATION

General: High training volume and low intensity. Focus is on endurance and strength. Your tennis training can be general and non-tennis specific at the start (cross-training). This is a good time to work on tennis training techniques. 

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There are few players who step on the court without a match plan in mind. To make the most of your training time, that same structured thinking should reply to your fitness too. The best fitness strategy is a balanced one. Getting balance into your tennis fitness plan will improve your performance, help keep you injury free and give you the variety you need to stay motivated. Here is a rundown on how to do it.

Build
Build up your fitness by completing a variety of tennis training. This will ideally incorporate:

• Cross training
• Strength training
• Cardio
• Agility
• Speed
• Core

It is always best to attack your weakest link first. Fitness testing is the best way to find out what requires the most attention. Many people do very little to improve their tennis fitness, they think hitting more is the key, which is far from true. If you are...

What can you learn from Lleyton Hewitt, who will play a record-breaking 20th and final Australian Open this summer?

Lleyton Hewitt is the ultimate professional when it comes to tennis training. A professional athlete needs the following categories to be considered the "whole package” – great physical attributes, punctuality, strong organisational skills, focus, intensity and commitment.

Having worked with Lleyton for the past 10 years, he scores close to 10 out of 10 for all of them. He is never late, always has everything he needs, knows what he is doing and is determined to get it done. He always has an extremely high level of intensity and can back it up day after day.

Lleyton attacks his pre-season with the enthusiasm of a 20-year-old year after year. As a tennis fitness trainer, you can’t ask for more. A typical pre-season tennis training block for Lleyton runs for 10 to 12 weeks, training between three and five hours a day. During the initial transition...

Staying balanced is important for constant development and improvement in tennis. If you have ever felt flat or stagnant with your tennis training, then there is a good chance your balance has been out.

When we talk about having balance we are talking about having a consistent flow or steady energy throughout your day and week. Waking up every day ready to go, feeling motivated, uninjured and good about yourself.

So how do you know if you are balanced?

Answer these questions:
• Do you often feel flat and tired?
• Do you often feel unmotivated?
• Do you always feel like you are carrying an injury?
• Is your tennis improving?
• Are you getting fitter and stronger?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions there is a good chance you may need to make some minor adjustments

REGAIN YOUR BALANCE

Getting balanced involves increasing your focus on areas of weakness, or where you spend less time and decreasing your focus on the areas you spend...

The earliest stage of a tennis player’s development is the most important part of their tennis journey. It’s also when problems can arise, so if you work with young tennis players and want them to achieve sound tennis results and maximize enjoyment, it’s critical to understand a few key points:

Kids are not adults… So don’t treat them like one. Coaches, tennis trainers and parents need to be responsible for the volume and intensity of a younger player’s practice and preparation. Don’t compare them to adults or other kids; they all develop at different rates and they cannot do what adults do.

Know their limits If a young player wants more and more, that’s great – but remember that everyone has their limit. Younger athletes often don’t know when it’s time to stop, as they find it hard to read how they are physically feeling and how they will respond to what they are doing. If we want them to achieve good tennis...

I am often amazed how little people know about tournament preparation. Preparing for tournaments is one of the most critical things to get right and finding what works best for you or your players as individuals, is important.

I know some people will be reading this and be saying to themselves "My preparation is, to not prepare“ I’m better off just turning up and playing, that works best for me” Sorry guys that’s the lazy mans approach, and there is a good chance if you follow it, you won’t get far as a tennis player.

There are certain principles that need to be applied in order to get the most out of yourself come match day, here are some key principles;

1. Hydration - keeping yourself hydrated is important for concentration, energy levels and preventing tennis injuries. As a guide athletes can follow this formula; 0.03 x Body weight (KG) = ? Litres of water. This is a base requirement. Depending on weather conditions and how much you sweat Add...