Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tennis Etiquette

Here are some basic tennis etiquette rules to follow:

1.The server calls the score before the first serve. The receiver remembers it. Please do not say second serve or call the score again before the second serve. It's annoying. No one's memory is that short.

2.  Don't over-rule your partner in doubles on a call unless you're damn sure an error has been made. This creates communication problems with your partner and you become part of your opponent's resource for questioning your team's calls.

3. Never take a point you don't deserve (your opponent called your clearly out ball good). It's cheating if you know for sure that you hit a ball that landed out. Serves are an exception to this rule because you don't want to dictate the flow of play calling on your opponent's side of the court.

4.. Call the close ones good if you're not 100% sure they're out. Your opponent gets the benefit of doubt.

5. When you hit a ball to your opponents in doubles avoid "hinders" by allowing them to hit without:
yelling commands to your partner, hitting your racquet against the ground (beating it like a tom   tom), scuffing your feet (creating a squeaking noise of hideous proportion), dropping your racquet, and pretending their ball to be out by body language and then casually returning it.

6. When going out to your court avoid doing so when people are playing a point or about to start a point. Wait till their point, better game, is over. Ask to pass after a point is better than moving across like cattle in an art gallery. And then thank them for granting you access to your court.

7. Talk quietly between odd games if you must. That is when you may take a quick drink. No one wants to be disturbed when playing their game of tennis. Be considerate.

8. Applaud your opponent's great shots rather than blame your miss on faulty technique or equipment, injury, eye's, and any other excuse.

9. Start a match with new balls if you can. In tournament play the winners keep a new can of balls.

10.  Regarding breaks: you get about 20 seconds to get a point going, you get 90 seconds on the odd games, you get two minutes between sets. Rushing play or delaying play is not appreciated or fun. A three minute bathroom break is permitted once on a change over or at the end of a set. That would then take care of the injury time-out if you need it.

11.. Shake hands first with your partner and then with your opponents at the end of a doubles match.
      Say something positive regardless of the outcome. Again, don't make excuses.

12. Switch sides with your partner on the odd games. That's a great time to communicate positively.

13. Bring an extra racquet in case you break a string. It keeps play flowing.

14. Get to the club 15 to 20 minutes early and take care of money and reservations before you play. After you're done playing it's nice to socialize a bit before you leave. Avoid running out the door like you've robbed a bank after a loss.

15. Never use the lobby area as a forum for complaining: the courts aren't bright enough, the water is not cold enough, those people bothered me, my partner played terrible, etc. etc. etc.

16. If you lose track of the score try to remember the points as they happened with the other player(s).
If neither player is willing to concede a score or play deuce, then you should flip a coin to see who's score shall be played.

18. Do not reach over the net to hit a ball unless it has already bounced on your side of the court. If you don't wait then you lose the point.

19. Do not demean your opponent by celebrating point victories in an offensive manner. Especially if your opponent has made an unforced error and then has to watch you behave like a child.

20. Avoid a "circus atmosphere" (laughing loudly, making a comment after every shot, etc..,etc..,etc.) on your court which disturbs all the other courts. Everyone likes a circus but you don't have a tent over your head so be quiet.

21. When someone is hurt. Try to help them. Give them time to recover. Wouldn't you want that treatment if you were hurt?

22. Do not bring little children as spectators on the court who can't defend themselves against a miss-hit during a match with other adults. They also tend to get restless and distracting.

23. Don't use the net as a coat rack. Anything on the net becomes part of the net once play has started.

24. If you disagree on a call with your partner the ball is good. Maybe a good reason not to disagree.

25. Don't wear yellow clothing on a tennis court. It's hideous and screens the ball. Worse, is to wear a Kelly green shirt with yellow tennis balls on it. Keep some sense of respect for the game.

26. Never swear. It's a Lady's  and Gentleman's game.

27. Wear tennis shoes. Do not mark the courts with running shoes or hurt yourself
with weak lateral support. If your shoes leave black marks stop playing and get the right kind of shoes.

28. There is no such thing as good or bad players. There are different levels of the game.
You should be willing to play up or down (within reason) or at level. That's the way it is.
Of course you want to challenge yourself as much as possible.

29. Never try to over direct a partner on the court. Games aren't fun when your being told what to do all the time. That doesn't mean you can't work together as a team and discuss positioning
or strategy. Just try to fit as best as you can with whom you are playing. That way you'll be a better team. Avoid trying to make your partner your dream of perfection.

30. White is the traditional clothing color of tennis which started in England. It is still the primary
color to wear. You can't go wrong wearing white. Remember to wear what a lady or gentleman would wear. It's nice to respect the game.

31. Avoid wearing strong scents on the court. They give people headaches and are distracting.

32. Never use your cell phone on the court unless there is an emergency.

33. Never equate your value with winning or losing. The game stands alone.

34. Look for quality of play rather than results.

35. Stow your water bottle in your bag when playing. Open stuff gets knocked over.

36. Never take another first serve if there was but a brief interruption on the court.

37. If a ball comes in play from another court only call a let if it interferes with safety on the court.
It is not sporting to call a let behind a player hitting an easy smash so you won't lose the point.

38. Never hit a kill shot point blank at a player. That is not sporting. Especially if they have conceded the point with body language (they have turned their back to you).

39. If you are levels above others it is nice to keep some balls in play so that you both have some fun.


 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Train to be a champion.

Serious Tennis Players,

This is a training schedule that I've put together based upon the Pat Etcheberry tennis fitness program. It takes dedication because you have to make yourself put in the extra time to condition yourself for tennis. It is not for the faint of heart. Make the conditioning program your personal fitness program. You can always adjust it and work in new exercises, drills, and conditioning methods that address the shoulders, legs and core regions of the body for tennis. If you're not sure how to do an exercise look it up on YouTube or ask the instructor at the gym.

Tennis Training Program for a Champion


We seek a program that builds strong, light and fast creatures with quick recovery ability. We need to be strong in the shoulders, have a strong core and very quick in the legs. There you have it: the perfect tennis player. Well almost: you have to be mentally tough which really means not being too tough on yourself so that your unconscious can be allowed to function. It’s amazing when you trust yourself—your racquet will too.

For working out I recommend doing it every day for at least forty minutes. Take Sunday off: go for a swim, miniature golf, golf (a great way to spoil a good walk), hike, drink lemonade and read the newspaper. Treat yourself to fun rest on that day.

Workout for three sets of 10-12 reps that challenge you and move up in weight when it gets too comfortable.

Upper Body

Dumbbell bench press: push upward with weights, pronate wrists outward, weights touch. You are lying on your back on the bench.

Dumbbell shoulder press: you can stand or be seated, push weights above head and then return to shoulder level. Exhale when pushing up. Inhale when returning.

Dumbbell shoulder pullover-to strengthen serve: lay down on bench, the weights are extended back behind your head, even with shoulders. Lift them up above your chest and then return to parallel to body. Careful no to lift too much weight.

Medicine ball forehand and backhand twist: rotation on right and left side of body with medicine ball.

Triceps extension: pushing down from a standing position, lift up to chin, then, push arms down straight, keep good balance, isolate your arms in this exercise.

Biceps curl: hold for a brief moment at the top of curl and release slowly down. You can stand or be seated.

Band exercise—row, overhead, 45 degree angle: take a stretchy band and extend arms above your head, straight, then pull both arms out to shoulder level, keep elbows slightly bent.

Neutral stance/open stance with weight: swing with a light weight. This works trunk rotation for both forehand and backhand. Swing your form of a tennis swing with the weight in your hand. You can also do this with a medicine ball with two hands. Use tennis footwork as you do it. Include the serve, volleys, return of serve, and overheads in your workout.

Reverse hyperextension: lay down on stability ball on a bench, facing down, grab bench with arms, and lift legs up to level with back and then lower.

Wrist curl: forearms facing up on top of legs. You can use a barbell.

 

Lower Body

Front Lunge: One leg out, bend to ninety degrees and push back. You can do this exercise with dumbbells in your hands, with your hands down by your sides. Keep knee from going past your toes.

Side Lunge: Same, but more out to side. Keep both feet facing forward during these lunges and your back straight. You can lunge "around the clock" with your legs as long as you keep bot toes forward and back straight. Add dumbbells for more challenge.

Single Leg Lunge: face a high placed barbell, set a small bench behind you, place the top of one foot on the bench, then, grasp the barbell and place behind head on shoulders, then, do knee bends on one leg. After that repeat the routine on the other leg. Don't let the knee go past ninety degrees on the bend.

Squat on Balance Pad: keep your balance. You can use a barbell for extra challenge. Do knee bends with the weight on your shoulders, while on the balance pad.
 

One-foot Balance on Balance Pad

Leg Extension: extending legs out (works quads) from seated position.

Leg Curl: Lay face down on machine, curl legs up to lift weight. Works Ham Strings.

Leg Press: pushing weight with legs while on back.

Jump Ups: Bend knees down and jump up as high as you can and lift arms to the sky as you do it. Helps vertical lift. You can do this with a medicine ball as well.

Calf Raise: lift heels up and stand on balls of feet and then release back down. You can do these with a medicine ball or dumbbells as well.

 

Agilities

Warm-up:

Sidestep side to side, front foot overs only side to side, back foot behind only side to side, dynamic stretches, shadow open stance forehand backhand swings with one foot step outs only, same with neutral stances (remember the cone drills we did), shadow serves, stretch lunges, shoulder band stretches, and you’re ready to go.

On a court start in the middle of the service box and for 30 seconds tap the singles sideline with your racquet and then the center service line as fast as you can. This will spike your heart. Record the result, rest 30 seconds and repeat two more times. It takes two and one half minutes but it burns. Try to improve your scores. It will show you if you are in shape. You should not go down in the third run if you are in shape.

 Another drill for thirty seconds is to start at the center of the baseline and run to the sideline….(three feet up the sideline; you are cutting down angle here) and swing over a marker (cone, ball, water bottle etc.) and then return to the middle. Do this as fast as you can. Rest for one minute and then try going the other way (backhand if you started on the forehand) and record that result. This will show you if you are quicker moving to the left, right or the same.

 For running (less is more). We need quick explosiveness. We play hard for a few seconds and then have fifteen seconds before starting the next point. Day one work for an easy run (not jog) for one minute and then run a little harder for a minute for twenty minutes not including the warm-up and stretch down. Day two run fast for 15 to 30 seconds and then rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Gauge your own body and how it feels. Day three run at a constant swift pace but doable for the entire journey. This type of running will best condition you for tennis.

 You design your own program:

It might look like this………..

Sunday: Special time off

Monday: Upper Body/ Court Agility

Tuesday: Run

Wednesday: Lower Body

Thursday: Run

Friday: Total Body/ Court Agility

Saturday: Run

 It doesn’t take much to make gains with fitness if you make it “short and sweet”

You’ll feel great and look good in the mirror. Play tennis when you can.
Coach Pease
Etcheberry Tennis Fitness Coach

 P.S. You tube search Etcheberry footwork drills and the other gym work if you’re not sure what exercises to do. Everything is right there on film. You don’t need an expensive gym to stay in shape. Heck all you really need is a couple of milk cartons filled with sand (small ones and big ones). I'll add more videos for you in the future.
 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Developing 5-7 year old Tennis Players

     Marc is developing strong tennis skills as a five year old. The red ball makes it easier to rally.
At this stage of development I teach hitting on the mini nets or using the service box areas. It's also a good idea to let players use regular tennis balls in their training. This way they can transition to full court with a feel for the ball. In general though, little racquets need to hit with lighter balls due to strength and stability issues. They can shape the ball easier when rallying.
     Another thing to keep in mind when training very young players is to keep it fun. Give them fun targets to shoot for: baskets, cones, pick-up tubes, boxes, cans etc. Perhaps set a goal, if they hit ten targets they get ten points. The points then can be converted to prizes, a tennis ball, a t-shirt, a hat, a sticker, anything that keeps it fun and challenging. Technique is great but it needs to be snuck in there with competing for something. This way a coach is helping the student achieve their goals which is what a coach is all about. It is an outcome based approach using a game format.


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Junior USTA Tennis Tournaments

Hey everyone,

I just thought I'd go over the process of getting into USTA tournaments for juniors.

First: sign up for the USTA which is located at http://www.newengland.usta.com/Juniors/junior_tournament/.
It's a very reasonable investment in your tennis future. The tab says join or renew. You will then get in the USTA system be eligible to play in USTA events. You also get Tennis Magazine and another digital tennis magazine.

Two: then click the schedule button and that will prompt you to search for tournaments (I'll show you what you're searching for). Select one that you would like to play and that will take you to the tournament web site where you then can sign up for the event using your USTA membership information and a credit card. Most Juniors events run about $45.00 for tournament. There is also the cost of gas getting to the tournament and preparations (lunch, sports drinks, waters, and snack bars, racquet, grips, jump rope, towel, etc). Plan to get there early as you never know how traffic is going to be. It's no fun running in the door at the last second or late. Get there early and warm up in the parking lot before the matches start.

Three: the events are for fun first and learning. If you keep that in mind then you will always be working on improving your game which is the most fun of all. Don't worry about results, focus on learning and the time you spend with your family going to the event and the day. Perhaps you will make new tennis friends.

Here is the path-way for juniors:

8 and Under: use 1/4 of a court with little racquets up to 23 inches, and smaller nets. They use red balls or sometimes foam. Nice for long rallies. The scoring for this group is 12 point tie-breakers. First to win seven by two points wins the tie-breaker. They play many kids.

10 and Under: use about 3/4 court with a regulation net, racquets up to 25 inches, orange ball, and play first to win four games by two with a tie-breaker (12 pt at four all) and they play a 12 point tie-break to determine the third set if there is a split. They play many kids.

12 and Under Level 7: They use a full court with either a green ball (or green dot on it) or a regulation tennis ball depending on the tournament (check so there are no surprises for you). Greens play slower then regulation and you should train accordingly to your ability. Level 7s is where most players start in an age group. Regulation racquets are now allowed.

12 and Under Level 6,5,4,3,2,1: This is where strong competition begins and competitive tennis at a high level is measured with National Ranking.

14 and Under Levels 7,6,5,4,3,2,1

16 and Under Levels 7,6,5,4,3,2,1

18 and Under Levels 7,6,5,4,3,2,1

If you are just getting into an age group  start with level 7. You will find it very challenging.
The strategy is to play your age group but start playing up a group one year before you have to move up based upon your birthday. That is so you can get a foot hold in the next group. If you start having some success in a level 7 then try level 6. If you have success at level 6 then you will have section ranking and a chance at playing college tennis. Some of our players have played in level 2 and 3 events and have gone on to obtain college tennis scholarships and college tennis opportunities.

It takes the help from the family to get started and keep it going. It's a lot of fun. I've done it for many years and still hit the road on weekends to watch my little guy and students. You'll travel all over New England. Select what works for you.

In addition to your lessons you should:

run regularly: sprints and longer distances

condition: push-ups/ ab workouts/ squats/ lunges/ wall-sits/ etc. 
as you get older you should be on a tennis fitness training schedule which I will post on this site.

practice: hit against a wall, have your mom or day feed you balls and you run and hit them over the net; ask a friend to hit with you.

Study: you need to do well in school to have the best opportunities

Nutrition: you have to eat the right foods in the right amounts and keep hydrated. I'll give you more on that later as well.


Other sports: sure do what you would like to do but as you get older you may have to taper other sports down to be more successful in tennis (there is that balance which you decide is best). I've seen some great basketball, soccer and cross country athletes make great tennis players.

I hope this helps.

Coach Pease
Falmouth Sports Center/ Tennis Director
Salve Regina University/ Men's Varsity Head Coach

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Championship Training

Summer of 2012 with the Championship group.
A great team of individuals.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Junior Awards for Tennis

Back in the 90's the USTA came out with achievement awards for juniors working on their games.
The levels are:
Beginner
Advanced Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced Intermediate
Advanced

Each level has a set of requirements to pass before moving up to the next. It reminds me of the Red Cross with their swimming badges I used to get at Old Silver and Chappy back in the day. What's great about these awards is that you are competing and improving yourself. When you give kids a goal and a patch (they're green and have crossed tennis rackets) they'll strive harder to improve. Look back at this post as I'll list the various level requirements. Contact an emblem distributor and design your patch.


Beginner:

1. 50 ups
2. 25 downs
3. 50 alternating
4. Behind the service line place five consecutive forehands in play.
5. Standing at least twenty feet away rally five consecutive ground-strokes against a wall.
6. Standing behind the service line return six out of ten balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand.
7.With a partner rally at least three times each with one bounce. Using a shorter court is okay..

Advanced Beginner:

1. 100 downs  50 ups 100 alternating
2. Return 10 consecutive balls tossed alternating to your forehand and backhand.
3. Standing behind the baseline place 15 consecutive forehands into play.
4. Serve 10 balls into each service box (5 each side must land in).
5. Standing at least twenty feet away hit ten ground-strokes against a wall.
6. Volley at least ten balls tossed to you at net.
7. With a partner rally six times each including at least two backhands.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of the rules, game play and code of conduct.

Intermediate:

1.Behand the baseline return 10 out of 15 balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand (the tosses may be placed deep, short or to the side).
2. Against a wall hit 15 consecutive forehands and then 15 backhands.
3. Serve 5/10 to the deuce court and then 5/10 to the ad court.
4. Return 8 balls served to the deuce court and then to the ad.
5. Volley 10/15 balls tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand volley.
6. Lob 10/15 balls tossed to your forehand and backhand.
7. Return 5/10 lobs as an overhead.
8. Rally ten times each over the net with at least three backhands.
9. Reflex with a partner 10 times each.
10. Play one match of singles.
11. Play one match of doubles.



Advanced Intermediate:

1. From the baseline return 15 out of twenty balls tossed alternately to the other back court.
2. Hit 20 forehands and twenty backhands against a wall twenty feet away.
3. Serve 10/15 to the deuce 10/15 to the ad.
4. Return 10/15 from the deuce and 10/15 from the ad.
5. Volley 10/15 tossed alternately.
6. Lob 10/15 tossed alternately to your forehand and backhand.
7. Hit 15/20 overheads.
8. Rally 15 each from the baseline.
9. Reflex volley 15 times each.
10. Play one match of singles.
11. Play one match of doubles.


Advanced:

1. Rally 20 balls in a row down the center lane of the court with a partner.
2. Hit 15/20 forehands cross court deep, 15/20 down the line deep, and 10/15 mid cross court.
3. Repeat the same sequence on the backhand side.
4. Serve 6/10 wide, T, and extra wide in the deuce box. Repeat in the ad box.
5. Return 15/20 cross court forehands (deep) from the deuce box.
6. Return  15/20 cross court backhands (deep) in the ad box.
7. Reflex volley 20 times.
8. Lob 15/20 balls tossed alternately deep in the court.
9. Hit 10/20 overheads in the corners deep.
10. Hit 10/20 drop shots that bounce before the service line three times (both forehand and backhand sides).
11. Play two singles matches and two doubles matches.









Tennis Playing Styles

There is the counter-puncher: the player who keeps balls in play with adequate pace bout does not over-power their opponent. They wait patiently for opportunities and win points by their attrition or by given opportunity. This is a cautious but opportunistic type of player. There is the retriever: a player who gets the ball back but doesn't supply much pace. They often add height to the ball with little spin. Other names for this player include, pusher, and moon-baller. Their lack of pace drives you crazy and if they are consistent and fast enough they can beat anyone, especially on clay or outside in the wind for their ball becomes a knuckleball that becomes difficult to time. Then there is the aggressive baseline, this player hammers the corners until he/she gets an opportunity and then hurts and finishes. The serve and volley specialist is someone who constantly rushes the net and puts quick pressure upon his/her opponent. Few players do this anymore but if done well it will blow people away.
  We all start off as counter punchers that develop our game styles based upon our speed, power, and natural talents. Game styles choose you rather then you selecting your game style. Success in competition with play selection develop the ultimate player. Develop a solid all-around game first and then specialize as needed to win your matches.

Tennis Equipment

 There is an art to the game of singles and it starts when you get ready for your match. It starts with all the off court training you do, your diet, rest, and equipment. It includes researching your opponent's game either in the warm-up or mentally before you step on the court. You should have a good idea of what you do well, what your opponent does well, and what gives you both a problem. You should have the right equipment to boot.
    Let's hit equipment first. I like to have five racquets of the same model and grip freshly strung and ready to go. Bill Tilden also had five. At first you might think--"hey, I don't use five racquets in a decade." Two should be of tighter tension, two of medium, and one of lower tension. If you break a string you still could be in trouble. Conditions change, people change, and racquet tensions change during a match. Broken strings are no big deal but broken tennis hearts are the worst. Don't let that be an obstacle. Get the equipment right. Hell, call me and I'll give you a deal on racquets. I can't believe how people will spend over $2,000 plus on tennis court time and memberships while at the same time be so cheap as to play with a racquet worth $40.00. That's nuts. Give up a few plays per year and get at least three decent sticks to use in battle. What about strings? If you swing big enough go with big banger (Savage has a great crisp feel). If you don't then go with Wilson NXT or Sensation. Try putting Big Banger in the mains (a little less tension) and then the NXT Max or regular in the crosses. It's that simple. I like 55lbs in the mains and 59 in the cross for hybrids with the BB in the main (allow 4-5 less with the mono filaments because of the stiffness. That's with small mid size performance frame. If you use big rackets then add a few pounds to your tension. What about shoes? Get shoes that fit. That's number one. How many? Two, one for each foot. Seriously, get three pair and rotate them just like racquets. Think about it. These are your racing tires. Don't play in beat shoes. It's just as bad as beat strings and racquets. It's not crisp and fresh and it "stinks." What about socks?  Socks--got to go with Thorlo. Those things will last for years. I have manged to wear out toes on those things but theirs not many people who've suffered that fate. After that I like to layer with Wilson socks--a thinner over sock which fill out the shoe. Shirts--if you play on the grass you're supposed to wear all white, if you're in your tennis club wear a comfortable shirt that doesn't scratch. Personally I like a thin cotton tee shirt or tech shirt (it drys quicker) And I like it to fit right--not like a tent or like a 1950's tight tee with a pack of cigarettes tucked in the sleeve. Logos, don't like them because I don't liked being branded.
 Over- Grips--go with the Wilson Pro Grip for a sticky feel unless your playing in the steaming heat (it gets slippery) in which case you should go with Tournagrip (the blue one that absorbs moisture). I've never used powder but I will if I ever need it. The under grips on most frames are great until you use them a few times. Get use to changing grips fast when needed. Flipping pro grips over will save you some coin and the underneath side provides a unique sandy feel which can be preferable when your sweating like a pig. The underside of Tournagrips are not as good as the top side (which is tough to tell when you take em out of the pack) but beats a worn top side hands down. There are a few people who still you gauze (sticky slippery mesh) who have played since the seventies. There's not many using this product anymore. It went out with BlueStar tennis strings.
  Rackets--There are so many out there. Your game demands you have the right one. I like the Wilson line. The Pro Staffs are great for feel and control while the new juices are powerful beyond belief. Light isn't always right because you have to generate more speed to get the same power. Heavier rackets provide easy power.

Beginning Forehands

 How do I get started? Let's go to the beginning. The game today uses a progression with balls that helps you develop the correct technique. If your you're a little one (age3-4) start with a foam ball. If you get hit in the face it won't traumatize you for the rest of your life. The rackets start at 19 inches and progress up to the standard adult sizes. These balls are fun to hit and are easy to control. The next ball up is the red ball. Use that in the mini courts designed by the USTA or just use the inside service box/ or one half service box using the alley. Then there is the orange ball for the ten and under players that use a 3/4 quarter court; then the green dot on that court, then the green dot on a full court, and then the regular court with regular yellow balls. I use the colored balls in my adult classes and have found that players develop better strokes with longer rallies which creates far more enjoyment. As the players improve I work expose them to higher level balls and they develop at a faster rate then the traditional yellow ball.
  The first thing you need to learn is how to rally (hit the ball back and forth over the net allowing one bounce). If you are right handed you will hit forehands on the right side of the body and backhands on the left. The right side (for a right handed player) is usually the easiest at first to learn. I like to have players start sideways to the net (left shoulder pointing to the net for the right handed). Put your left arm parallel to the net. This gets you turned and set. The right hand should be in front of the body (palm down). The tip of the racket is pointing to the back of the court. From there I would have you turn your body forward pulling the racket forward to the contact point (racket parallel to the net and square the ball to the strings). Your weight is shifting slightly forward, your hips have rotated square to the net, your left foot is a little to the left of the plane of the back right leg. This allows loading of the hips and angular rotation to occur. When beginning it's usually best to start the racket in the down position to get the low to high feel of the swing which produces topspin. After you develop the feel for that I would then add taking the racket back in a compact looping motion as for some this timing can be extremely difficult. Learn to walk before you run, right? Make sure you keep both hands out in front of your body. Self toss a ball out in front of yourself toward the net step a little with your left foot and bend that knee. As you turn into the ball rotate your hips foward and pass the racket to the contact point (waist high in front of your left knee). You should pull the racket so it lags behind the hand. Nick Bolletterri calls this "the slot." In April's TENNIS Macci did a nice job outlining the modern forehand. He calls this movement of lagging the head "the pull" and then when you finish out in front you "roll" the head to the left side of the body where the left hand hand and arm have rotated around to the left and corral or capture the racket into your left hand. Chuck Kriese in The Science of Coaching Tennis describes the shoulders as swinging from "Mike (the front shoulder) to Ike" (the back shoulder). In the neutral stance shot where you step forward I believe you should master keeping the back foot down for balance and control until such you master the basic mechanics. Then you can "go with the flow" as Ed Krass down at the College Tennis Academy in Tampa would say. When you swing comfortably the hips come around to square into a ready position.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Tennis Conditioning For High School and College Players


Order of priorty (Five S')

Sound Fundamentals
Strategy
Strength
Speed
Stamina

     Since these qualities are not mutually exclusive you can start working gradually in all departments of your game. Tailor your training to where you need the most work while still developing your strengths to higher levels. This will make you a better player starting today. The title of this post is conditioning so I will focus on strength, speed, and stamina related to the art of tennis.

     Strength training reduces injuries and improves performance if done correctly. I had the opportunity to train under the wing of Pat Etcheberry who is regarded as one of the founders of modern tennis conditioning. His passion and motivation to help players be the best is contageous.
If you follow this program you will have a stronger court presense and the physical skills necessary to play the game at a high level.

1. Start your workout with a warm-up. Do abs first--lower, obliques, and then upper.
    Ride the bike or jog as well if you wish. With any lifting do a few easy ones first.
    When done stretch down after your workout is finished. Work opposites: ab/lower back, bi/tri, quad/ham, chest/ lats.
    on the same day.This gives you maximum benefit. Reduce body fat if you have imbalances. Improve muscle development if you have imbalances. Inhale before you work exhale as you push the weight. 

2. Types of exercises:

    If you are not sure how to do an exercise ask the trainer for assistance or google it to see the form so you know what the heck you are doing.

    Chest (all interchangeable) 

   1 Barbell Bench Press
   1 Dumbell Bench Press
   1 Pushups
   2 Incline and Decline of Bench Presses
   2 Flyes
   3 Incline Flyes
   3 Cable Crossovers
   3 Dips
     
  Back (Lats)

  1 Lat Pull Downs
  1 Behind the Neck Pull downs
  1 Seated Cable Rows
  1 Pull-Ups
  2  Bent Over Barbell Rows
  2 Bent Over Dumbell Rows
  2 T-Bar Rows
  2  On-Arm Dumbell Rows

  Shoulders

1  Barbell Military Press
1  Dumbbell Military Press
1  Push Press Jerks
2  Front Raises
2 Lateral Raises
2 Bent-over lateral raises
2 Cable Lateral raises
3 Standing Flyes
3 Upright rows
4 Barbell Shrugs
4 Dumbbell Shrugs
5 Rotator Cuff Prone Postion
5 Rotator Cuff on side postition


Triceps

1 Triceps Push Downs
1 Triceps Pull Downs
1 Skull Crushers
1 Triceps Kickbacks
1 Bench Dips
2 Barbell Triceps Curls
2 Dumbbell Triceps Curls
2 One-Arm Triceps Extensions

Biceps/ Forearms Exercises

1 Barbell Curls
1 Dumbbell Curls
1 Preacher Curls
1 Incline Dumbbell Curls
1 Concentration Curls
2 Reverse Barbell Curls
2 Reverse Dumbbell Curls
2 Hammer Curls
3 Behind the Wrist Curls
3 Reverse Wrist Curls

Legs/ Interchangeable

1 Squats
1 Leg Press
1 Dead Lift
1 Leg Extensions
1 Leg Curls
2 Standing Calf Raises
2 Seated Calf Raises
2 Reverse Calf Raises
3 Jump Squats
3 Power Cleans
4 Power Steps
4 Lunges

*****Perfect your technique in the weight room. It's not how much you lift rather how you lift it and why!  You only have to do one exercise from each numbered group.

Muscles need 48 hours to recover from same exercise. Vary your exercises.  Use the X+ method.
When you can add three more reps to each set then go up in weight five pounds. Never MAX out. Estimate your max based on most you can do for 7 reps. Add a few pounds in your mind, that's your max. Maxing is not good for tennis. You need fluidity which is seldom talked about. I would never come close to a max. You should do three sets of each numbered exercise. Remember you should chose one number for that workout as more would be too much.

You need at least three days per week in the gym to make gains. You can go up to six but need more experience for that. Three sets of each exercise in general rule to follow. If you want buff go with four. Allow yourself about one hour for each workout except on the combined body day where you will need closer to one and one half hours.

Safety Tips

Use a spotter/ go with a friend
pick up weights when done
drink water
use good form
breath right
do not drop weights
dress correctly
remember what you're doing/ records


When you're in season two days per week will maintain what you've built.

Stability Ball Exercises (abs) and Medicine Ball exercises (great for trunk rotation and stroke strength and lunges) will develop your core strength and should be incorporated into your strength training Again--google the exercises and the form.

March should look like this--or what ever month you begin your strengthening. As you go into your season you should modify your workouts to fit your playing schedule so that you give yourself time to rebuild muscle. This is called tapering. Short sets with a few reps near the higher end of weight keeps you explosive. This entry did not include your on court practicing which should also follow a taper schedule.

Monday Gym
Wednesday Gym
Friday Gym
Saturday Gym/ Distance Run or Substitute a Full Match
Sunday Rest

  





Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Singles and Doubles / Serve and Return

Serve Strategy Singles

Deuce First Serves:

First Serves-Slice very wide middle of the box. This moves your opponent completely off the court. You now have many options with your next shot. They include hitting behind your opponent, hitting wide to the other side, angles, approaches, etc.

Now that you've set them up with this pitch then go flat down the "T" the next time you serve, or to the body. Slice can also be used on any of the above pitches.


Deuce Second Serves:

"Kick T" to the backhand, "topspin to the backhand," and "slice wide deep." Those would be my selections and in order of percentage but you may have to modify based upon opponent and your serving ability.

* If you plan to serve and volley going to the body or down the T reduces the angle of return.

Ad First Serves:

"Flat Wide, Flat Body, Flat T, Slice Body, Slice T." I would say flat wherever but this order would be percentage.

Ad Second Serves: "Kick Wide" is the best to get to the player out of court, followed by topspin wide, then slice to the body, and perhaps topspin or slice down the T.


Return of Serve

Deuce Court First:  return wide balls cross court, extra wide down the line because that is actually cross court by your outside the court positioning.

Return middle balls down the line for a "natural change of direction" which in effect is like a cross court for the body.


Ad Court First: 

Use the same format as above for wide, extra-wide, and middle balls.

Deuce and Ad Court Second Serves:

Use the same formula as for the first serve if your opponent has a challenging serve. If it is not as challenging then you may now hit the ball wherever you want based on your opponents best shots, your best shot, and how you want to set up the point.


Doubles Serves

Deuce First: Go extra wide and put the first volley down the middle or go down the T and volley wide or middle depending how your serve was returned. Use slice or flat for these serves

Ad First: Same as Deuce.

Deuce Second: "Kick T is best, then slice or topspin to the body." Avoid wide easy serves. They are the toughest to volley.

Ad Second: "Go Kick into the body or kick wide, then topspin body or slice to the body." Try to avoid hitting to your opponent's best return on the second serve.


Doubles Returns

First Serves

Deuce: wide goes cross court, middle goes through the middle but avoiding the net man.

Ad: wide goes cross court, middle goes through the middle but avoiding the net man.

*Adjust your back-swing shorter (hit through the ball, avoid putting too much work (spin) on the power line). Use your outside leg, drag the inside toe, and push off the outside leg as you move as you hit (dynamic movement) the ball and then finally the inside leg crosses over. This keeps your balance and uses your body to leverage the ball. There is no stepping into the ball here! This is a dynamic open legged shot that takes as much practice as serving.

Second Serves

Use the same strategy as above but it the serve is easier for you then you may 1) Increase your swing 2) Move closer 3) Go to the net after the return 4) run around your backhand and attack with your forehand 5) Chip and charge.

Returns in General ***********

Make sure you jump up in the air when your opponent hits the ball. It you don't you won't have a chance to get to the balls. Use the outside leg for power. Cross overs if needed. Adjust your swing and still follow-through all the way.




Monday, February 13, 2012

Singles Tournament and Mixed Social

Falmouth Sports Center Singles Championship to start next week!

Now is the time to sign up. We will have divisions for adults and juniors of all levels.

Friday Nights have gone ballistic. You've got to come down and enjoy the fun 7-9:30 or so.
We send out groups of four and "play four" games and then get you out again with a new foursome.
You get a chance to play many different people and the matches can be extremely challenging and fun.
Nick has his guitar and a week from Friday we will be having Sean Daily join us with his concession truck of portable cuisine which is beyond belief. The level for this group is 3.0 plus. There are 3.5's. 4.0's and 4.5's who play in this event. We try to give everyone good compatible tennis. It is the event of the season every Friday Night. No one goes away without enough tennis and fun.

Call 1.774.392.3666 or e-mail us at kpsoptennis@gmail.com




Return of Serve (Forehand, Two Hand Backhand, and One Hand Backhand)

Hey Team,

These are well done videos of the "return of serve" which is the second most important shot of the game.

http://youtu.be/r8pZu4BdvT0       for the one hand backhand return of serve

http://youtu.be/i-oOA-Y2ws8      for the two hand backhand return of serve

http://youtu.be/LBjzOeAP6Lg      for the forehand return of serve


Notice that in all three types of returns you must start with a wide base, hit with a dynamic motion to gain power from the body, and adjust the back-swing (less dip and length) and still hit through with a full follow-through. The use of the outside leg is extremely important.


Coach Kevin Pease 







Sunday, January 29, 2012

Djokovic and Agassi with Coach "K" to help your tennis game.

Today Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic played the finals of the Australian Open. These two players are at the top of their careers and ready to go. Nadal's blistering forehand topspins, drives, court coverage and  "refuse to lose" attitude verses Djokivic's return of serve, clean ball strikes, and court coverage. The end result was the world's best tennis in 2012. I'll be back for the re-cap later. It's a great day here in New England. Let's get to the courts. Outside is sunny.

How do I train by myself?


First, watch my serving video so you have en idea of what you're doing http://youtu.be/90JontSZMJA .

Second, watch the Djokovic instructional video http://youtu.be/R0dldQUtRbo 

Third, watch the Agassi backboard video http://youtu.be/QHbatpT1Fy0 .

You now have surrounded yourself with the best out there. You are ready for a complete workout with court, or backboard and as little as three tennis balls.


Get your serve ready by going outside (if the weather's nice) and work on the fundamentals of the serve. It's meditative and a great workout. Hit a dozen or less serves if you've only have three balls, run a lap as fast as you can around the court, then hit more, then 100 jump ropes, then hit more, then 12 push-ups, then  more, get the idea...........You can be creative with your training. It makes it more realistic because you're not going to be fresh as a daisy when serving in a match. You have to be in shape and controlled, even if tired. Other possibilities include hitting reps on the backboard after hitting your serve or running forward to the board and hitting reflex volleys. If you don't have a board then just run forward, split and punch a volley out of your hand, then slide back and self toss an overhead. You then can add the cross training component of jump rope, sprints, and agility drills. You have to mix it up so you keep the body guessing and interested. In twenty minutes you could be ready to call it a day if you train hard. It's more about intensity and effort then it is about time.


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Serve

The serve is the only shot in the game where you have complete control of the outcome. In a sense you are the pitcher. And as a pitcher you have options. You can throw a straight ball (fastball), a slicing fast ball (slider), a kick serve (curve/ change-up). Those are the basic pitches. Just as in baseball you will develop favorite pitches either by talent or choice. You should be able to locate the ball in the service box with control. Here are the basics:

1) Stance--keep both feet shoulder width apart or narrower and fixed when starting your motion. It is helpful to bounce the ball a few times to maintain your ritual and timing before initiating your motion.

2)  Grip--"Continental"--will allow you to hit the most variety of serves though it is tough for new players to square the ball (hit too much slice and reach too low). Your base knuckle of your index finger should be on the second panel from the top of the racket. Keep your wrist loose and drop the little finger off the grip to create more whipping racquet speed. Exaggerate the base knuckle of the first finger grip more toward the first (top) panel for the kick serve. When you first try this you might say--"There's no way," but that's the grip.

3) Toss--keep your wrist and elbow straight as you toss the ball from low (hand down to your leg) to high (full extension pointing up above your head). You should be able to draw a straight line from your front foot to the top of your fingers, up to the ball. This requires balance (do not move your feet).


4) Back-swing--the hitting arm goes down as the tossing arm goes up (some players lift their racket up sooner then others). I find it better timing for most to lag the hitting arm down a bit to build more kinetic energy. The racquet then loops behind your head and the head of the racquet points down with the butt of the racket pointing up (not to close to the back as you would lose power). As the racket goes down behind the back the knees go down; as the knees come up so does the racquet, then reach up to the ball.

5) Follow-through--for the flat serve and slice finish on the opposite side of your body. For the kick serve finish on the same side, hitting up and away to the side.Your weight will now shift to the front foot as you extend up and into the ball. For now don't leave the ground till you master the toss and hit rhythm

Practice:

Keep your feet down while developing your serve. You can first start with your racket already in the back and down position and then toss the ball to establish a high contact point. After you master this, start with your racket in the overhead position (as many pros do in their first few warm-up balls), keep it loose and whippy (maybe hang your little finger off the end to get the feel). You then can add the full back-swing keeping your feet down yet still using the knees (if you've got the feel for that). To help get the timing of the knee bend lean forward to your right a bit from the waste and then as you toss the ball bring your knees forward and bend. This gives the knees a "jump start." At this point you will be ready to work out your own serve style and add the jump into the court from the knee bend. First follow the process of steps because you need the right foundation. don't worry about the knee bend or kick serves till you get your basic motion and grip working down. You'll be amazed how much "easy power" there is with the serve when you time the arms and shoulders correctly.

Once you've mastered a pitch (flat,slice, kick) then work on locating the ball to target in the service boxes. Power is the last tactical priority so don't worry about that until you've mastered the basic fundamentals.

I found this old Bill Tilden Advanced tennis video (much has changed) but the kick serve  fundamentals has not. Enjoy. Bill change the game of tennis with all the mastery of spins.

.http://youtu.be/EUA3Yb66YSQ


For the modern view of the serve I found this to be interesting: Roger Federer's serve and Poncho Gonzales. Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/8oaZ-49eebo

And finally here is my own take on the serve explained in the King's English.


http://youtu.be/90JontSZMJA

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Mixed Doubles is a sport in it's own right. Is it televised? I think I saw it once for ten minutes. It's probably the least televised sport in the world, right next to archery. Lately we've had a resurrection of the sport in Falmouth. Not since the eighties has there been so many mixed doubles combinations hitting the courts. What is mixed doubles? It's when a man and women play doubles against the same combination. It's one of the few sports that place men and women on equal footing at least more equal the average pay scale for men and woman except at the US Open. You won't see a woman share a boxing match, a hockey game, or football game, etc., except at cookouts. Okay there are some exceptions in Alaska.

When I think of women's equality in tennis I think of Billy Jean King. Together we instructed a Domino's Pizza tennis clinic in Dedham and shared a  USTA high performance coaches certification in Chicago. In Domino's team matches players would switch in and out as in a basketball game. Today, on a professional level there is World Team Tennis which has has seen a rebirth from the seventies with teams like the Boston Lobsters and the Philadelphia Freedoms (enter Elton John). A colleague and former US Open Quarter Finalist named Bud Shultz is the coach for the Boston Lobsters. Bud still has a hell of a serve and volley.  The USTA now has mixed leagues where players play in leveled matches. In 1892 the first National Mixed Doubles was played at the Newport Casino in Rhode Island. That predated the first Wimbledon Mixed which was played in 1913. So you could make a case that the United States officially instituted the sport of mixed doubles. Mixed doubles is the classic Friday and Saturday sport of tennis clubs across the country.

I remember watching Eli Nastasi (one of the most talented shot-makers in the history of the game) and Gabriella Sabatina (turned model) play Ferdi Taygen (a Boston and Falmouth resident) and Barbara Potter (Potsy). Nastasi was the worst sport I've ever seen on the court but that's why people loved to watch him play. You'd never knew what he was going to do or say. Taygen, was ranked number in the world in Mixed doubles at the time. When he retired we would share a hit from time to time here at the Sports Center and he would unlock secrets of the game and recant a few tour stories. He never let Nastasi get to him.

Mr. Van Alan who founded the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport recently passed away designed the "No-ad" or  the Van Alan Scoring System (Vass) scoring and tie-breaker which is used by many high school, college, and recreational players today as a means to keep matches on schedule and stop the non-ending deuce stalemates. We use Mr. Van Alan's no-ad in our our Friday night mixers which sometimes include, heaven forbid, two men against a man and a women or the other way around. In a mixer anything can happen and it usually does. If the match is even it doesn't matter who plays whom. You can't have a good match if it is uneven. Levels of the game are important.

There are certain rules of decorum for mixed doubles at the club level--a man shouldn't never try to take a woman out with a put-away, a woman can blast the guy and that is humorous, the man always serves first (this is to insure the team wins the first game), the woman's serve should be broken (strangely softer serves often present more difficulty for the men), it's okay for the man to to poach madly at the net and steal easy points, the man should claim most of the over-heads, the man must always be supportive to his partner and never yell at her; I suppose the converse is true but I've never really seen that happen, having a sense of humor makes things more fun (don't take it too seriously because that will only hurt your chances; you have to stay relaxed), and give your partner a kiss on the cheek at the end of the match regardless of how lousy either of you played because you must remain chivalrous at all costs. It's not okay for the man to ask the woman to sit down on the bench and let him finish the rest of the game by himself. If the woman is has a knee brace on and has had a hip replacement it's not okay to hit aces by her unless she has aced him several times.You must be more of a lady and more of a gentleman. After-all it's a gentleman's sport. It's okay to win but not win badly.


"What do you do if you're serving and have a match point against your grandmother?" This was a question asked to me by Adelaide Cummings, the phenomenal tennis legend and writer from West Falmouth.

"I don't know," I said. "What?"

"You ace-a," she said.

Here's another one she asked. "How many tennis balls fit in the service box?"

"I don't know."

"Six hundred and fifty, don't you think you could serve just one in?"

That is a great way to lighten the load after a double fault. You'd better read your audience first.

This weekend the Sports Center will be hosting a Mixed Doubles Tournament that begins Friday evening and ends Sunday with the finals. Late Saturday afternoon there will be a social mixer for all players in the tournament. Hopefully no Eli Nastasi's will show up. If they do we'll have to throw them into the penalty box  to the adulation of the locals.