You Next Tennis Practice...."
by
Todd Scott
This baby's gonna be short, sweet, and simple.
Recently I've gotten a few emails asking about incorporating
tennis conditioning programs
on the court...
So, I dug deep into my pocket of tricks and strategies and pulled out a
no-brainer that ANYONE can do without any equipment what-so-ever.... All
you need is a tennis ball and your racquet.
Plus it's a double whammy - you'll kill to birds with one stone.
At the end of the next practice session with your partner, do this
before you leave the court...
High Intensity Interval Rallies
You and your partner will be on opposite sides of the net each standing
on the left doubles line of your respective side of the court and facing
the opposite doubles line.
1. On the word 'go', you'll each sprint to the opposite doubles line and
back twice (with racquet in hand).
2. Immediately following the sprints, go directly to your respective
baseline.
3. Pick a point cross court, and begin your rally. Each shot concentrate
on aiming for 1 particular spot cross court. (it'd help if you had a
cone or marker to use as an aiming point)
4. The rally ends as soon as you or your partner hits the ball out of
bounds or into the net
That's 1 round.
Immediately repeat as soon as the rally ends for a total of 4-6 rounds.
Alternate cross court & down the line rallies with each round.
You can also perform this on a backboard if your
practice partner isn't available.
If you use a backboard - the rally ends if you hit the ball below the
'net line', or out of specific parameters you set yourself.
For instance, the rally ends if you hit the ball below the 'net line'
and/or above an 'imaginary' line you've placed on the backboard.
The double whammy: This is a great conditioning drill, but also an
incredible mental toughness drill as well.
As you progress into the drill, you'll begin to tire and your
concentration will drop considerably. So this serves to work not only on
your physical conditioning, but also your mental toughness to
concentrate on hitting the ball in the court.
Have you ever wondered why doctors, during their residency training,
work 2-3 days straight with only a few hours of sleep per night before
getting a break?
What about the military - Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard - ever
wonder why they train days at a time with little or no sleep without
getting a break?
It's not because their boss is 'mean,' it's to prepare them for
emergencies incase they're ever put in a situation that forces them to
stay awake for nights at a time... so they'll know what to expect and to
learn to function in a deprived state.
That's exactly what this drill is designed to do, put you in a fatigued
state, then force you to concentrate.
Everytime you enter a match, there's a chance that it will go into the
late sets, if you're not prepared, it could mean the difference between
winning and losing.
'It doesn't matter how mentally tough you are, if you don't have your
fitness in place, you don't have anything' - Andre Agassi
Whether you're a coaching pro or a club player...
If you're ready to take your game to the next level 'tour style', then
you owe it to yourself to check out my new digital Igniting Your Game
Project by going here:
Tennis Conditioning
'til Next Time, Train Hard & Win Easy!
Todd Scott
For more
tennis conditioning exercises log on to
the
Tennis Conditioning homepage
As one of the nation's most in-demand tennis
fitness trainers, Todd Scott is a training advisor to Men's Fitness and
Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines. You can find his articles on news
stands today and in nearly every issue of Men's Fitness or Muscle &
Fitness Hers magazines for the past 2 years. A high school champion
tennis player-turned-fitness expert finally decided, after a little arm
twisting by his tennis fitness clients, to allow public access into his
Tennis Specific Fitness Databank to help people just like you develop
strength and power to hit stronger shots and win more matches. Tennis
Fitness Tips is a website designed to help you "Train Hard & Win Easy!
