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There’s a heap on confusion in and around sport specific training this day in age….. How do we know what's right for us and our sport specific needs, when we are bombarded with information everywhere we look. 

Social media, fitspo influencers and the so called ‘gurus’ can all lead us down the path of no return and away from the tennis result's we seek. 

I myself have been guilty of heading down this road from time to time, and while yes it's definitely fun watching someone standing on a Swiss Ball Juggling Dumbbells, there's a few questions I should be asking myself…. 

Who is the exercise for?

What is this exercise supposed to do?

Is there transfer? Transfer to a specific sport, movement or just to make our reflection in the mirror slightly more flattering?   

These three import questions are what I like to call the ‘WHY’…..

Why is it important to ask these 3 question's you ask? Simple because its vital we...

I have long regarded the French open as the toughest grand slam to win. But to win it 10 times takes a Herculean effort.

We were fortunate enough to work over in one of the best Tennis Academies in Spain. During this time we were able to watch Rafa practice. You could see then he was a very special breed. His work ethic and focus to his training was amazing, even as a 14 year old.

Having spent years on the tour, we have been lucky enough to watch him evolve, we have seen his game progress and admire the risks and changes he made. He has become a lot more aggressive, changed his serve.... he has worked on becoming a more complete player. The one thing that hasn't changed, is his intensity he works at and the attitude he possesses. He has had the same people around him for a long time. Uncle Tony has coached him from the age of 3 and it wasn't too long ago that people told him he needed to make changes, I think we could all agree, we are glad he hasn't.

It was great to see him...

On tour the majority of players have a team around them (coach, tennis trainer, partner, friends) then they have a close group of players they rely on for support, encouragement, a laugh and above all tennis results. 

It's extremely important for them to have this "team" dynamic. They not only rely on others for feedback, motivation and support, but it's equally important for them to be able to help and support others themselves. This brings them satisfaction and a feeling that they are in touch with their loved ones and friends.

Have you ever asked yourself " who's in my team" and "Whose team am I in" it's important to know because they are the people you need to spend time with, listen to, communicate with and respect. As they believe in you, you too should believe in them, it is a two-way street.

To have a successful team respect for each other is paramount, it is what underlies all your decisions and beliefs in each other. Young players need respect for their parents first...

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...

This is an important topic right here…. If you work with young tennis players and want to get Tennis Results, you need to understand a few things.

1. Kids are not adults, don’t treat them like adults. Coaches, tennis conditioners, and parents need to be responsible for the volume and intensity they practice at. Don’t compare them to adults or other kids, they all develop at different rates and they cannot do what adults do…..

2. If a young player wants more and more, that’s great but everyone has their limit, the problem with the young tennis players is that they find it hard to know when to stop, 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 have some good tennis results, we need to manage this for them and educate them on what is enough.

3. Most injuries in young athletes are overuse injuries. They are called overuse injuries for a reason. Too much volume (too much time...