Sunday, November 13, 2016

Singles Approach Shot

When do you come to the net in singles? I've seen professional matches with little net action.
In today's game there are times where you have to go in. Here are some tips for the club player.

1. Defensive Approach:your opponent is scrambling for a corner shot or retreating. Sensing their defensive position, you capitalize, charge the net and finish the point, taking the ball above the net.

2. Short Ball Approach: you decide to rush the net based upon your forward movement into the court, and the depth of the ball. Its best to hit the ball that most challenges your opponent, be it down the middle to reduce angles of pass, to the weaker side, or up the line. typically it is difficult to cover cross court approaches, due to the speed and accuracy of passing shots. Even down the line can be tough, if you opponent possesses a great cross court angle, with spin. A fast opponent with control can be a sticky wicket for sure.

3. Serve and Volley Approach: If you can move your serve around, with pace and spins, it can force weaker returns, that can be volleyed, above the net preferably. This quick pressure can force the opponent to make unforced errors, and destroy their rally timing. You don't see it much these days, but I believe there's still a market for it. You have to make sure you practice this style as you would your forehand and backhand. The more you do it, the better you get.

4. Return and Volley Approach: This is can be extremely effective, just as the serve and volley. You take the ball inside the baseline and charge the net. Some players use the "chip and charge," hitting a slice or backspin approach. A drive approach can also be used. The problem is that once you've decided to do it, you are committed, and there's no turning back. It's a difficult play against a hard server as there is little time to measure your shot.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Creative Tennis Workouts

Off Court Tennis Conditioning

Have you ever been playing a point and said--I could of got that shot if I were down just a little lower, if i stayed with the shot a little longer, if I had just a little more breath, if I had a little more spin, if I had a little better timing, if I were a little less nervous, if I was a little stronger, etc. I constantly search for ways to win when I compete. Training has never been a favorite ritual for me. I'm talking about the off court stuff. This summer I've tried something new.........I call it self training. What is that Kev?

It starts with a realistic evaluation of your own strengths and weakness in all areas of your game. For example: your ground strokes, volleys, overheads, serve, speed, endurance, etc. Then decide to improve your weapon a little and reduce your biggest weakness.....even if just a little....you design your own program.

I know I need work on fitness, and i don't like gyms so I decide to "Rocky" it.
My son was cutting down a birch that was too close to the house and he fashioned a neat long slightly heavy bat club out of it. I take this thing a swing it.....kind of fun, a cross between "Walking Tall" and "Cast-Away." I dribble a soccer ball while holding this thing....bat stones with it.....and swing two handed shots with it........do curls...presses.............shrugs...My dog, Cassi has her head tilted to the side as she watches me do this routine........I then ride my bike with her by my side..........come back to the yard..........do a few push-ups............a few hundred jump ropes........... and then grab a baseball bat and practice serve and volley movements, with over-heads....then a few knees bends with a medicine ball...which I then explode up and throw up in the air........I would have used a small boulder if there was one around. A couple of quick sprints with the dog and I'm finished............This was all after a 45 minute hitting session which I will share with you soon.

There it is. This to me was a terrific conditioner for tennis....It addresses my weaknesses and my strengths......serve and volley movements.......I did something.
In the fall maybe I'll swing the rake like a big long racquet.....I don't know yet.
I admit that I do have a basic understanding regarding cardio, strength, flexibility,
speed, and of course--tennis. So if you do something like this make sure you keep good core posture, form and breathing. Don't try to lift a car just yet......but do have a little fun......Why can't conditioning be fun? Put on the Rocky theme, you'll be on top of the world.

Your pro in the trenches,

Kevin

Advanced Tennis Workouts

Tennis Conditioning For High School and College Players


Order of priorty (Five S')

Sound Fundamentals
Strategy
Strength
Speed
Stamina

     Since these qualities are not mutually exclusive you can start working gradually in all departments of your game. Tailor your training to where you need the most work while still developing your strengths to higher levels. This will make you a better player starting today. The title of this post is conditioning so I will focus on strength, speed, and stamina related to the art of tennis.

     Strength training reduces injuries and improves performance if done correctly. I had the opportunity to train under the wing of Pat Etcheberry who is regarded as one of the founders of modern tennis conditioning. His passion and motivation to help players be the best is contageous.
If you follow this program you will have a stronger court presense and the physical skills necessary to play the game at a high level.

1. Start your workout with a warm-up. Do abs first--lower, obliques, and then upper.
    Ride the bike or jog as well if you wish. With any lifting do a few easy ones first.
    When done stretch down after your workout is finished. Work opposites: ab/lower back, bi/tri, quad/ham, chest/ lats.
    on the same day.This gives you maximum benefit. Reduce body fat if you have imbalances. Improve muscle development if you have imbalances. Inhale before you work exhale as you push the weight. 

2. Types of exercises:

    If you are not sure how to do an exercise ask the trainer for assistance or google it to see the form so you know what the heck you are doing.

    Chest (all interchangeable) 

   1 Barbell Bench Press
   1 Dumbell Bench Press
   1 Pushups
   2 Incline and Decline of Bench Presses
   2 Flyes
   3 Incline Flyes
   3 Cable Crossovers
   3 Dips
     
  Back (Lats)

  1 Lat Pull Downs
  1 Behind the Neck Pull downs
  1 Seated Cable Rows
  1 Pull-Ups
  2  Bent Over Barbell Rows
  2 Bent Over Dumbell Rows
  2 T-Bar Rows
  2  On-Arm Dumbell Rows

  Shoulders

1  Barbell Military Press
1  Dumbbell Military Press
1  Push Press Jerks
2  Front Raises
2 Lateral Raises
2 Bent-over lateral raises
2 Cable Lateral raises
3 Standing Flyes
3 Upright rows
4 Barbell Shrugs
4 Dumbbell Shrugs
5 Rotator Cuff Prone Postion
5 Rotator Cuff on side postition


Triceps

1 Triceps Push Downs
1 Triceps Pull Downs
1 Skull Crushers
1 Triceps Kickbacks
1 Bench Dips
2 Barbell Triceps Curls
2 Dumbbell Triceps Curls
2 One-Arm Triceps Extensions

Biceps/ Forearms Exercises

1 Barbell Curls
1 Dumbbell Curls
1 Preacher Curls
1 Incline Dumbbell Curls
1 Concentration Curls
2 Reverse Barbell Curls
2 Reverse Dumbbell Curls
2 Hammer Curls
3 Behind the Wrist Curls
3 Reverse Wrist Curls

Legs/ Interchangeable

1 Squats
1 Leg Press
1 Dead Lift
1 Leg Extensions
1 Leg Curls
2 Standing Calf Raises
2 Seated Calf Raises
2 Reverse Calf Raises
3 Jump Squats
3 Power Cleans
4 Power Steps
4 Lunges

*****Perfect your technique in the weight room. It's not how much you lift rather how you lift it and why!  You only have to do one exercise from each numbered group.

Muscles need 48 hours to recover from same exercise. Vary your exercises.  Use the X+ method.
When you can add three more reps to each set then go up in weight five pounds. Never MAX out. Estimate your max based on most you can do for 7 reps. Add a few pounds in your mind, that's your max. Maxing is not good for tennis. You need fluidity which is seldom talked about. I would never come close to a max. You should dothree sets of each numbered exercise. Remember you should chose one number for that workout as more would be too much.

You need at least three days per week in the gym to make gains. You can go up to six but need more experience for that. Three sets of each exercise in general rule to follow. If you want buff go with four. Allow yourself about one hour for each workout except on the combined body day where you will need closer to one and one half hours.

Safety Tips

Use a spotter/ go with a friend
pick up weights when done
drink water
use good form
breath right
do not drop weights
dress correctly
remember what you're doing/ records


When you're in season two days per week will maintain what you've built.

Stability Ball Exercises (abs) and Medicine Ball exercises (great for trunk rotation and stroke strength and lunges) will develop your core strength and should be incorporated into your strength training Again--google the exercises and the form.

March should look like this--or what ever month you begin your strengthening. As you go into your season you should modify your workouts to fit your playing schedule so that you give yourself time to rebuild muscle. This is called tapering. Short sets with a few reps near the higher end of weight keeps you explosive. This entry did not include your on court practicing which should also follow a taper schedule.

Monday Gym
Wednesday Gym
Friday Gym
Saturday Gym/ Distance Run or Substitute a Full Match
Sunday Rest

  

Short and Sweet Tennis Workout

This is a short workout program for those who want to get the most bang out of their buck.
The good news its free. That right, you now have a fitness program that will get you ripped for tennis.
The only thing this will cost is your time and effort. As a tennis conditioning coach I know there are many different training regimes out there that you could do. But I want you to start with something easy, and form their you can build. As a tennis player you must be fast, have strong legs, and a shoulders, arms, and carry as little weight as possible. Keep that in mind when you work out. It's different than many other sports. Its mostly anaerobic, quick bursts of energy, followed by short recovery periods. At the highest level, its extremely punishing. It truly is an extreme sport, if your in it to win it.

Here's what I would recommend, copy these links into your browser, and listen to these people. They have the form! That's what you want.

1. Push-ups: They are a great all body workout.

https://youtu.be/ZuLP-D2VkOo

2. Squats: Different kinds of squats will make your mid to lower body killer strong.

https://youtu.be/3FNAoJpGbrI

3. Roman Dead Lift: "Single Leg"  Great for hamstrings, balance, and strength.

https://youtu.be/zNm4d0jPiLI

That's it!
Keep it simple. And do them right. Better to have the right form, than incorrectly do the movement for more reps. It's totally the quality of the movement, first!
You use your own body weight here. You don't need a gym membership to get strong as hell. You need desire. Just like when you want to win a match, it takes huge desire. In fact, its the same principle for success in life. Without desire and willpower you will get very little out of anything.

You won't need luck!

Kevin Pease
KPST

Falmouth * Woods Hole * Plymouth





Fitness Training for Tennis

Train to be a champion.

Serious Tennis Players,

This is a training schedule that I've put together based upon the Pat Etcheberry tennis fitness program. It takes dedication because you have to make yourself put in the extra time to condition yourself for tennis. It is not for the faint of heart. Make the conditioning program your personal fitness program. You can always adjust it and work in new exercises, drills, and conditioning methods that address the shoulders, legs and core regions of the body for tennis. If you're not sure how to do an exercise look it up on YouTube or ask the instructor at the gym.

Tennis Training Program for a Champion


We seek a program that builds strong, light and fast creatures with quick recovery ability. We need to be strong in the shoulders, have a strong core and very quick in the legs. There you have it: the perfect tennis player. Well almost: you have to be mentally tough which really means not being too tough on yourself so that your unconscious can be allowed to function. It’s amazing when you trust yourself—your racquet will too.

For working out I recommend doing it every day for at least forty minutes. Take Sunday off: go for a swim, miniature golf, golf (a great way to spoil a good walk), hike, drink lemonade and read the newspaper. Treat yourself to fun rest on that day.

Workout for three sets of 10-12 reps that challenge you and move up in weight when it gets too comfortable.

Upper Body

Dumbbell bench press: push upward with weights, pronate wrists outward, weights touch. You are lying on your back on the bench.

Dumbbell shoulder press: you can stand or be seated, push weights above head and then return to shoulder level. Exhale when pushing up. Inhale when returning.

Dumbbell shoulder pullover-to strengthen serve: lay down on bench, the weights are extended back behind your head, even with shoulders. Lift them up above your chest and then return to parallel to body. Careful no to lift too much weight.

Medicine ball forehand and backhand twist: rotation on right and left side of body with medicine ball.

Triceps extension: pushing down from a standing position, lift up to chin, then, push arms down straight, keep good balance, isolate your arms in this exercise.

Biceps curl: hold for a brief moment at the top of curl and release slowly down. You can stand or be seated.

Band exercise—row, overhead, 45 degree angle: take a stretchy band and extend arms above your head, straight, then pull both arms out to shoulder level, keep elbows slightly bent.

Neutral stance/open stance with weight: swing with a light weight. This works trunk rotation for both forehand and backhand. Swing your form of a tennis swing with the weight in your hand. You can also do this with a medicine ball with two hands. Use tennis footwork as you do it. Include the serve, volleys, return of serve, and overheads in your workout.

Reverse hyperextension: lay down on stability ball on a bench, facing down, grab bench with arms, and lift legs up to level with back and then lower.

Wrist curl: forearms facing up on top of legs. You can use a barbell.

 

Lower Body

Front Lunge: One leg out, bend to ninety degrees and push back. You can do this exercise with dumbbells in your hands, with your hands down by your sides. Keep knee from going past your toes.

Side Lunge: Same, but more out to side. Keep both feet facing forward during these lunges and your back straight. You can lunge "around the clock" with your legs as long as you keep bot toes forward and back straight. Add dumbbells for more challenge.

Single Leg Lunge: face a high placed barbell, set a small bench behind you, place the top of one foot on the bench, then, grasp the barbell and place behind head on shoulders, then, do knee bends on one leg. After that repeat the routine on the other leg. Don't let the knee go past ninety degrees on the bend.

Squat on Balance Pad: keep your balance. You can use a barbell for extra challenge. Do knee bends with the weight on your shoulders, while on the balance pad.
 

One-foot Balance on Balance Pad

Leg Extension: extending legs out (works quads) from seated position.

Leg Curl: Lay face down on machine, curl legs up to lift weight. Works Ham Strings.

Leg Press: pushing weight with legs while on back.

Jump Ups: Bend knees down and jump up as high as you can and lift arms to the sky as you do it. Helps vertical lift. You can do this with a medicine ball as well.

Calf Raise: lift heels up and stand on balls of feet and then release back down. You can do these with a medicine ball or dumbbells as well.

 

Agilities

Warm-up:

Sidestep side to side, front foot overs only side to side, back foot behind only side to side, dynamic stretches, shadow open stance forehand backhand swings with one foot step outs only, same with neutral stances (remember the cone drills we did), shadow serves, stretch lunges, shoulder band stretches, and you’re ready to go.

On a court start in the middle of the service box and for 30 seconds tap the singles sideline with your racquet and then the center service line as fast as you can. This will spike your heart. Record the result, rest 30 seconds and repeat two more times. It takes two and one half minutes but it burns. Try to improve your scores. It will show you if you are in shape. You should not go down in the third run if you are in shape.

 Another drill for thirty seconds is to start at the center of the baseline and run to the sideline….(three feet up the sideline; you are cutting down angle here) and swing over a marker (cone, ball, water bottle etc.) and then return to the middle. Do this as fast as you can. Rest for one minute and then try going the other way (backhand if you started on the forehand) and record that result. This will show you if you are quicker moving to the left, right or the same.

 For running (less is more). We need quick explosiveness. We play hard for a few seconds and then have fifteen seconds before starting the next point. Day one work for an easy run (not jog) for one minute and then run a little harder for a minute for twenty minutes not including the warm-up and stretch down. Day two run fast for 15 to 30 seconds and then rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Gauge your own body and how it feels. Day three run at a constant swift pace but doable for the entire journey. This type of running will best condition you for tennis.

 You design your own program:

It might look like this………..

Sunday: Special time off

Monday: Upper Body/ Court Agility

Tuesday: Run

Wednesday: Lower Body

Thursday: Run

Friday: Total Body/ Court Agility

Saturday: Run

 It doesn’t take much to make gains with fitness if you make it “short and sweet”

You’ll feel great and look good in the mirror. Play tennis when you can.
Coach Pease
Etcheberry Tennis Fitness Coach

 P.S. You tube search Etcheberry footwork drills and the other gym work if you’re not sure what exercises to do. Everything is right there on film. You don’t need an expensive gym to stay in shape. Heck all you really need is a couple of milk cartons filled with sand (small ones and big ones). I'll add more videos for you in the future.