Tag Archives: Coach Frank Giampaolo

TEN ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE MENTALLY TOUGH COMPETITOR- PART 2

Posted on June 14, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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TEN ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE MENTALLY TOUGH COMPETITOR (6 – 10)

 

6) Accept that becoming mentally tough requires sacrifice.  You must choose to be a normal “kid” or a champion. You have to pick one…because you can’t be both.

Mental toughness requires you prioritize your time- putting everyday normal “kid stuff” aside, most of the time, as you become athletic royalty.

 

7) Develop the ability to employ the art of intimidation and to raise the adrenaline level at crunch time.

Raising positive energy at crunch time inflates the athlete’s performance, while systematically deflates the opponent’s performance. Intimidation begins pre-game as the athlete morphs into a “warrior.” Staying in that ‘warrior’ mind-set or on-script throughout the competition is essential.

8) Choose to be a courageous competitor – playing to win versus playing not to lose.

Applying the strategically correct system the moment demands under pressure, without fear or hesitation, no matter the situation is essential.

9) Master the ability to handle adversity – such as poor start times, adverse elements, occasional sickness, minor injuries, and/or gamesmanship.

Choosing to see disadvantages as challenges versus obstacles too difficult to overcome is mental/emotional toughness.

10) Persevere and be willing and able to remain on course and stay on-script longer…

Most good athletes are able to perform like a ‘Pro’ occasionally. Greatness stems from an athlete’s ability to perform good after good. Consistently remaining in the peak performance state is essential in the higher echelons of sports.

 

 

TEN ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE MENTALLY TOUGH COMPETITOR- PART 1

Posted on June 11, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

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TEN ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE MENTALLY TOUGH COMPETITOR

 

Because the mental-emotional components are so often misdiagnosed, let’s begin by describing the difference between the mental and emotional components. Mental toughness is the knowledge of the analytical functions of competition- the X’s and O’s of strategy and tactics. Emotional toughness is the ability to control feelings and emotions during competition- courage through confrontation, focus for the duration, controlling nerves, fear and self-doubt, which are categorized as performance anxieties.  Keep in mind that the mental-emotional components are often intertwined. Ask your child’s coaches to meet regarding these important elements.  My bet is that they’ll have terrific insight to assist your athlete in their quest for mental toughness.

 

Ten Essential Components of the Mental/Emotional Tough Competitor:

1) Dedicate physically, mentally and emotionally to the process of becoming mentally tough.

Without full commitment, it is unlikely mental toughness will be achieved.  Mental/emotional toughness can only be mastered by someone who is ready to dig deeper into the strategic, stubborn protocols of winning and the psychology of defeating their own demons. (Known as performance anxieties.)

2) Acknowledge that being mentally/emotionally tough isn’t reserved for the gifted few.

Mental/emotional toughness as well as mental/emotional weakness is a learned-earned behavior.

People around the world from the passive Buddhist monks to the aggressive Navy Seals spend each day developing their mental/emotional toughness skills.  Some juniors have unknowingly invented their own negative mental/emotional weakness protocols because they are not versed in the process of pre-set protocols. So they return to their negative behaviors under stress. Such as racquet cracking, language outburst, etc.

3) Decide to stay the course and confront hardship instead of bailing out at the first sign of confrontation.

Psychologists call it the fight or flight syndrome. Choosing to persevere through difficult circumstances leads to improved confidence. Getting in superb physical shape is a great place to start. Begin the journey by fighting through exhaustion, pain and discomfort.

4) On a daily basis, multi-task and build the mental/emotional muscles along with stroke production.

Closing out every single drill develops mental/emotional toughness. Apply negative scoring during each physical drill on court to rehearse overcoming hardships. (Drill to 10 – subtracting 1 for each error.)

5) Commit to a deliberate customized training regimen. Confidence, belief and self-trust are learned and earned.

Choosing to do what the moment demands within a millisecond requires preset protocol training. This is deliberate, customized repetition that incorporates how, when and why pre-set solutions are applied.

Tennis Strategy Made Easy

Posted on June 7, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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STRATEGY MADE EASY

 

Strategy can be so easy yet so complicated. Strategy is changing, adapting and yet ritualistic.  It is science and art. It is psychological yet physiological. It can be beautiful and oh so ugly. Strategy applied correctly allows your child to meet the opponent under advantageous conditions. Applying strategy keeps your child focused and in the correct optimal performance state of mind.

Let’s look at strategy in a simple but effective format. Below are three categories of on-court strategy that elite players must understand and master: generic, stylistic and customized.

Generic Strategy

Generic strategy is simply applying the player’s core strengths with pre-planned patterns and strategies. The goal is to expose a player’s natural strengths and force their opponent to respond to those strengths. Generic strategy consist of your child’s optimal serving patterns, return patterns, rally patterns, short  ball options and net rushing patterns. These tactics are identified and practiced prior to match play and will be used January through December, from the first round through the finals, in Miami or Moscow, on clay or on hard courts. The Generic strategy is your child’s everyday “nuts and bolts” game plan. Learning to apply one’s genetic tactical assault, will lead to your athlete hitting the same old “boring” winners match after match.

If your athlete’s generic (day-in-day-out) strategy is working, there is no need for change. In fact, juniors who change a winning strategy usually suffer the consequences. If it is not working, then it’s simply time to shift into the second phase of strategy called stylistic strategy.

 

Stylistic Strategy

Stylistic strategy is your child’s ability to adapt tactics depending on the current style of the opponent. Remind your child not to change their winning tactical system just because the opponent changes game styles. A change is only made if the opponent starts to win and the momentum switches to the opponent’s favor. Styles include retriever, hard hitting baseliner and all court players. It is imperative that high performance tennis players develop and rehearse patterns used to beat each style of opponent.

If your athlete has spotted the opponent’s style of play and is still struggling, I recommend shifting focus to the third tier called custom strategy.

A smart competitor will change a losing style of play (shift to plan B). Has your child developed rock solid B and C game plans? The players who are winning national titles also have solid B and C game plans. Please remind your athletes to rehearse all three styles of play.

Encourage your child to play lesser players in practice sets. This will allow them to rehearse their B and C game plans- often your child’s A plan (hard hitting baseliners-style) is exactly what the opponent enjoys and playing that system is a losing proposition. Shifting to plan B (steady retriever- style) may be ugly but is the exact system the opponent hates playing against and an extremely difficult match becomes another routine win.

 

Custom Strategy

Custom strategy is your child’s ability to adapt to the day. Your child has to customize to different environmental elements (wind, heat, and shadows), court speeds, brand of ball, elevation as well as the particular strengths and weaknesses of the current opponent (See Opponent Profiling later in this section.)

A common word in the custom strategy phase is tendencies.

To borrow from the boxing world, your child needs to spot what is causing the opponent to “bleed” and then do it more. It is just as important for your child to spot what is causing their own “bleeding” and systematically stop the bleeding.

 

When to Modify versus Change:

If your child is competing well in every game and often has the winning shot on his/her racquet, it is in their best interest to modify their tactics slightly while keeping the current strategic style of play. If they are losing and are not even in the points or games, a much larger shift of complete game styles may be in order. (For example: Take a bathroom break then change from a hard hitting baseliner to a steady retriever style of play.)

 

Strategy Basics:

1) Get 66% of your first serves in and preferably into the opponent’s weaker side.
2) Simply return deep balls high, heavy and deep.
3) Attack any ball landing inside your short ball range.
4) Apply the laws of offense, neutral and defensive shot selection.

DEVELOPING YOUR ATHLETE’S TOP 7 PATTERNS

Posted on May 23, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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DEVELOPING YOUR ATHLETE’S TOP 7 PATTERNS

 

Over a decade ago I conducted an on-court developmental case study with a group of similar age and ability level, top ranked Southern California players. For eight weeks, I trained a group of six athletes with the familiar old school, common academy methods. You’ve seen it a million times. It’s basically playing catch, back and forth, grooving to each other all day. I called them the Red Group.

The other group, called the Blue Group was trained very different. We customized each athlete’s Top 7 Patterns of play and religiously ran those patterns every single training session. These players focused on offense, neutral and defensive situational protocols and were not allowed to rally back and forth to the opponent. They played keep away for two months…never catch.

 

“Winning matches is a game of keep away… not a game of catch.”

 

After the two month period, the Blue Group beat the Red Group handily for five consecutive team matches. I then decided to permanently switch my training philosophy.  My students started racking up national title after national title.

 

It’s time to work with your athlete’s coach in designing your child’s very own Top 7 Patterns. Reactive tennis is played at the intermediate levels of the game.  It is simply reacting to the moment without any real plan. Proactive tennis is having a pre-set plan for every point.  Proactive tennis forces the opponent to react to your strengths. These strengths come in the form of strokes and patterns. Most points in junior tennis are almost over when the server walks up to the line to serve, meaning …points are typically short. That’s why this section focuses on starting each point with a specific plan.

“It is estimated that the average point played on the WTA/ATP professional tour is under 4 hits.   This is why starting points with a plan is essential.”

 

Remember, spectacular performances are preceded by spectacular preparation. It’s time for your athlete to begin to prepare spectacularly.

Proactive competitors control the tight matches because they control the big points by routinely running their Top 7 Patterns. This means that on game points, mentally tough players run their very best patterns. This awareness, tips the odds in their favor.

I urge players to design and rehearse their Top 7 Patterns and begin to run these patterns religiously with their coaches through pattern repetitions. They then apply their Top 7 Patterns in practice matches and of course in real tournament competition.

 

The “Top 7” Pattern Categories:

1) Top Serving Pattern to the Deuce Side (2 Ball Sequence.)

2) Top Serving Pattern on the Ad Side (2 Ball Sequence.)

3) Favorite Return Pattern/Position versus a Big First Serve.

4) Favorite Pattern/Position versus a Weaker Second Serve.

5) Favorite Rally Pattern.

6) Favorite Short Ball Option.

7) Favorite Approach Shot Pattern.

 

Lesson Learned: I brought some junior athletes to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden BNP Paribas Open with the purpose of dissecting the patterns used by the professional. Their mission was to chart the professional’s Top7 Patterns.

During that chilly night in the California desert, Rafael Nadal ran his same old, boring winning service pattern on the ad side 82% of the time versus Ryan Harrison. Rafa hit a mid-tempo slice serve out wide to Ryan’s backhand…ran around the return and “Ahh-Hay” Rafa yells as he hit his inside out forehand into the opposing corner.

Result: Rafa won routinely while conserving energy for future rounds.

 

Assist your child’s coaches by encouraging them to take your athlete’s practice sessions up a few levels and replace simply grooving back and forth with grooving your athlete’s customized Top 7 Patterns.

Later in this mental section we will look into the flip side of developing your athlete’s Top 7 Patterns. In the opponent profiling section, we will uncover how and why it is also critical to develop the skills required to spot and defuse the opponent’s Top 7 Patterns of play. This is an analytical function.  Controlling the critical tipping points begins with anticipation.

 

FINDING THE RIGHT TEACHING PROFESSIONAL

Posted on April 28, 2022 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

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FINDING THE RIGHT TEACHING PROFESSIONAL

 

“When selecting a pro, you’re not just paying for the hour on court…
but hopefully you’re paying for the thousands of hours of experience the coach has acquired solving similar issues.”

 

Initial instructors are usually chosen by proximity, cost and availability. Once your youngster moves into the competitive stage, it’s time to identify the styles and personalities of coaches that fit your child’s needs. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to have more than one coach. In this day and age, top players have an entourage of technical teachers, hitters, mental and emotional experts, off-court athleticism experts and physical therapists.  The key to success is unity among the entourage.

 

A great example is ATP star Sam Querrey. When I worked with Sam in his early teens we focused on the mental/emotional side of his development. His parents Chris and Mike always employed a terrific team of hitters, coaches and clinics to provide world class instruction for their son.

 

Profiling a coach before a relationship begins is recommended. Most confident coaches will welcome you to simply sit and observe their lessons before committing to lessons. There are many factors to consider when seeking a new coach. The first is what personality and style best suites your athlete?  Listed below are eight types of coaches that you may be employing along your journey.

 

 

Coaching Styles:

The Detailed, Analyzer

The Off Court Fitness Expert

The Kind and Fun Loving Coach

The Hitter

The Emotional, Psychological Coach

The Strategizer

The Academy Recruiter

The Drill Sergeant

 

Facts to Consider When Selecting a Pro

Finding a Pro is easy. Finding the right Pro will require more thought and leg work. You may be using different types of Pros for different reasons. Below are a few insider tips to help you hire your entourage of coaches:

  • In every region, only a very small percentage of pros actually teach the top players. (There are very big differences between teachers and recruiters.)
  • Look for a coach who’s enjoying what they do, it’s contagious.
  • Seek out a Pro that is so busy, that they don’t need you.
  • The 10,000 hour rule applies! Being a master coach is a learned experience.
  • Seek out a Pro who understands your child’s unique Brain and Body Type (Genetic Predisposition).
  • Make sure the coach is asking questions, customizing and targeting their lessons.
  • Ask every player that beats your kid, “Great match…who is your coach? Where do you train?”
  • Ask a prospective coach, “We’ve heard great things about you, may we come and observe a few of your lessons?”
  • Pay the coach to chart a match and devise his game plan for improvement. Meet regarding his observations and suggestions.
  • Ask for a resume and who they trained under. (As a teacher- not as a player.)
  • Look for a coach that encourages independent thinking versus dependent thinking.
  • While there are exceptions, a former ATP/WTA challenger player does not always translate into a great teacher. The most successful tennis coaches were not the most successful tour players.
  • Be wary of a Pro that discourages you from hitting with other Pro’s, hitters or trainers!

 

SPECIAL NOTE: To avoid confusion, employ one coach per job at any given time. Two different coaches employed to fix a serve may prove to be extremely confusing for your child. Conflicting information and battling egos spells trouble!

 

“It often proves beneficial to secretly observe a coach or academies without the coaching staff knowing you are a future client.
This experience will provide you with an honest assessment of their program.”

 

MANAGING ACCELERATED LEARNING

Posted on April 26, 2022 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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MANAGING ACCELERATED LEARNING

 

It’s our job as tennis coaches and parents to organize accelerated learning.

 

“Accelerated learning is the art and science of applying quality over quantity.”

 

Accelerated learning starts with you, the parent. The first step in managing the process is digesting the information presented in The Tennis Parent’s Bible. Once you have immersed yourself into the process of athletic development, you are better equipped to assist your coaches in prioritizing and accelerating your athlete’s learning curve.

A marvelous example of applying accelerated learning is recognizing when the athlete should stop focusing solely on block learning repetition and shift to the multi-tasking harmony of integrating each component together.  Accelerated learning starts with managing the development of consistent skill sets through flexible skills training.

Consistent skill set training is simply focusing on developing one component of the athlete’s game in isolation.  Examples include:

  • A motor programming sequences that needs to be followed to ensure a sound fundamental stroke.
  • A specific mental strategic-shot sequencing pattern designed to beat a retriever.
  • An emotional protocol rehearsed to help close out a 5-2 lead.
  • An athletic component such as agility around the tennis court.

Flexible skill set training is integrating the “games approach” to learning. High level tennis players have been taught to quickly quantify game situations, make multiple pre-set situational decisions and execute the correct responses. Cognitive processing skills need to be integrated early.

 

“A common mistake I witness around the globe is the obsession of focusing solely on acquiring perfect fundamental strokes in a block learning environment.”

 

I recommend introducing multi-tasking drills and problem solving situations as soon as possible. This is a form of stimuli overload. Examples include: Adding a stress related emotional element to a stroke production drill. Combine on-court quickness with a specific sequence of patterns. By overloading the athlete’s stimuli in practice, the uncomfortable becomes more comfortable. Being okay with feeling uncomfortable prepares the player for the integrated approach needed in match play.

 

Different sports require different brain functions and development. A world class figure skater or gymnast simply focuses on recreating the exact sequence. Their performance goal is to match their exact pre- determined routine. In their performance they only recreate, they don’t create. So, would they train with flexible-skill sets? Not likely.

Should a tennis player train flexible-skill sets? You bet! Playing sports like basketball, hockey, soccer or tennis are requires random split second decisions making skills. It’s about adaptation, creativity, spotting options and aborting missions. Flexibility and millisecond decision making “on the fly” are critical functions in flexible skill set dominate sports.

KEYS TO ACCELERATING LEARNING- TENNIS

Posted on April 24, 2022 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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KEYS TO ACCELERATING LEARNING

 

How do you take a kid with potential and develop them into a proven champion? What predetermines their success? How do you convince them that they’re special? What factors build passion? How does a parent and coach develop a consistent winner?

 

Let’s use my step- daughter Sarah Fansler as a quantifiable example of gauging the development of a kid’s potential. Most would agree that Sarah had a flair for the game. She was ranked top in the nation. Sarah won multiple gold, silver and bronze balls. She won a total of 10 U.S. National titles.  She’s played the junior U.S. Open twice and the adult U.S. Open once before the age of 16. She was honored as he NCAA College Freshman of the year while at USC.

Now, let’s uncover her underlying story and take a deeper look at Sarah’s training regimen. As a junior player, Sarah had spent six years training full time. That’s about 20 hours a week or a thousand hours a year practicing in the manner in which she was expected to perform. Sarah only followed a deliberate, customized developmental plan.

Sarah did a private lesson with me from 6:30am -7:30am before getting ready for school. Sarah’s after-school regimen included playing full matches against paid college players and/or off-court training at a specialized gym called “Get Fit”, a Vert system off-court training center. After dinner Sarah and I drilled for an additional hour and a half. On weekends, Sarah played tournaments.

Sarah followed my Customized Player Evaluation (Found in section VII) – a formula for deep accelerated learning. Her training regimen was more intense than the typical training program of an average high performance player. The hidden factor to her tennis success was her hard work on and off the court each week. The accelerated learning process catapulted Sarah above her rivals.

 

“You can’t simply place your athlete in with the group… if you actually want them to get ahead of the group!”

 

So, was Sarah’s success due to her natural gifts or was it earned through a planned process? My answer is that approximately 20 percent of Sarah’s junior success was due to her natural talents, 80 percent was due to her learned behaviors. The development of life lessons was a major factor.

So talent is actually measured by the preparation before the performance. Often professionals say “I didn’t just win this event today…I won it through the last three months of customized preparation.”

So, my question to the parents and coaches is: What’s your deliberate, customized developmental plan for your athlete?

MATCH DAY VIDEO ANALYSIS

Posted on April 14, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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MATCH DAY VIDEO ANALYSIS

 

Experts agree that visual learning is the most common learning style. Professional athletes in every field get a leg up on their competition by analyzing their performance through video replay. Match day video analysis quantifies performance and reinforces future quality instruction.

More often than not, tournament champions have developed skills that go far beyond good strokes. Often it is the underdeveloped, hidden components that separate the early losers from the champions. Video analysis of match day performances can provide proof of actual tennis performance versus perceived tennis performance.

Often, parents and coaches see the same re-occurring performance nightmares match after match but guess who’s never actually seen the event from a clear prospective? The Athlete.

During the heat of battle, over analyzing the performance is not advisable. It is highly recommended to persuade players, along with their coaches, to self-diagnose match day issues via video after the event. Parents if you are not providing your child’s coaches with match day videos, you’re not doing your job.

 

“After each tournament, hire an experienced coach to analyze match day performance alongside your child.  This is a non-hitting classroom session.”

Parents, keep in mind that it is often meaningful to video the pre-match routines and rituals, the actual match and the post-match routines and rituals. Flaws in any of the three phases may lead to poor performances and serious lack of results.

Note: Below are twenty five essential issues that often separate the early round losers from the champions. It may be beneficial to break out the video camera for proof and/or clarity. Hire a trained eye to assist in spotting those hidden match day flaws and give your child a real chance at performing at peak potential. (Video recording can be done with a smart phone or with a mounted video camera.)

 

Pre-Match Routines:

  • Equipment preparation
  • De-stressing versus over stressing environment
  • Managing the overflow of adrenaline
  • Opponent profiling
  • Proper nutrition and hydration
  • Use of dynamic stretching
  • Essential warm up routines
  • Quiet time visualization

Match Performance:

  • Proper use of between point rituals and changeover rituals
  • Strokes: efficiencies and deficiencies
  • Patterns and plays: strengths and weaknesses
  • Identifying the actual cause of the errors
  • Opponent dissecting/match awareness
  • Score management and real time problem solving
  • Emotional performance state
  • Universal movement flaws (Footwork)
  • Cognitive processing speed (Hesitation)
  • Correctly spotting and playing positive and negative “Mega” points
  • Length of peak performing
  • Controlling the “energy-flow” of the match

Post-Match Rituals and Routines:

  • Recovery
  • Static stretching
  • Nutrition and hydration
  • Opponent scouting
  • Match logs

 

As I conduct high performance player assessments around the world it is amazing that even top ITF players and their coaches have never even heard of quantifying their performances in such detail.

As parents, it is up to you to organize video analysis and review sessions. As coaches, it is up to you to suggest video analysis and review sessions to be initiated. And it is up to you, the player, to be willing to “allow” video analysis and review sessions. 

 

Match day analysis is a staple for NCAA college athletes and professional tennis players and their entourages. Evaluating performance is essential for growth.  I recommend two important steps prior to beginning the process of match day video analysis:

1) Purchase a High-Speed Video Camera. It is often essential to utilize slow motion play back to actually catch the hundreds of issues not seen by the human eye. Parents reading this may ask “Isn’t it expensive to purchase high speed cameras and play back equipment?” The answer is …no, if you have a smart phone, it’s as easy as purchasing the “Coaches Eye” App. It costs under $10.00 in most countries. It is a great product.

2) Hire a Well-Trained Teacher. A high tennis IQ coach is essential to quantified data. A well trained eye can spot dozens of issues that simply pass right by 95% of the parents and players watching the exact same film.

Most coaches do practice court “static” stroke mechanic’s video analysis. Coaches, please take it one step further and begin to apply match play video analysis. It often dispels the confusion over what players believe they are doing and the reality of their performances. It will assist the entourage in discovering a whole new world of improvement opportunities.

PRE-MATCH WARM-UP RITUALS

Posted on April 11, 2022 by in The Second Edition of The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
Available through most online retailers!

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Before each PGA tournament round, Tiger Woods warms up every club in his golf bag, just in case he needs it. In the high performance tennis world, players who routinely warm up both their primary and secondary strokes have a major advantage in tightly contested matches. Grooving fundamentals before a match is important, but let’s go deeper.

A first-set tiebreak can often come down to a player executing a winning secondary stroke such as a swing volley or topspin lob.  Confidently perform secondary shots at crunch time, without hesitation, stems from properly warming them up before the match. Players who neglect their secondary strokes have a very different mind-set when faced with the same exact situation. Instead of instinctively moving forward to hit the swing volley to take the tiebreaker, they hesitate and are caught thinking, “I don’t remember the last time I hit one of these? Can I make it? Should I go for it?”  Now guess who misses the easy shot, gets upset and blows another breaker?

Obviously, any stroke has to be developed on the practice court long before tournament competition begins. Once developed properly, it should be placed into your match day tool belt and warmed up before competition.

 

“A smart tennis player has developed and then systematically warms up every secondary stroke before competition.”

 

If your athlete is still holding on to the “old school” fundamental stroke warm up routine, I highly suggest keeping it for comfort sake but also begin to warm up in the manner that they are expected to perform. This includes, whenever possible, taking extra time to warm up the below list.

6 Different Forehands and Backhands:

  • Primary Drive Ground Strokes
  • High and Heavy Ground Strokes
  • Short Angle Ground Strokes
  • Defensive Slice
  • Drop Shots
  • Defensive Lobs

3 Different Serves:

  • Flat Serve
  • Slice Serve
  • Kick Serve

3 Different Volleys:

  • The Swing Volley
  • The Drop Volley
  • The Transition Mid Court Volley

2 Different Overheads:

  • Stationary, Service Box Overheads
  • The Turn and Run, Overhead with Movement

The 2 Different Approach Shots:

  • Traditional Approach to Volley
  • Spot a Vulnerable Opponent and Steal the Volley

 

NOTE: Customize the warm up whenever possible. For example: If your athlete’s next opponent is a Moonball/Retriever, it might be wise to warm up their swing volleys, side doors and drop shots.

 

“Often, what separates two talented players is the time and energy put into properly preparing for battle.”

MATCH DAY STRETCHING

Posted on March 29, 2022 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential

The following post is an excerpt from the Second Edition of The Tennis Parent’s Bible
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 MATCH DAY STRETCHING

 

Preparing the body for the upcoming competition should be a major priority. Serious players seeking peak performance and injury prevention should incorporate a customized stretching routine.

 

“Current sports science research suggest that elevating the core body temperature is recommended before dynamic stretching begins.”

 

Pre-Match Stretching Routines

Customizing their routines is a great way to assist your athlete in being accountable. If your player does not have a fitness trainer, I suggest asking them to formulate their very own dynamic stretching routine by using Google: YouTube dynamic tennis warm up routines.

Pre-match warm-up routines will be an important part of your athlete’s match day stretching regiment. Dynamic stretches help warm-up and elevate core body temperature.

Pick two lower body dynamic, mobile stretching routines.  (These are tennis-specific movements aimed to prepare your lower body for the actual demands of match play.)

Pick two upper body dynamic stretching routines. (These prepare your shoulders arms and core for the demands of a high performance match.)

 

Post-Match Stretching Routines

Post-match static stretching routines are used during the cool-down phase. While standing or sitting still, elongate muscles and hold the position. This allows the muscles to be stretched farther in order to increase range of motion.  Once again, assist your athlete in being accountable. I suggest asking them to customize their very own static stretching routine by using Google: YouTube static tennis warm up routines.

Pick two lower body static stretching routines. (These are tennis-specific rituals aimed to cool down their lower body after the actual demands of match play.)

Pick two upper body static stretching routines. (These cool down their shoulders, arms and core after the demands of a high performance match.)

 

Benefits of Stretching:

  • Improves range of motion
  • Reduces the risk of injuries
  • Reduces post-match soreness
  • Reduces fatigue
  • Increases power

 

“Part of an elite players entourage is an off court tennis specific trainer. Consult a certified trainer to customize your athletes stretching routines and rituals.”