how often to train?

[sn1974]

hi there, i'm new here and have a question i hope you folks can answer. i've been stalking this board for a while and it's been a great resource for me. so thanks. :-)

what is the optimum amount of training for someone who enjoys the sport and just wants to improve her game?

right now i live overseas, in a sunny country where court time and good instructors are not expensive. i started playing tennis in earnest about 18 months ago and have been using the same instructor since then. we usually meet twice a week for two hours at a time, and i play an hour or two in addition to that.

my instructor is form obsessed and constantly pushes me to play better and i feel like i've improved *dramatically* since i started. part of me says i should take advantage of this lucky living situation and take lessons 5 times a week. aside from generally being totally exhausted afterwards i can't think of any downside. does that sound like a good idea or a stupid one?

[Mahboob Khan]

-- Take lessons 3 times a week
-- Play with other players 2-3 times a week
-- 7th day rest.

You may also alternate running and gym conditioning 3 times a week.

You have not listed your age, but if your age is more than 14 years, you can train 4-5 hours per day (this includes tennis and conditioning).

When you run for endurance, it should not be more than 30 minutes.

Once you develop a good endurance base, then you may like to do intervals in which running and spritning are combined.

Your oveall goal should be:

-- Sound technique
-- Sound tactics
-- Good endurance
-- Good speed
-- Good strength (power).

[sn1974]

-- Take lessons 3 times a week
-- Play with other players 2-3 times a week
-- 7th day rest.

You may also alternate running and gym conditioning 3 times a week.

You have not listed your age, but if your age is more than 14 years, you can train 4-5 hours per day (this includes tennis and conditioning).

When you run for endurance, it should not be more than 30 minutes.

Once you develop a good endurance base, then you may like to do intervals in which running and spritning are combined.

Your oveall goal should be:

-- Sound technique
-- Sound tactics
-- Good endurance
-- Good speed
-- Good strength (power).

oh thanks for that! i'm definitely over 14 so i guess i can train for hours.

you mentioned that when i run for endurance it shouldn't be fore more than 30 minutes. i like to run (totally separate from tennis) slightly longer distances, is that inconsistent with tennis?

[Chauvalito]

oh thanks for that! i'm definitely over 14 so i guess i can train for hours.

you mentioned that when i run for endurance it shouldn't be fore more than 30 minutes. i like to run (totally separate from tennis) slightly longer distances, is that inconsistent with tennis?

Developing a good cardiovascular base is a good thing, if you can throw in some sprints and short distance drills to work on quickening your first step.

[rosewall4ever]

Reading up on Laver, when he was young he would train everyday before school from 6-8:30 before school and a hour or so after...And when he was older would play during his lunch breaks...burning out is all in the mind :)

also going to the gym or off court training is equally important

[Mahboob Khan]

Developing a good cardiovascular base is a good thing, if you can throw in some sprints and short distance drills to work on quickening your first step.

Yes. If you spend too much time (more than 30 minutes) on running for endurance, you may not have enough time for other things. Plus, too much endurance running without sprints, may actually make you slower on your feet. So it is better to follow interval training wherein you mix sprints with running. If and when you add sprints with running then 30 minutes should be more than enough considering the fact that on the day you are running for endurance you may also have 2-3 hours of tennis practices that may include running drills. The idea is that you should have enough hunger and time to train all the layers of tennis development.

[FedererISBetter]

oh thanks for that! i'm definitely over 14 so i guess i can train for hours.

you mentioned that when i run for endurance it shouldn't be fore more than 30 minutes. i like to run (totally separate from tennis) slightly longer distances, is that inconsistent with tennis?

Hmm, I say for beginners... the MOST important thing is to learn the tennis techniques correctly or else.... bad habits leads to fustration in correcting them later on... so this should be a motivation to work extra hard to work on those techniques.
Fitness... I assume youre in shape already as you say you can train for hours and you run for recreational purposes.... so .. not trying to diss what others stated but fitness will optimize your techniques... but never increase the magnitude of it.
I play compeitive tennis and the MOST ever I train is five miles... almost under 30 mins lol just for cardio. Just think about your tennis movements... running is forward and if you choose... backwards also. But tennis has angles that goes back and forth : ) It is not inconsistent at all with tennis... some tennis matches goes for hours... fatique usually leads to lost of concentration--> lazy techniques : )

[sn1974]

Hmm, I say for beginners... the MOST important thing is to learn the tennis techniques correctly or else.... bad habits leads to fustration in correcting them later on... so this should be a motivation to work extra hard to work on those techniques.
Fitness... I assume youre in shape already as you say you can train for hours and you run for recreational purposes.... so .. not trying to diss what others stated but fitness will optimize your techniques... but never increase the magnitude of it.
I play compeitive tennis and the MOST ever I train is five miles... almost under 30 mins lol just for cardio. Just think about your tennis movements... running is forward and if you choose... backwards also. But tennis has angles that goes back and forth : ) It is not inconsistent at all with tennis... some tennis matches goes for hours... fatique usually leads to lost of concentration--> lazy techniques : )

five miles would be the LEAST i'd run but i know it isn't helping me get any faster on the court even if my endurance is pretty good. obviously i am not pursuing a professional career in tennis, i just want to continue to improve, and in my mind, speed and form go hand in hand. if i can't get in position fast enough, i'll compensate with crappy form. this is always the problem, right?

anyway, thanks to Ano's wonderful posts i just started adding some HIIT, too, hopefully that will help.

[sn1974]

the MOST ever I train is five miles... almost under 30 mins lol just for cardio.

btw, if you are running 5 miles in under 30 minutes casually, you might want to consider switching sports.