Training/Practice system 4 times a week

[Ramjet]

Hi there - I am closer to 4.5 NTRP than 4.0 (rated by two coaches). I am looking to become a strong 4.5 maybe a solid 5.0. In my mid forties, and plan to play 4 times a week for maybe one to two hours each time.

What would you suggest I do in those sessions to most efficiently and effectively improve. I am not talking about an off court fitness program (i have a plan for that), but am looking for an on court program with various hitting partners. For example, one day drills, one day matchplay, one day serve practice. How would you organize that time available? Ideally I'd be looking for opinions from those that have experience with this kind of transition/training, rather than guesswork.

Thanks in advance

 

[heninfan99]

Focus on making your strengths stronger and continue hiding your weaknesses as best as you can. For you I would recommend putting all your efforts into maximizing your serve and forehand.

 

[J011yroger]

Get a coach.

J

 

[MyFearHand]

Hi there - I am closer to 4.5 NTRP than 4.0 (rated by two coaches). I am looking to become a strong 4.5 maybe a solid 5.0. In my mid forties, and plan to play 4 times a week for maybe one to two hours each time.

What would you suggest I do in those sessions to most efficiently and effectively improve. I am not talking about an off court fitness program (i have a plan for that), but am looking for an on court program with various hitting partners. For example, one day drills, one day matchplay, one day serve practice. How would you organize that time available? Ideally I'd be looking for opinions from those that have experience with this kind of transition/training, rather than guesswork.

Thanks in advance

Take a video of three matches you play against 3 different players.

On your service games chart where you hit each serve that landed in, whether the first ball you hit was a forehand or a backhand and whether or not you won the point. In all likelihood you won more points when you hit a forehand first. See which serves gave you the most forehands. On service practice days spend more time practicing these serves.

Do a similar thing on return games, chart where you hit your returns, forehand, backhand or middle and how many times you won the point in each situation and whether or not on the next ball you hit a forehand or backhand. When you practice your returns set up targets in the location that got you the most forehands.

Spend most of your drilling time focusing on serve + 1 and return + 1. On neutral or weak balls after serve try to open up the court by hitting balls that pass the sideline before the baseline.

Spend the rest of your time drilling crosscourt balls and hitting on the run. A great drill for hitting on the run is your opponent stands in one corner, you always hit back to them and they move you around.

 

[Ramjet]

Take a video of three matches you play against 3 different players.

On your service games chart where you hit each serve that landed in, whether the first ball you hit was a forehand or a backhand and whether or not you won the point. In all likelihood you won more points when you hit a forehand first. See which serves gave you the most forehands. On service practice days spend more time practicing these serves.

Do a similar thing on return games, chart where you hit your returns, forehand, backhand or middle and how many times you won the point in each situation and whether or not on the next ball you hit a forehand or backhand. When you practice your returns set up targets in the location that got you the most forehands.

Spend most of your drilling time focusing on serve + 1 and return + 1. On neutral or weak balls after serve try to open up the court by hitting balls that pass the sideline before the baseline.

Spend the rest of your time drilling crosscourt balls and hitting on the run. A great drill for hitting on the run is your opponent stands in one corner, you always hit back to them and they move you around.

Very thorough and thoughtful. Much appreciated

 

[MyFearHand]

Very thorough and thoughtful. Much appreciated

Charting those 3 matches will be annoying and time consuming, but if you do it once, twice a year at max then you'll know what patterns are the strongest for you. It takes a little bit of time but you don't have to do it very frequently, I think it's well worth the time.

 

[Ramjet]

I also like the idea of spending most time practicing serve plus one and return plus one. Makes total sense because that's what determines how well you start every rally, which affects how many rallies you win. And then try to create patterns which play to your strengths.
Funnily enough it's the opposite of what I do now. I mostly hit, or play live points without serves.

I'm trying to find a good coach who can dedicate time to do the above. A lot of hitting partners I play with now just want to play rather than practice.

 

[J011yroger]

I also like the idea of spending most time practicing serve plus one and return plus one. Makes total sense because that's what determines how well you start every rally, which affects how many rallies you win. And then try to create patterns which play to your strengths.
Funnily enough it's the opposite of what I do now. I mostly hit, or play live points without serves.

I'm trying to find a good coach who can dedicate time to do the above. A lot of hitting partners I play with now just want to play rather than practice.

If nothing else instead of a feed start with a second serve.

J

 

[MyFearHand]

I also like the idea of spending most time practicing serve plus one and return plus one. Makes total sense because that's what determines how well you start every rally, which affects how many rallies you win. And then try to create patterns which play to your strengths.
Funnily enough it's the opposite of what I do now. I mostly hit, or play live points without serves.

I'm trying to find a good coach who can dedicate time to do the above. A lot of hitting partners I play with now just want to play rather than practice.

I have the same issue. I even know a few people who genuinely want to improve who insist we mostly play matches. I just force myself to not care about winning and focus on whatever I need to improve, but match play is not the best environment to do this in. It's possible, but I'd rather not be trying to fight my desire to win the whole time. I don't have the luxury of hiring a coach right now (grad school) so I make do with what I have.

 

[pencilcheck]

Hi there - I am closer to 4.5 NTRP than 4.0 (rated by two coaches). I am looking to become a strong 4.5 maybe a solid 5.0. In my mid forties, and plan to play 4 times a week for maybe one to two hours each time.

What would you suggest I do in those sessions to most efficiently and effectively improve. I am not talking about an off court fitness program (i have a plan for that), but am looking for an on court program with various hitting partners. For example, one day drills, one day matchplay, one day serve practice. How would you organize that time available? Ideally I'd be looking for opinions from those that have experience with this kind of transition/training, rather than guesswork.

Thanks in advance

you definitely need a strong hitting partner. coach might help but having experience under the belt is more important if you are confident in your fundamentals. e.g strong service game etc.

 

[Friedman Whip]

Getting to 5.0 at your age would be a very difficult proposition. According to the NTRP General Characteristics chart someone age 41-50 rated 5.0 would be a former Div I player who played at a school team that was ranked in the top 75.
If I were in your position the first thing I would probably do would be to schedule an evaluation lesson with a bona fide coach (i.e. a pro who has Div I playing experience and several years coaching experience) and get him to assess your game to determine if you have solid technique on every one of your strokes. If you have some deficient technique on some strokes it seems you'd be better off to fix these before setting out on your very ambitious quest.