May 2005
May 2005
It’s a scenario every player can relate to: you lose during the early rounds of the tournament and you now have 5-7 days before your next event starts. You and your coach are feeling frustrated that all that hard work and hours on court are not paying dividends. So what to do? Many times players and their coaches go straight back to the practice court and spend even more hours training and hitting balls. Is this the best solution to turning around the athlete’s success on court? Many times, the answer is NO! There are many variations that must be considered in this situation. These need to be discussed between coach and athlete, to determine the best course of action. Smart practice strategies help you and your coach reap the rewards you deserve. Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
Listen to Yourself What do you need? What do you (not your coach, parents or agent) really desire and require? Life on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is filled with pressures both on and off the court. Your ability to read yourself, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually is the key to success. Treat yourself as a whole person not just as a tennis player. This holistic approach will help you reach your goals. What does this mean to you as the athlete? It means that when you experience a bad loss or things are tough on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, do not be afraid to review your training options. Your body and mind may be trying to send you a message. There are alternatives to flogging yourself on the practice court, which is likely to cause you more damage than good.
Motor Patterns Don’t Disappear! At the Tour level you have hit millions of balls in your life to reach this point. Your motor patterns of tennis performance (the anticipation, activity and wiring of your muscles and nervous system that allows you to automatically and skillfully hit the ball) are firmly entrenched. You have hit so many balls a certain way, you would have to double that number to make a major technical change. Similarly, your body does not forget how to hit the ball after a day or a week of not hitting balls! Consider that when you are tired: Mentally you are flat so you are not reacting to the ball as quickly. This causes the feeling that you are struggling on court with your strokes. Physically you are not moving and reacting quickly enough to gain good position to effectively hit the ball. You feel slow and sluggish on court. Emotionally you are drained so your nervous system is slow to respond. You feel very jaded and unable to anticipate or concentrate well on court. A smart player treats herself and her body with respect
Photo: Getty Images
These aspects will not improve by spending more hours on court hitting balls! Consider your individual requirements for work, rest and play in every training decision you and your coach make regarding your yearly tournament schedule and weekly practice activities. The choices you make daily will determine if you reach your goals and have a happy, long career. Champions oversee their programs and make educated choices about how and when they train.
Variety and Recovery Variety will keep your body and mind balanced. Experience another sport and cross train for fun and performance benefits. It will keep your body active and stimulate your nervous system like never before. Try swimming, bike riding, in-line-skating and team activities like soccer. Recovery is critical for you as an athlete. Include regular massage, hot and cold hydrotherapies and stretching every day. Other active experiences such as cross training or mind-body activities like Yoga and Tai Chi may also assist your body, mind and soul to recover faster. Perhaps most important is that these experiences take you away from the environment that is causing you stress- the tennis court. Your body and mind will love you for it and you will be refreshed and eager to get back out on court when the time is right. Balance your On-Court Training The court is your work place and you need to spend time there to be effective on match days. On-court practice sessions are important to maintain and develop “your game”: to understand the way you need to play to win and how you maximize your strengths and address your weaknesses appropriately for the level at which you are competing. It is critically important to ensure that your time on-court is effective and efficient. Include these aspects into your on-court training program to keep your mind and body stimulated: Variety of practice partners. Different players will stimulate and challenge you with their distinctive ways with styles. Sessions that involve drills and activities aimed at building your confidence and selfbelief. Target your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Mental training on-court is a major part of success for a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour player. Point and Match play to continue to hone the aspects of your game that you aim to develop and improve. Doubles practice allows you to share your enjoyment of the practice challenges with Photo: WTA Tour a partner and to focus on serving and returning for singles. Practice after Matches- Is it Necessary? Many coaches encourage their players to hit more after a match, especially after a loss. You can be physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted after a match, especially if you lose. Right after a match is usually not the most appropriate time or mindset in which to learn, to make changes or address an issue in your game. Wait for 24 hours so that you are more ready to understand and appreciate feedback. This also gives both you and your coach time to reflect on what needs to be improved. Sometimes athletes and coaches mistake skills for confidence or visa versa. If it is confidence in an area you lack, it may only take a short, properly structured time on court (20 minutes) to have you feeling great again about a certain stroke or situation. A short confidence boosting session can be very useful after a win when you will be competing again the next day. Communicate with your coach about when is the most effective time for you to practice. Effective learning and practice occurs in many ways. Use mental training, such as visual and verbal feedback using match tapes, diagrams and conversations and visualization techniques.
Photo: Getty Images
You, the athlete, have the final responsibility to look after yourself. Make smart and educated choices about how you are feeling and modify your training and practice schedule accordingly. When you train, remember to engage your brain! QUESTIONS? Need more information? Contact a member of the WTA Tour Sport Sciences and Medicine/Professional Development Departments and check the Athlete Assistance website http://www.achievesolutions.net/wta/
Copyright 2005 by WTA Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Content provided by Craig Morris Manager, Coach Education Tennis Australia
It’s a scenario every player can relate to: you lose during the early rounds of the tournament and you now have 5-7 days before your next event starts. You and your coach are feeling frustrated that all that hard work and hours on court are not paying dividends. So what to do? Many times players and their coaches go straight back to the practice court and spend even more hours training and hitting balls. Is this the best solution to turning around the athlete’s success on court? Many times, the answer is NO! There are many variations that must be considered in this situation. These need to be discussed between coach and athlete, to determine the best course of action. Smart practice strategies help you and your coach reap the rewards you deserve. Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
Listen to Yourself What do you need? What do you (not your coach, parents or agent) really desire and require? Life on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is filled with pressures both on and off the court. Your ability to read yourself, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually is the key to success. Treat yourself as a whole person not just as a tennis player. This holistic approach will help you reach your goals. What does this mean to you as the athlete? It means that when you experience a bad loss or things are tough on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, do not be afraid to review your training options. Your body and mind may be trying to send you a message. There are alternatives to flogging yourself on the practice court, which is likely to cause you more damage than good.
Motor Patterns Don’t Disappear! At the Tour level you have hit millions of balls in your life to reach this point. Your motor patterns of tennis performance (the anticipation, activity and wiring of your muscles and nervous system that allows you to automatically and skillfully hit the ball) are firmly entrenched. You have hit so many balls a certain way, you would have to double that number to make a major technical change. Similarly, your body does not forget how to hit the ball after a day or a week of not hitting balls! Consider that when you are tired: Mentally you are flat so you are not reacting to the ball as quickly. This causes the feeling that you are struggling on court with your strokes. Physically you are not moving and reacting quickly enough to gain good position to effectively hit the ball. You feel slow and sluggish on court. Emotionally you are drained so your nervous system is slow to respond. You feel very jaded and unable to anticipate or concentrate well on court. A smart player treats herself and her body with respect
Photo: Getty Images
These aspects will not improve by spending more hours on court hitting balls! Consider your individual requirements for work, rest and play in every training decision you and your coach make regarding your yearly tournament schedule and weekly practice activities. The choices you make daily will determine if you reach your goals and have a happy, long career. Champions oversee their programs and make educated choices about how and when they train.
Variety and Recovery Variety will keep your body and mind balanced. Experience another sport and cross train for fun and performance benefits. It will keep your body active and stimulate your nervous system like never before. Try swimming, bike riding, in-line-skating and team activities like soccer. Recovery is critical for you as an athlete. Include regular massage, hot and cold hydrotherapies and stretching every day. Other active experiences such as cross training or mind-body activities like Yoga and Tai Chi may also assist your body, mind and soul to recover faster. Perhaps most important is that these experiences take you away from the environment that is causing you stress- the tennis court. Your body and mind will love you for it and you will be refreshed and eager to get back out on court when the time is right. Balance your On-Court Training The court is your work place and you need to spend time there to be effective on match days. On-court practice sessions are important to maintain and develop “your game”: to understand the way you need to play to win and how you maximize your strengths and address your weaknesses appropriately for the level at which you are competing. It is critically important to ensure that your time on-court is effective and efficient. Include these aspects into your on-court training program to keep your mind and body stimulated: Variety of practice partners. Different players will stimulate and challenge you with their distinctive ways with styles. Sessions that involve drills and activities aimed at building your confidence and selfbelief. Target your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Mental training on-court is a major part of success for a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour player. Point and Match play to continue to hone the aspects of your game that you aim to develop and improve. Doubles practice allows you to share your enjoyment of the practice challenges with Photo: WTA Tour a partner and to focus on serving and returning for singles. Practice after Matches- Is it Necessary? Many coaches encourage their players to hit more after a match, especially after a loss. You can be physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted after a match, especially if you lose. Right after a match is usually not the most appropriate time or mindset in which to learn, to make changes or address an issue in your game. Wait for 24 hours so that you are more ready to understand and appreciate feedback. This also gives both you and your coach time to reflect on what needs to be improved. Sometimes athletes and coaches mistake skills for confidence or visa versa. If it is confidence in an area you lack, it may only take a short, properly structured time on court (20 minutes) to have you feeling great again about a certain stroke or situation. A short confidence boosting session can be very useful after a win when you will be competing again the next day. Communicate with your coach about when is the most effective time for you to practice. Effective learning and practice occurs in many ways. Use mental training, such as visual and verbal feedback using match tapes, diagrams and conversations and visualization techniques.
Photo: Getty Images
You, the athlete, have the final responsibility to look after yourself. Make smart and educated choices about how you are feeling and modify your training and practice schedule accordingly. When you train, remember to engage your brain! QUESTIONS? Need more information? Contact a member of the WTA Tour Sport Sciences and Medicine/Professional Development Departments and check the Athlete Assistance website http://www.achievesolutions.net/wta/
Copyright 2005 by WTA Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Content provided by Craig Morris Manager, Coach Education Tennis Australia
