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December 1999 Article Wild Cards Archives:
Tennis Server
Top Pros (Women)
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by Alton Skinner
Junior players should treat their bodies like an athlete treats their body. Playing
tennis for a bit of fresh
air is fun, but for serious players, it can be draining due to the mental
focus, skill, and
conditioning required to ensure victory at each point. Training for tennis
tournaments is not
easy either. It is grueling and mind numbing. At the highest levels tennis
forces you to train
like an elite athlete, pushing your threshold of both physical and mental
fatigue.
While it is not yet the norm for tennis players to follow a specialized training
program, it
will become so. It is inevitable since it is part of the quest to become
number one in most
sports. I feel the best time to begin to introduce this concept of training
for tennis is at the
junior level. By introducing this new generation to conditioning
for tennis, we
will see the development of stronger, faster, more
injury resistant,
and healthier tennis players than ever before. Not only at the junior level but over the
course of their
lifetime.
If, however, you're still unsure of a technique, call or e-mail me. I have a
responsibility to my
readers and I intend to meet it. My phone number is listed at the end of this column and I
answer my own phone. If you want clarification, ask me. If I think you need
more
extensive consulting assistance, I'll tell you. Fair enough?
As a tennis player you have not had access to the powerful training techniques
used for
years by football, baseball, basketball, track and field and all the other
major and Olympic
sports to enhance performance. As a result you are
not getting the
most out of your abilities. The same principles of training that help Michael
Jordan excel at
basketball or help Mark Maguire hit 70 home runs will boost your performance
on and off
the court. You can experience harder serves consistently, you can play
better in the heat, you will find you energy level remains consistently high
thoroughout a tournament. You can play better and better
every day, every
week, and every year. You can develop the type of habits that will
improve you chance
of success at the junior, collegiate, and the professional ranks. These
same habits of
planning and action will help you become more successful in adulthood.
Any training program should apply the five basic laws of training to
ensure
improvement and keeping athletes free of injury. This is especially important
for the young
player.
Abdominal Muscles. Your abdominal and back muscles surround the core of
the
body with a tight and powerful support structure of muscle bundles running in
different
directions. Since many players have weak abdominals relative to their back,
general and
specific abdominal training is needed.
Back Muscles. Your back muscles, including the deep back muscles of the
vertebral column, are responsible for many movements such as back extension,
extending
and rotating the trunk. Your trunk acts as the transmitter and supporter of
most arm and
leg actions.
The Iliopsoas. The iliopsoas is an essential muscle for hip flexion and
running. It
is not a large muscle, it is the most powerful hip flexor, responsible for
swinging the legs
forward. Tennis requires a well developed iliopsoas.
By following the techniques in this article, you will succeed, like the
thousands of
others using them, in becoming the best athlete you can.
To be sure, there are costs involved in this process. It takes time and
dedication to
stretch each day, to consume a proper diet, to lifts weight to increase your
power and
reduce the risk of injury. But in the final analysis, there is nothing so
potent
realizing your full potential in order to carry yourself like a champion athlete, and to
feel the power
and strength of your body and your mind. It will all be worth it if it allows you someday to stand there holding a
championship trophy
or sign a letter of intent to a major college as your friends and family
watch you proudly
and praise your for doing your best. Let's get started!
If you are a weekend tennis player, a competitive amateur, or professional player, Alton Skinner, a Raleigh, North Carolina athletic performance and nutrition specialist, can help you create a conditioning and nutrition program that adds endurance, reduces painful injuries, and reshapes your body so you can win more tournaments and play your best tennis all the time. Work with him directly or follow the guidelines in a personalized Tournament Player's Performance Plan, a complete plan designed just for you based on your playing schedule and current body condition, to maximize your performance when it matters most to you. More information is available by calling 919-501-5677. Mention that you read this article at www.tennisserver.com and receive a FREE year's subscription to Alton's quarterly conditioning and nutrition guide, Accelerated Golf and Tennis, a $40 value. If you wish to provide a comment to the author of this Wild Cards column, please use this form. Tennis Server will forward the comment to the author.
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This column is copyrighted by the author, all rights reserved.
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