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SAMPLE Weekly/Daily Planners -Part 2

Posted on September 23, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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WEEKLY DEVELOPMENTAL PLAN

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WEEKLY DEVELOPMENTAL PLAN
(Hours Per Week)

  

Yours

  

Theirs
1. Off-Court Gym (Core/Upper body) 3
2. Off-Court Cardio (Speed/Stamina) 3
3. Primary Stroke Production 2
4. Secondary Stroke Development 2
5. Pattern Development 2
6. Complete Practice Matches 4
7. Video Analysis 1
8. Audio Tape Visualization (Neuro Priming) 1.5
9. Serving Basket 2
10. Tournament Play 4
                            TOTAL Hours Per Week

 

23.5

SAMPLE Weekly/Daily Planners -Part 1

Posted on September 22, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here to Order

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SAMPLE Weekly/Daily Planners

 

“Directing your future into the present makes your destiny come alive.”

Sasha was a top-ranked 14-yr-old junior I worked with back in 2012 in Auckland, New Zealand. Sasha seemed to have everything going her way as she progressed through the ITF junior wars. She had athleticism, committed parents, a racket and clothing contract, and the backing of Tennis New Zealand.

Fast forward 7 years, and I run into Sasha as I was coaching at an ATP/WTA tour event in Israel. Sasha was emotionally struggling. As we went to lunch to catch up, she said ‘’I’m quitting. I’m playing horribly, and I can’t beat anybody.’’ As we ordered our meals, I asked about her weekly developmental plan with her team of coaches. The conversation went like this:

Frank: “Sasha, how many hours are you spending getting crazy fit? You know…in the gym and working on your cardio?’

Sasha: “Umm …, I’m not training. It’s too hard on the road, and at home, there aren’t any good trainers.”

Frank: “How’s the repetition of your top patterns?”

Sasha: “Well, I can’t practice my patterns because I don’t want to pay a coach, and the other gals only want to groove back and forth.”

Frank: “Sasha, you’re 21 now, right? Remember when you were 14, and we talked about match play video analysis?”

Sasha: “Oh my, I haven’t done that since then …How funny!”

Frank: “Tell me about your weekly practice matches. Are you rehearsing your competitive skills?”

Sasha: “No …No one will play sets on tour, and there’s nobody good enough to play with back home.”

 

Sasha’s poor WTA results were caused by her series of weak excuses and bad decisions. I’m convinced that Sasha will once again thrive under pressure when she chooses to incorporate a continuous series of proper routines and rituals. (The name and country have been changed to protect the guilty.)

The estimated formula for a world-class individual is training approximately 20-hours a week for ten years: The 10,000 Hour Rule. The following weekly and daily training component tables provide a comparison guide to evaluate your athlete’s training schedules versus that of a Top National Ranked 14-year-old athlete.

Please keep in mind customization is key. Quality trumps quantity.

The Importance of Proper Breathing Techniques

Posted on September 20, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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The Importance of Proper Breathing Techniques

 

“Proper breathing boosts performance.”

Josh, a witty student of mine said, “Come on Frank! It sounds a bit silly that you are reminding me to breathe.  What next? Reminding me to blink? Look, coach, no offense, but I’ve been breathing my whole life effortlessly!”

Without oxygen freely flowing to the muscles, lungs, and brains of our athlete’s, catastrophe is likely to strike. The following scenarios result when deep breathing routines and rituals are not implemented:

  • Fluid strokes stiffen
  • Athlete’s body tightens up and often cramps
  • Fatigue sets in prematurely
  • Core stability lessens
  • Anxiety levels increase
  • Concentration levels diminish
  • Problem-solving skills decrease

In match play, there are two phases of correct breathing techniques.

 

During Points Phase: Educate the athlete that inhaling begins while tracking the incoming ball and during the coiling phase of the stroke. This energizes the uncoiling links into impact. Exhaling at impact relaxes and loosens their “swoosh” swing, as it grounds the athlete and stabilizes their strike zone.

 

During the Between Points & Changeovers Phase: Educate the athlete to switch their focus on the benefits of applying calming, deep breathing techniques. By slowly breathing through their nose, the athlete will lower their heart rate as they take in greater amounts of oxygen into the bloodstream.

This, of course, provides physical, mental, and emotional benefits such as increased energy, sharper memory recall, relaxed muscle exertions, reduced anxieties, calmer nerves, improved judgment, and decision-making ability.

Breathing properly during match play has emotional benefits as well. Athletes focused on their breathing techniques ward off contaminating anxiety that can creep into an empty mind. Correct breathing significantly improves performance under pressure.

 

Ask your athletes to play a few practice sets while focusing their attention on their breathing techniques. By simply paying attention to correct breathing, they are sure to boosts performance under pressure.

Organize Customized Developmental Plans

Posted on September 18, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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Organize Customized Developmental Plans

 

 “A goal without a deliberate, customized plan …
is just a dream.”

Effective developmental plans are based on the athlete’s competency levels, efficiencies, and deficiencies, as well as long-term career goals.  Self-assessment is often inaccurate, so I recommend enlisting an experienced coach to provide feedback.

Athletes attending school routinely rotate from math to science to English – the school methodology. This structure produces well-rounded adults. Tennis training components are similar to school classes. Preparing for pressure requires the development of each component. Tennis instruction should consist of tennis-specific off-court/athleticism, primary & secondary stroke development, pattern repetition, sets, mental/emotional classroom sessions, match play video analysis, and tournament competition.

 

When a plan is in writing, you have the ability to track and measure the progress and hold the athlete and their entourage accountable for execution. Each plan should include goal dates to measure progress. Plan on revising the athlete’s development plan every 3-6 months.

MENTAL REHEARSALS TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

Posted on September 16, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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MENTAL REHEARSALS TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

 

 “Desensitize anxieties by applying mental rehearsals.”

One way athletes learn to respond with solutions is through visualization. The use of imagery recreates the positive experiences athletes need when seeking confidence. Overcoming the onslaught of stressors is much easier if the athlete is desensitized to the situation.

Successfully dealing with uncomfortable scenarios in a relaxed environment helps to prepare the warrior for the battle ahead. In the studies of performance psychology, mental rehearsals are proven to facilitate real-time match performance. Neuro Priming for Peak Performance is a dedicated workbook I wrote to assist athletes as they apply customized mental rehearsal scripts. These scripts are then recorded into the athlete’s cell phones and listened to nightly and before competition.

Prepare for pressure by visualizing clean stroke mechanics, millisecond decision making, shot sequencing patterns, and between point rituals, to name a few.

Pre-match visualization desensitizes anxieties and improves performance.

Does Tennis Charting and Analytics Matter? -Part 2

Posted on September 15, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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Does Tennis Charting and Analytics Matter? 

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COURT POSITIONING MATCH CHART:

This chart will differentiate whether playing “reactive” tennis from behind the baseline earns the best winning percentages or whether playing “proactive” tennis from inside the court increases winning percentages. Note: The court position your athlete prefers to play may not be the position that wins them the most points.

MEGA POINT CHART:

Mega points are the game-winning points. This chart is especially important in competitive tennis because it highlights the game-winning points. Tipping a close match in your favor requires spotting a big point before it’s actually played, paying attention to match details and running the smartest patterns.

SERVING PERCENTAGE CHART:

This chart discriminates between the different essential factors required to hold serve, serve consistency, serve location, and first and second serve win-loss percentages. Ask your player to let go of the “speed” of the serve and begin to focus their attention on the above components. Note: On the WTA tour, second serve win-loss percentages are the most critical factor in deciding the outcome of the match.

Note: While applying analytical data, keep in mind exceptions shadow every rule in life, so customization is key.

(The Match Chart Collection by Frank Giampaolo is found at www.maximizingtennispotential.com )

 

Solid analytics through match charting can assist in spotting winning trends as well as
reoccurring nightmares.

Does Tennis Charting and Analytics Matter? -Part 1

Posted on September 13, 2019 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click Here to Order

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 Does Tennis charting and analytics matter?

“Solid analytics spot winning trends and reoccurring nightmares.”

 

Statistics in tennis is currently in vogue, but it isn’t necessarily new. While teaching at The Vic Braden Tennis College/Coto Research Center back in the 1980s, I was involved in multiple statistical chart studies. Computennis was a tennis-based analytics group that also did wonderful work in this field 40 years ago. These research projects looked deeply into “quantifying data” in various levels of play. We uncovered basic stats that still hold true today. One is the average length of points in singles (3.8 hits) and doubles (2.9 hits). Another vintage stat identifies the most missed shot in the game: Return of serve (which is also still the least practiced shot in the game). A third old school stat that still holds true 40 years later is that approximately 70% of errors are located in the net.

Although analytics don’t tell the whole picture, they have greatly affected my students’ lesson plans since the 1980s.  I’ve designed specific match charts to assist in preparing serious athletes for competition. These simple to use analytics provide more in-depth data than the typical phone apps and guarantee to improve your athlete’s win-loss record. Samples Include:

FIRST STRIKE WINNING PERCENTAGE:

The First Strike is the very first shot your athlete hits- serve or return of serve. Identifying the winning percentage of the location of your player’s serve and return of serve (First Strike) is shot selection awareness which benefits strategical play.

BETWEEN POINT RITUALS CHART:

This chart identifies the player’s ability to stay focused and execute their critical between point rituals. Players who do not keep their brain focused on the task at hand have to defeat two opponents-the opposition and their own wandering mind.

 

CAUSE OF ERROR CHART:

Tennis is a game of errors. The first most critical step in error reduction is to spot the actual cause of the error. This chart will require you to identify the cause of the error. This information leads to the customization of future lessons. Note: the four leading causes of errors are poor technique, poor movement, reckless shot selection, and negative emotions/focus.

SOFTWARE IS DEVELOPED THROUGH Peer Charting

Posted on September 11, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
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SOFTWARE IS DEVELOPED THROUGH Peer Charting

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“Researchers have long known that the best way to understand a new concept is to explain it to someone else. To quote Seneca, a famous Roman philosopher, ‘What we teach, we learn.’ Scientists have labeled this learning strategy, The Protégé Effect.”

The Match Chart Collection is a tool that brings this ancient wisdom to the tennis competitor. Match charting provides innovative methods for athletes in group tennis sessions to engage in a deeper understanding of the mental and emotional complexities of competitive tennis.

The Following Lists Advantages of Match-Charting Skill Sets:

  1. Students who are charting and teaching (explaining their results) accept and retain more than the athletes who are hitting. Why? Because they’re focused on the details of the match while the hitters are typically focused on the outcome.
  2. Match charting provides non-threatening data acceptance.
  3. Researchers have found, student-athletes enlisted to teach others to work harder to understand the intricacies of the game, recall it more accurately, and apply it more effectively.
  4. Athletes who chart their peers develop a higher tennis IQ and EQ.
  5. While charting, athletes increase their self-awareness and solution-based problem-solving skills.
  6. Students gain significant insights into designing customized game plans.
  7. Charting skills enhance the athlete’s opponent awareness skills.
  8. Students gain confidence by charting, which reinforces their capacity for handling pressure.
  9. Interpreting match data requires tactical dialog between students, which is an essential interactive learning skill.
  10. Peer charting elicits teamwork and cooperative learning, which makes charting a powerful instructional tool for group sessions. It exposes the gaps in your athletes match awareness. Apply peer learning with the revolutionary Match Chart Collection by Frank Giampaolo to analyze performance and skyrocket your competitive practices.

 

Athletes don’t learn the mental skills by grooving strokes. They learn them through being
exposed to analytics.

SPOTTING ANOMALIES

Posted on September 9, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click here to Order

SPOTTING ANOMALIES

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“You can’t spot competitive tendencies by simply feeding balls to your students.”

Profiling athletes begin with spotting anomalies. I like to start the analysis by observing them playing a set. My initial focus is on two main issues: what is currently present that shouldn’t be there and what is not present that really should be there. Anomalies are components that deviate from what is standard, normal, or expected at the higher levels of the game.

My internal coaching inner dialog includes:

  • “Is he patient or impatient?”
  • “What’s her shot and frustration tolerance levels?”
  • “What are his stroke weapons and weaknesses?”
  • “How’s her foot speed, strength, and endurance?”
  • “How’s his cognitive processing speed and focus ability?”
  • “Does she apply between point rituals and problem-solve?”

One of my favorite ways of gathering information to prepare athletes for pressure is identifying trends within the cause of errors. In competition, errors stem from four leading causes: poor form, reckless shot selection, inefficient movement/spacing, and of course, negative emotions/focus. Errors may also be the result of a combination of the four causes.

Why is spotting the cause invaluable? If 22 of the athlete’s 28 backhand errors were caused by reckless shot selection, would feeding balls right into the athlete’s strike zone and continuing to perfect their form be the appropriate training pathway? Not likely.

Preparing for pressure requires identifying both the athletes winning and losing trends.

Make Cross-Training AND Athleticism Mandatory

Posted on September 7, 2019 by in Preparing for Pressure

The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s NEW Amazon #1 New Tennis Book Release, Preparing for Pressure.
Click here to Order

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Make Cross-Training AND Athleticism Mandatory

 

“Getting fit solves many problems.”

Cross-training improves muscle strength, cardio, cognitive processing, and mental clarity. Enjoying off-court training sessions alleviate stress and enhance overall well-being. Getting fit is known to improve mental health by raising the athlete’s mood-boosting endorphins. As fitness increases, attitudes improve, and perceptions change. Confidence builds as it quickly assumes control and takes action.

There is a cumulative effect that comes with getting into killer shape and mastering a new skill. Physical, mental, and emotional improvement is seen within just a few weeks. It’s important to note that tennis is a flexible skills sport and not a consistent skills sport. Meaning, tennis competitors have to be trained to make millisecond decisions requiring brain speed as well as foot speed.

Anticipation without hesitation is a skill which is needed at the higher levels of competition.

Tennis groundstrokes have been measured at 100 mph and serves have been clocked well into the 150 mph range. With these facts, players must have anticipatory skills to compete at the higher levels. The mental action of anticipating, expecting, or predicting is much more critical than ever. The art of anticipation should be a part of every coach’s curriculum.

Court speed is a combination of foot speed
and brain speed.