Trying to Hide Your Weakness

It use to be that this man, Fernando Gonzalez, would hardly hit a backhand. If so, it was generally a defensive stroke. You will still see him today sometimes get into that old bad habit of running around his backhand to hit a powerful forehand, but as many of us know, if it doesn't end the point, most of the court is now open for your opponent to reply.

Gonzalez today is an improved player. He has practiced and practiced, and... his topspin backhand and will hit it in pressure situations often with good results.

On the recreational level however, many are not confident with their backhand, or other weakness, and not hit it very often. A few years ago while coaching the boys high school team, there was a player in matches who would only slice his backhand, and often, not very well. In practice however, at my urging, he would hit over it with topspin, often hitting a powerful shot. But in a match he was too afraid to try this. When I would see him hit his ineffective slice, short, he would often lose the point, so I would insist he hit topspin. Then he would try and few and upon missing a shot, he would go back to his old safe pattern. To quote Proverbs, a dog always returns to it's vomit.

Why bring this up, again? As I have said before - http://paul-ihearttennis.blogspot.com/2009/08/superman-had-kryptonite.htmlte.html - and will say again, you have to practice what you are not good at. Your opponent is a problem solver and will quickly discover what you don't do very well. Can you imagine having a weakness driving a car? Uh, yeah I don't brake well and my right turns I always hit the curb and sometimes pedestrians feet if they stand too close. Sounds dumb? It is. And that's not the way to play tennis either, with a glaring weakness or two. Shaq needs to practice freethrows, and you and I need to practice our serve, volleys, overheads, backhands, or anything else that makes us less than we could be on the court.

Fartlek - it's not what you think!

Okay, quiz time. Fartlek is:

a. something embarassing that happens while playing tennis

b. a South American herb found near the Orinoco River known for it's antioxidant and edurance producing properties

c. a type of running; Swedish for "speed play"

Okay, it's C, though I tried to fake you out with B.

Yesterday I spoke to the tennis coach that replaced me and asked her what she had planned for her first week of practice. "Conditioning, running on the track", came her swift reply. I said "great", and I meant it. Later I started thinking about the type of running that is required in tennis. In singles, at the highest levels, there is the need for raw speed, power, and endurance. In doubles, running tends to vary more depending on the level, age and style of your opponents.

Regardless of the type of tennis, we can all agree at any level or game (singles or doubles) that running in tennis is not a regular, static jog. The type of running varies a lot, and thus a type of running or training called fartlek is perfect for tennis.

Here's how it works, at least for me. I find a loop (high school track, pond, around the block, etc.) and I run for 7 - 10 minutes a slow to moderate warm-up, then I begin. I'll pick out something in the distance, maybe a telephone pole and if it's 40 yards away, I might go from my 9 minute mile to a 6 minute pace for that 40 yards. Then I will slow to my 9 minute pace again for 20-30 seconds, find something else in the distance (maybe 200 yards away) to run to and then run at maybe 8:00 pace effort, and so on. I will keep this up for 20-40 minutes, always varying the pace and then a brief warm down and stretching before calling it quits.

Here is a link that probably explains it better: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fartlek

Fartlek training is excellent for tennis because it approximates the way tennis is played - overall aerobic conditioning interspersed with high intensity anaerobic sprinting. Another benefit that this type of running provides it's light years more interesting and enjoyable than the standard same paced running that we usually do. I mean, c'mon, nothing is more boring than running like a gerbil on a treadmil or around a track, that's why God invented MP3 players. However, I can honestly say that for me, fartlek running is (almost) as good as listening to your favorite podcast or band while you run, and the running is more purposeful too - at least for tennis.

Try it, what do you have to lose?

Moving in Singles

About a week ago I was glad my playing partner was about 10 minutes late. It was about 48 degrees, overcast and cold! I used this time to do side to side to side to SIDE steps in an effort to warm up my legs, tendons and ligaments. When it came time to play, I was much more confident in doing my side steps when covering the courts from side to side. Why is this movement important? After hitting a ball from near a sideline, you have to recover through side-steps to the center of the court to cut down on angles that your opponent has.

As you probably know in singles, there isn't as much sprinting side to side to get a ball. And if one does have to turn to run (forward) to the other baseline, it's many times to throw up a lob or some other desperation shot.

So I did my warmup side steps, maybe 2 feet between steps but when I was actually playing, I noticed that many of this side to side steps were more on the order of 6 to 12 inches at a time; more often a sideways stutter step. In a long rally, you might have 10-15 balls to hit, and of that, maybe 8-12 changes of direction. Many of those direction changes take small steps, large steps, microadjustments, etc.

And like practicing your serve, overheads, backhands or more, it makes sense to PRACTICE MOVEMENT on the court. Personally, I can move very fast forward and my stamina is better than average. However, moving side to side in a long rally, I tire quickly. You do not use the same standard muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings) that you use when running forward, that you use when you go side-to-side.

So the next time your partner is late, or hey- here's an idea-- arrive early to do this WORK- yeah, it's not as fun as hitting a ball but if practiced enough, movement drills will ultimately lead to better tennis and more winning, and that is fun.

Practicing Better

Tennis scientists say rubbing your head with your tennis racquet increases tennis knowledge by 4% on average. Try it today!

Who’s winning? Who won? Don’t you just love that question? It is only eclipsed by the question I heard early in the days of the long distance running movement in the late 70’s or early 80’s. It would come from someone you worked with asked you what you did over the weekend.

I ran a 10k.

Did you win?, they would ask excitedly.

Oh yeah, I beat over 6000 other runners, about 50 of who are supported financially and training for the Olympics. I lapped them, beat them all by 10 minutes, thanks for asking.

The other day I am playing with my friend David and from the next court, the question comes “Who’s winning?”

For me to yell back, we both are would require a lengthy explanation so I just say “he is” but the truth of the matter was I really didn’t know. I hadn’t forgotten the score, we don’t keep track.

The David Formula

Here’s what we do. We play 3 games—keeping score each game, alternating serve after each game, but don’t take a break and switch sides until after the third game. Then we just repeat this format all morning or afternoon.

What format allows us to do is several things:

• Work on specific areas (maybe return of serve, serve and volley, a new grip, rushing the net more, etc.) It allows you to practice without fear of failure because you won’t blow a game based on trying your new technique and think now I’m behind, this sucks.! Also, it’s not a formal thing---- hey, I’m going to try all serve and volleys for this game so please return it right to me. Instead it’s something you decide in your head and work at it in your own way, so it feels less like practice, and more like playing, which of course you actually are.
  
• Get in better condition. Playing 3 games consistently is quite a workout! Often one of those 3 games will have multiple deuces or an extended rally. When this happens it will test your conditioning considerably. Imagine that happening in the first game, you have two more full games before you sit.


• It's fun, with less pressure and allows you check your ego at the door since your performance that day is not tied to winning or losing.

Sure, there are times that I am aware I just won (or lost) 3 games in a row, but generally after 90 minutes or two hours of hitting this way, I really don’t know if I won 14 games and lost 10, or won 11 games and lost 19.

I hit with a boy from the high school team about 2 months ago and told him of this format and asked if he wanted to try it. He said, “sure, but I’ll never be able NOT to keep track of the score, I’m just that way.” About thirty minutes into playing, at a changeover he smiled and said, “you know, I really don’t know what the score is.”

The David Formula. Three games + rest (repeat...) = improvement. It’s worked well for us, and it might work well for you too.