How do you know when you've peaked, and what do you do about it?

[Cindysphinx]

I was picking lint out of my navel today, wondering about where all of this is going. As a relative newbie to tennis (first touched a racket in fall 2004), it has been a really fun ride in part because the learning curve is so steep in the beginning. Even after 3.5 years, I feel like I get a shiny new toy every couple of months. The latest, to pick an example, is the BH up the line, a shot I couldn't do at all back in December when I *desperately* needed it. But here we are in February and now I can do it.

At some point, I would imagine, the shiny toys are going to stop coming. I'm going to peak (assuming I haven't already).

Has anyone experienced this? You know, where you've gone as far as you're going with your tennis, where you can't get better and may actually start to get worse? Where no amount of practice or conditioning seems to help, or you are doing as much as your body will allow?

How long did it take to get to this point? What did you do about it? Are you OK with it?

Cindy -- feeling pretty confident that 3.5 is her limit and deciding that's OK

[raiden031]

I feel like as long as you are conciously aware of things that you can improve and motivated to improve them, then you have no choice but to get better. The only limitation I see here is if you are a high level player and your physical fitness starts to decline, but there's a guy at my club thats around 80 and is a strong 3.5 to 4.0 and can't move but he places the ball well and is consistent enough to beat alot of people.

[user92626]

I have been wondering about the "peak" issue myself but from a different angle.

There's this group I play in and we play against each other incessantly, and what I fear is starting to rear its ugly face, which everyone eventually becomes equal and there's no where to go, no new things to learn. Oh well...

[WBF]

Unless you hit a physical barrier, any peaking is most likely due to lack of training or help.

Do you play with enough people that are better than you? Do you have a solid coach? I know many, many coaches who simply aren't good, and might not help your game as much.

[swimntennis]

At the 3.5 level, there's still a lot of room to improve and if you diligently work on your tennis, I can't imagine that you'll permanently plateau.

[shell]

I was just thinking about this very subject this past weekend!! Why?

Well today I scheduled my appointment with an ortho sports medicine specialist for my 1 year chronic sore shoulder that has been getting worse the last few months. At first I thought just out of shape and sore, but no, something is wrong.

This lead to the inevitable thought process of how much longer can I play this style of game. I was wondering if I don't need to change to a more realistic style for my age, aches and pains. I'm just not fit enough, nor consistent enough any more to be trying to play like I did when I was 20. In other words, maybe I have peaked.

Don't know Cindy. I guess even playing different than you used to, you can still improve and adapt. I sure hope so! Maybe I'll become the human backboard and destroy all my opponents with my new, never miss a shot game! I'll just wave at the net like a long lost friend who I used to have alot of fun with

Or maybe Doc will say rest a week and get back out there

[drakulie]

Start playing with people above your level if you feel you have peaked.

This way, you get to start that *ride* all over again.

Good luck.

[boilerfan]

I always thought that this is one of the great things about tennis. It is an individual sport, so you can always challenge yourself. Like others have mentioned, the only things that limits your improvement is if you have any physical limitations from getting older or a permanent injury. In tennis, you can always get better at some shot, or more consistent. If you are a baseliner, spend time trying to improve your volleys to help your doubles game.

Tennis has an unlimited number of types of shots and strategies, so you should always have something to work on. I have many friends that are 4.5's and 5.0's that routinely go out and get lessons and try to improve on some aspect of their game. Just remember to keep having fun with the game and it will be something you enjoy for many years.

[fe6250]

Assuming that you continue to take lessons, drill, and put the time into the game, I believe that there will continue to be things to learn and develop as long as you keep playing and working at it. In that case peaking will more likely be defined by when the new things you learn (experience / technique) begin to only counteract a decline in physical ability (strength, speed, reflex) vs. moving your game ahead.

Based on what I see in my area, someone with reasonable athletic ability who puts the time into it should be able to get to a 4.0 level at some point, even starting as an adult. The 4.5s in this area (this may be different in other places) and above are almost exclusively high-end athletes - most of whom played small college or higher tennis. The effort to play at this level is also very time-consuming and requires even more athletic ability.

[HowardH]

Start taking some one on one professional lessons and you'll realize just how much you don't know or can't perform yet! You may peak learning on your own but there comes a time when have to take pro lessons to improve past a certain point.

Just when I thought I was getting pretty good I started taking more one on one lessons and realized I don't know squat.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I was picking lint out of my navel today, that's

Cindy, stop titillating us with suggestive descriptions of your body.

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Cindy, stop titillating us with suggestive descriptions of your body.

OK, fine. I will post pictures instead.

[JavierLW]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

I was picking lint out of my navel today, wondering about where all of this is going. As a relative newbie to tennis (first touched a racket in fall 2004), it has been a really fun ride in part because the learning curve is so steep in the beginning. Even after 3.5 years, I feel like I get a shiny new toy every couple of months. The latest, to pick an example, is the BH up the line, a shot I couldn't do at all back in December when I *desperately* needed it. But here we are in February and now I can do it.

At some point, I would imagine, the shiny toys are going to stop coming. I'm going to peak (assuming I haven't already).

Has anyone experienced this? You know, where you've gone as far as you're going with your tennis, where you can't get better and may actually start to get worse? Where no amount of practice or conditioning seems to help, or you are doing as much as your body will allow?

How long did it take to get to this point? What did you do about it? Are you OK with it?

Cindy -- feeling pretty confident that 3.5 is her limit and deciding that's OK

I dont know about changing levels, but even if you dont advance beyond 3.5, I dont believe that anyone has necessarily peaked.

There is a guy on my team that is 66 years old and has been playing tennis forever. He's probally one of the most valuable doubles players on my team despite some quirks in his game from being 66 years old.

Last year he took a drill with us, and I could tell that he was even better this last summer.

So unless someone dies, I doubt they should ever thing that they've peaked. Especially in doubles where experience and court coverage (and doing a lot of things that have nothing to do with how you hit the ball necessarily) are a big part of the game.

[Cindysphinx]

Seriously, what sustains you once you're not getting new toys on a regular basis?

It probably sounds like a stupid question. But no one can win all the time, so winning can't be it.

Is it just the once in while when you hit some amazing shot that you usually don't make? Or when you think yourself out of a tight spot? Or something else?

I dunno. 3.5 seems to be the level where a lot of people peak, especially if they are over 40. Being over 40 means injuries become your most difficult opponent.

[10ispro]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Seriously, what sustains you once you're not getting new toys on a regular basis?

It probably sounds like a stupid question. But no one can win all the time, so winning can't be it.

Is it just the once in while when you hit some amazing shot that you usually don't make? Or when you think yourself out of a tight spot? Or something else?

I dunno. 3.5 seems to be the level where a lot of people peak, especially if they are over 40. Being over 40 means injuries become your most difficult opponent.

Once you have all the "toys" or technique, the rest is about goal setting.
Perhaps the questions you are needing to ask yourself is, what are my goals?
You can break down the goals to be as specific as possible to push yourself more.
so you obviously have some tactical goals-hit the ball down the line
I know you have technique goals--master topspin forehand etc...
what about physical goals?
Mental goals? Emotional goals?

All of my lessons with competitive players focus on goal setting--what do they want to achieve during the course of a particular point, during the match, during a lesson--in the next 6 months, year etc...

Can you execute a plan from start to finish regardless of what your opponent does? like serve out wide, hit to open court, finish to open court with a volley or overhead? Or is your play still being primarily dictated by what you are given?

So there are so many levels to which you can focus, that peaking at the level you are asking is rare when approached correctly.
everyone goes through peaks and valleys. Its the course of nature, life and learning. as you said the learning curve is steep, once u have some control over something, youll go through a small valley then peak where you have actual mastery over it, then a valley etc...

but as someone else said--whenever you think Youve peaked-go play someone better than you--then youll find lots of areas to work on--or youll quit. either way, you get your answer

[Crusher10s]

Here's my secret if you're interested. Once I pretty much mastered the different shots it became a real thrill to figure out when to use each shot. I get a sort of 'runner's high' when I'm in a match with either someone of my level or above because for me it's kind of like a game of cat and mouse. I get an adrenaline rush when my opponent and I are trading shots back and forth and it's fast paced and crazy. I think most people think it gets boring once they've mastered the various shots but I think that's when the focus turns to the mental side of the game. I don't think people realize what a chess game a tennis match truly can be. Oh and when I get sore or injured I take extra care of myself so I can continue on. When I was younger I used to skip the ice and rest, etc. but I don't do that anymore; can't afford to.

When the novelty of those "toys" wears off, then a whole new novelty can begin anew.

Oh and I sure hope that's not a pic of your belly, LOL

[Venetian]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

Seriously, what sustains you once you're not getting new toys on a regular basis?

It probably sounds like a stupid question. But no one can win all the time, so winning can't be it.

Is it just the once in while when you hit some amazing shot that you usually don't make? Or when you think yourself out of a tight spot? Or something else?

I dunno. 3.5 seems to be the level where a lot of people peak, especially if they are over 40. Being over 40 means injuries become your most difficult opponent.

Don't let yourself think that you've peaked at 3.5. If you want to get to 4.0 set that goal and go for it. What if it took 10 years but you still eventually got there? I'm sure there would be points in those 10 years that you wanted to quit, but boy would it be worth it when you finally got there.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

OK, fine. I will post pictures instead.

That ain't a female belly.

[shell]

Originally Posted by sureshs

That ain't a female belly.

Quit talking bad about Cindy!

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by shell

Quit talking bad about Cindy!

Why is the picture taken from flickr.com then? Does she post her tummy pics there? If so, why?