The following post is an excerpt from Match Day Preparation. Thanks for visiting, Frank Giampaolo
Periodization Training
Players need to balance their preparations for short-term goals—such as an upcoming tournament—with their long-term improvement schedule. Managing these training phases is called periodization. When preparing for an upcoming match, a player’s plan for training to reach a peak level at the event should be customized to the player’s current comfort and ability level. Trying to perform skills that have not yet been securely ingrained is a recipe for disaster. Following are examples of both poor and intelligent pre-match preparations through periodization.
Poor Pre-Match Preparation:
- Changing fundamental grips or strokes, this leads to not having the old stroke any longer and not having the new stroke ready for match play.
- Cramming for the event by overloading the practice schedule, this leads to drained, low batteries on match day.
- Overdoing the off-court training, which leads to soreness, fatigue, and injuries come match day.
- Adding unfamiliar things to routines, this leads to physical and mental confusion.
- Playing only superior competition in practice matches, which leads to low self-esteem and zero confidence.
- Warming up past the point of diminishing returns, this leads to less confidence.
Intelligent Pre-Match Preparation:
- Repetition of primary and secondary strokes, which grooves the timing and increases confidence.
- Repetition of proactive patterns, which leads to fast cognitive processing speed and faith in the patterns.
- Performing light off-court training, this leads to strength and stamina.
- Presetting mental protocols, this leads to dependability in the problem-solving skills.
- Presetting emotional protocols, which leads to self-assurance and trust under stress
Players who are unfamiliar with periodization often unknowingly sabotage their performance. They think they’re preparing properly by practicing hard and challenging their game, but this actually hurts their chances of playing at their best.
Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com
Affiliate
