Tag Archives: winning tennis

Training Periodization

Posted on September 13, 2020 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 NOW available through most online retailers!  Click Here to Order

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INTELLIGENT TRAINING BLUNDERS

 

Being Oblivious to Periodization

Parents are often so blinded by winning that they unknowingly sabotage their child’s success. This is especially true in the beginner and intermediate levels of competition.  Understanding when to train the different elements of your child’s game is called periodization. It’s based on the upcoming tournament schedule.

Asking your child to bulk up in the gym, run five miles, or to dismantle and fix a flawed stroke a day or two before a big event are samples of poor periodization training. Adding an unfamiliar element the day of a match also falls into this category.

An essential parental skill is choosing your battles. It is important to understand when to put your foot down and pick a battle. Starting a war right before a scheduled lesson will pull your child into the wrong mental state and surely destroy any hopes of a productive session. It is also a waste of your money. Likewise, choosing to battle the day of a scheduled match is a sure-fire way to drain your youngster’s emotional batteries and sabotage the actual peak performance you are seeking.

Winners

Posted on October 10, 2017 by in Raising Athletic Royalty

 

The following post is an excerpt from Raising Athletic Royalty NOW available through most online retailers!
Click Here to Order

 

WINNERSRaising Athletic Royalty

 

“EVERY ATHLETE IS BORN WITH NATURAL EFFICIENCIES. CHAMPIONS ARE BROUGHT TO LIFE BY OVERCOMING THEIR NATURAL DEFICIENCIES.”

 

 “Winners have the faith to jump off a cliff …and believe they have the skills to figure out how to land on the way down.”

 

“WINNING STEMS FROM CHOOSING THE HARDER CHOICES EVERY DAY.”

 

“Every winner has felt the pain of losing but chooses to battle on.”

 

“SHOW ME A WINNER, AND I’LL SHOW YOU A PERSON THAT DOES WHAT OTHERS ARE TOO WEAK TO DO.”

 

 

 

 

 

Training Zonal Tennis

Posted on January 23, 2015 by in Maximizing Tennis Potential, Tennis Specific Training, The Tennis Parent's Bible

The following post is an excerpt from The Tennis Parent’s Bible.  Thank you for visiting, Frank Giampaolo

Frank Giampaolo

Modern Zonal Tennis

Mastering Zonal Tennis is essential for the most successful tennis career, whether it is playing junior tennis, collegiate tennis, country club tennis or professional tennis, players that choose proper shot selection (laws of zonal tennis) advance at a quicker rate. The following questions and answers may help you understand the importance of zonal tennis.

Question: “I must have spent $10,000 on lessons, forehand, backhands, serves…all the strokes.   I look like a pro during lessons, but in real match play, I stink! I can’t even beat Mildred on the super senior squad. Why?”

Frank: The quick answer is that your loses are most likely due to poor shot selection and not stroke technique. There are four causes of unforced errors in match play: Stroke Mechanics, Shot Selection, Movement/Spacing and Emotional/Composure.  The most common cause of errors in match play is poor tactical choices or shot selection.

Another interesting tidbit is that the human brain can’t consciously fix stroke mechanics while playing in the zone. Try shifting focus away from your own back-swing and follow-through and onto zonal tennis. Hitting balls short into your opponents court  or continuing to hit a ball your opponent is hitting winners on is the equivalent of asking them to beat you.

Question: “Do retrievers have all the trophies due to their elegant strokes or their well-developed shot selection skill sets?”

Frank: The player with the smartest shot selection is usually the winner. Reduce your errors by applying Zonal Tennis: the use of proper air zone and court zone tactics. Note: Be aware that exceptions shadow every rule, so use your court sense in match play.

Air Zones

The Air Zones refer to the height at which the ball travels above the net. Your court position dictates the height your shot should be traveling above the net.

The Three Air Zone:

  1. Aim 2-3 feet above net when positioned inside the court.
  2. Aim 3-5 feet above the net when positioned on the baseline.
  3. Aim 8-10 feet above the nest when positioned ten feet behind the baseline.

Unforced errors and short balls multiply dramatically when players choose to ignore the laws of the air zones.  Thanks, Frank Giampaolo

Contact: Frank Giampaolo
FGSA@earthlink.net
MaximizingTennisPotential.com