Taking the winter off...

Hewex · Sep 25, 2011

I know Steve Tignor has written about taking the winter off and making tennis an outdoor seasonal game for himself. Many of us grew up doing just that, as park district, city bound kids with blue collar parents. How many of you gear your tennis way down in the winter, either because of burn out or lack of indoor tennis access?

I've been a 3 times a week player since I came back to tennis 3 years ago. I bet I haven't missed more than 1 week since then. So, I'm a bit fried, a bit injured and a bit frustrated. My winter plan is to play no more than once every 3 weeks...I'll spend more time running and working out than I normally do, plus other things that interest me.

I'm interested in what the rest of you do in the winter, in cold areas or warm ones.

zapvor · Sep 25, 2011

yea in winter my down time goes up. i still hit just not as much since indoor courts dont come cheap

FedererBestTennis · Sep 25, 2011

zapvor said:
yea in winter my down time goes up. i still hit just not as much since indoor courts dont come cheap

Which club are you at Zapvor?

zapvor · Sep 25, 2011

FedererBestTennis said:
Which club are you at Zapvor?

i am not going to divulge that here on tt lol

Caesar · Sep 25, 2011

I probably play less tennis in summer than winter because sailing takes up my whole weekend in summer. In winter I play rugby on Saturday but also singles on Sunday.

Tennis is one of those sports that fits around everything else for me. Between 3 local clubs here there are 4 different weeknight competitions plus Saturdays and Sundays, all year round. It's easy to just chop and change depending on what suits.

zapvor · Sep 25, 2011

sailing is awesome. i wish i knew how to do it

Caesar · Sep 25, 2011

It's pretty easy. Cheap too, if you don't own a boat. I sail small skiffs, but if you go down to a big yacht club on a Saturday in summer you'll find a bunch of skippers who are short-handed. Most of them are happy to show you the ropes in exchange for having an extra crewmember aboard.

zapvor · Sep 25, 2011

haha not for me. when i go out on my friends boat he does all the work i sit back and enjoy

Bergboy123 · Sep 25, 2011

During the winter? I get out my sweat pants and warmup jackets and keep playing.

dParis · Sep 25, 2011

What's the matter, Hewex? Did you get bounced recently?

zapvor said:
haha not for me. when i go out on my friends boat he does all the work i sit back and enjoy

The work makes it so much more fun. Sailing is so interactive and the grace of movement using only the wind can't be matched by motorboats. I'll take sailing any day (that there's a decent breeze) over the props.

zapvor · Sep 25, 2011

dParis said:
What's the matter, Hewex? Did you get bounced recently?

The work makes it so much more fun. Sailing is so interactive and the grace of movement using only the wind can't be matched by motorboats. I'll take sailing any day (that there's a decent breeze) over the props.

totally agree. i love sailboats over motors. only issue is i have no idea what i am doing so i let my friend do the work. he started to teach me but i didnt really pick it up

Ben Hadd · Sep 26, 2011

I spend my time on the slopes in the winter.

Hewex · Sep 26, 2011

dParis said:
What's the matter, Hewex? Did you get bounced recently?

The work makes it so much more fun. Sailing is so interactive and the grace of movement using only the wind can't be matched by motorboats. I'll take sailing any day (that there's a decent breeze) over the props.

Not really, I've been playing ok I guess. Part of this my TE and the rest is being just a bit fried. I'm going to let my elbow heal and enjoy a bit of a break.

Do you play all winter or gear down a bit?

thug the bunny · Sep 26, 2011

I put on layers and play through the winter as weather allows..luckily at the shore the winters tend to be a little more temperate than elswhere at this lattitude. My softer flexier sticks see most of the action in the cold..

LeeD · Sep 26, 2011

I normally do the opposite...play tennis from Oct thru March, then windsurf from April thru Sept. I think I have hit less than 6 days since June.
Summer's, I windsurf. It's windy here in Berkeley.
I used to deliver sailboats from SantaCruz to BodegaBay for a company in Marin, so don't need to sail on boats, but I do teach sailing some winter's when I'm bored at the CalSailingClub where I'm a lifetime member and instructor for boat sailing and windsurfing. Of course, I also used to teach sailing at CalAdventures for the UCBerkeley facility.
Too much tennis can burn most people out, so it's a mental game.
Looking foreward to some surfing and snowboarding coming up, but just bought a new road bike.

skiracer55 · Sep 26, 2011

I play through the winter...

...outdoors, which you can do here in Colorado...just not as much. My winter sport is Masters Alpine ski racing, and that keeps me busy most of the time. I play a ton in the summer...2 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week, tournaments, I coach some, etc. So if I'm a little light in the winter, that's fine...I come back refreshed in the spring to get back into playing full time...

SeriousSummer · Sep 26, 2011

Here in Texas, the weather is usually better for playing in winter than summer. In the summer I do pretty well to play once or twice per week, early in the morning.

In winter it's more like two or three times per week, because I can play in the afternoons.

(I usually only play outdoors).

Larrysümmers · Sep 26, 2011

winter is my time to hit the gym, and to watch and study tennis on tv.

a lot of people on here dont like the commentators on tv, but they talk a lot about tactics, and that stuff comes is good to remember.

maggmaster · Sep 26, 2011

I play all winter. For the last 18 months it has been every day for at least an hour on the ball machine, most days 2 hours with a partner. I am obsessive and I really enjoy training for things so I won't really burn out.

max pl · Sep 26, 2011

ive only ever played spring through summer, but this year i've gotten much more into tennis and intend to play 2 or 3 times a week at the club during the winter.

the cheapest indoor rate here is $30 an hour which isnt too bad. thats without a membership and only if i book same day.
if i can get two or three hours of play a week during the winter i'll be happy.

TheBoom · Sep 26, 2011

When i lived in oregon i would play as much as i could which is only about 1 a week beause of the rain and short days but here in texas i imagine i'll play 3-4 times a week

bloodonthetracks · Sep 26, 2011

i play to play as much as i can. although it rains alot in vancouver so i need to find some good indoor courts here.

Andreas1965 · Sep 26, 2011

If we have a summer in Germany, I play 4 or 5 days a week. But most of the time it rains, so I have to be satisfied when I can play twice a week.

In winter I play twice/week. Pretty expensive (about 25$ per hour), but I gotta do it. I' m the kind of player that needs to hit frequently, otherwise I fall back too much.

---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=26.132379,-80.105632

dParis · Sep 26, 2011

Hewex said:
Not really, I've been playing ok I guess. Part of this my TE and the rest is being just a bit fried. I'm going to let my elbow heal and enjoy a bit of a break.

Do you play all winter or gear down a bit?

Have friends who where members in Wheaton and played under the bubble a lot during the last two winters (love the Claytec), but they are no longer members and austerity measures in The People's Republic of dParis will probably keep me from much winter ball this year. I'm still considering Oakbrook PD courts as the yearly is relatively cheap and court time $ is average. I need to make sure I can find enough game to make it worthwhile.

Do/did you participate in the GTL this year?

SoBad · Sep 26, 2011

zapvor said:
yea in winter my down time goes up. i still hit just not as much since indoor courts dont come cheap

lmao there's no winter in dc, it snows like once every 5 years... you put on a sweatshirt for warmup, what indoor fees lol...

SStrikerR · Sep 26, 2011

I play only a little less. During the winter I can either take a group session two days a week (and play matches with people in it) or take a clinic once a week, and just book court time once a week or so. So I have options at least.

I also play more because winter is when I get all my coaching and when I focus on improving strokes and match play. Summer is for tweaking strokes and trying new things, fall is for hitting in general, and spring is the high school season.

So yeah, I play year round and I love it. Sometimes I'll have a bad hitting day and get pissed off, but I usually come back the next time playing fine, if not better than usual. Weird how that works, but oh well.

Fuji · Sep 26, 2011

I pretty much close up shop for the winter! Traveling in the winter can become quite dangerous where I live, especially to get to the indoor centers which are in the heart of downtown! I usually only hit 1-2 times a month if I can manage to make the journey down there. It's just to make sure I don't fall apart completely, but it's not competitive at all.

Plus it's my rest and recoup time! I play a pretty heavy schedule during the summer, (But still not as much as some!), and it really takes a toll. Good time to deal with burn out too!

-Fuji

Hewex · Sep 27, 2011

dParis said:
Have friends who where members in Wheaton and played under the bubble a lot during the last two winters (love the Claytec), but they are no longer members and austerity measures in The People's Republic of dParis will probably keep me from much winter ball this year. I'm still considering Oakbrook PD courts as the yearly is relatively cheap and court time $ is average. I need to make sure I can find enough game to make it worthwhile.

Do/did you participate in the GTL this year?

I was a member at Rush for a few years. I loved the option of outdoor clay and indoor hard. But, it was very pricey. Last year I was at Vaughn. But, I also played a lot of tennis up at Norris in St. Charles doing drills where my pro is at. I did play GTL and just lost in the playoffs. It was hard when I was hurting every ball. Do you play GTL?

zapvor · Sep 27, 2011

SoBad said:
lmao there's no winter in dc, it snows like once every 5 years... you put on a sweatshirt for warmup, what indoor fees lol...

lol should i send you pics of my car buried under the snow. actually so much snow you cant see the car

dParis · Sep 27, 2011

Hewex said:
I was a member at Rush for a few years. I loved the option of outdoor clay and indoor hard. But, it was very pricey. Last year I was at Vaughn. But, I also played a lot of tennis up at Norris in St. Charles doing drills where my pro is at. I did play GTL and just lost in the playoffs. It was hard when I was hurting every ball. Do you play GTL?

Sounds like you're in the Fox Valley area. I'm a little east of that. I just started GTL in the summer. It's been great. Trying to get my 2nd round playoff match in around the poor weather. I'll go as far as I can go, but my legs really do need some rest - in a week or two.:wink:

Hewex · Sep 27, 2011

dParis said:
Sounds like you're in the Fox Valley area. I'm a little east of that. I just started GTL in the summer. It's been great. Trying to get my 2nd round playoff match in around the poor weather. I'll go as far as I can go, but my legs really do need some rest - in a week or two.:wink:

Good luck with your next match. This weather won't make them easy.

sphinx780 · Sep 27, 2011

Late 20s, I was playing 3-4x a week winter or summer, then a nagging shoulder injury forced me to take a step back.

Now with a young family in my 30s, I play 1-2x a week regardless of season but when an injury starts to bark, I shut it down for a 3-4 weeks to take both a physical and mental recharge.

When I was young and broke, it was only a summer sport but I think the mental break helped my game back then.

SoBad · Sep 27, 2011

zapvor said:
lol should i send you pics of my car buried under the snow. actually so much snow you cant see the car

Let’s be honest here – this past winter was unusually bad in the Northeastern US. This was not a typical winter. Most winters it hardly even snows in NY, let alone DC. In a typical winter, if there is snow or ice on a court in DC, it would take 15 minutes to remove it, seriously.

Hewex · Sep 28, 2011

You guys are hardier than I am. I grew up playing hockey in below zero weather, now at age 50 and under 50 degrees, I'm looking for an indoor court. But, now with my ball machine, Once me TE is better, I'll brave some cooler temps.

sportsfan1 · Sep 28, 2011

SoBad said:
Let’s be honest here – this past winter was unusually bad in the Northeastern US. This was not a typical winter. Most winters it hardly even snows in NY, let alone DC. In a typical winter, if there is snow or ice on a court in DC, it would take 15 minutes to remove it, seriously.

In winter, while the number of days of snowfall is probably not large, its not the only issue. While I have gone running outside in the winter, I don't think its possible to play tennis outside - maybe its the courts with leaves, or its easier to run in layers than play tennis, but I have not seen anyone playing tennis outside mid Dec to mid Feb around this area.

Last column is total snowfall for the year: http://forums.accuweather.com/index.php?showtopic=8952, average per season is about 12-15 inches.
So the best location to play tennis year round is probably san francisco (except for rain)?

sportsfan1 · Sep 28, 2011

I am all for playing tennis indoors in the winter. However haven't tried it, anyone know whether its easy/hard to reserve courts? Anyone play indoors in the area and have recommendations?

ski racer · Sep 28, 2011

I'm from Northern New England... the nets on the outdoor courts go down November 1 and don't get put up again until April. Like skiracer55 I'm focusing on alpine skiing during that time, especially since indoors is expensive and i can't drive.
But I'm hoping to get out once every week or two just to keep from having to start at square one in April. I'l have limit most of my norm tennis time to watching the Aussie.

Fuji · Sep 28, 2011

sportsfan1 said:
In winter, while the number of days of snowfall is probably not large, its not the only issue. While I have gone running outside in the winter, I don't think its possible to play tennis outside - maybe its the courts with leaves, or its easier to run in layers than play tennis, but I have not seen anyone playing tennis outside mid Dec to mid Feb around this area.

Last column is total snowfall for the year: http://forums.accuweather.com/index.php?showtopic=8952, average per season is about 12-15 inches.
So the best location to play tennis year round is probably san francisco (except for rain)?

The average PER SEASON is 12-15 inches? We get that in a weekend here! LOL!

Check out the newspaper from my city, one weekend this past winter!

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2011/01/09/16819376.html

-Fuji

SoBad · Sep 28, 2011

sportsfan1 said:
In winter, while the number of days of snowfall is probably not large, its not the only issue. While I have gone running outside in the winter, I don't think its possible to play tennis outside - maybe its the courts with leaves, or its easier to run in layers than play tennis, but I have not seen anyone playing tennis outside mid Dec to mid Feb around this area.

Last column is total snowfall for the year: http://forums.accuweather.com/index.php?showtopic=8952, average per season is about 12-15 inches.
So the best location to play tennis year round is probably san francisco (except for rain)?

Nothing against SoMD, a lovely peninsula, but in urban areas there are far greater pools of good players with a range of climate tolerance. DC is semi-urban, but in Manhattan there are plenty of good players happy to hit outdoors whenever the courts are free of snow/ice (and some are willing to shovel a little). This past winter was difficult because the poorly attended courts (which includes my home courts) were buried under many feet of snow and ice for months.

sportsfan1 · Sep 29, 2011

Fuji said:
The average PER SEASON is 12-15 inches? We get that in a weekend here! LOL!

Yeah, there have been weekend blizzard's here as well close to 40 inches.

-Fuji

SoBad said:
Nothing against SoMD, a lovely peninsula, but in urban areas there are far greater pools of good players with a range of climate tolerance. DC is semi-urban, but in Manhattan there are plenty of good players happy to hit outdoors whenever the courts are free of snow/ice (and some are willing to shovel a little). This past winter was difficult because the poorly attended courts (which includes my home courts) were buried under many feet of snow and ice for months.

lol, fixed location to be more precise

. But yeah, DC is no Manhattan. Curious, Do you use any special gear to play tennis in Dec/January - gloves?

SoBad · Sep 29, 2011

sportsfan1 said:
lol, fixed location to be more precise . But yeah, DC is no Manhattan. Curious, Do you use any special gear to play tennis in Dec/January - gloves?

Not really. When it’s cold I would wear gloves on the way to the hit, but not while hitting. Multiple layers of clothes are good, of course. Even at 20F or under you start feeling hot after 10-15 minutes of hitting and start losing the layers. Hitting in the cold is very enjoyable, people just tend to be psychological about going out to do it.

rjw · Sep 29, 2011

I've played in the freezing flippin cold in Montreal....for many years, back in the day.

Now, in Miami, our summer is like your winter. Easy to get a court....but now things are cooling down and it's gettin crowded!!

Love to play in the cold way more than our summer heat....

LeeD · Sep 29, 2011

With you on the preference for cold weather tennis.
I cannot play doubles when it's over 75 degrees.
I cannot play singles when it's over 60 degrees.
Unfortunately, when it's good weather for me to play, nobody else wants to play tennis. They want to sit by the fireplace with some hottie.
I would like to vid my serves in 90 degree weather. I'll BET that would be a shocker.

sportsfan1 · Sep 30, 2011

It's definitely easier to play in the cold, you tire out less. Which leads me to an interesting question: what percentage of rec players are really fit, i.e, can play singles for lets say even 3 sets with whole range of shots - chasing drop shots, lobs, and hitting with power?
And do people generally do something such as cardio to improve, in addition to just playing tennis?

LeeD · Sep 30, 2011

Well, I'm not fit, have lived all my life in the fog belt in SanFrancisco (the coldest winter I've ever spent was a summer in SanFrancisco), and there's always some other sports which take priority over my tennis.
Starting tennis with 6 pins in the left leg, 3 in the right, seems to have curtailed some of my physical fitness.
Is tennis our lives? Nope, it's just part of the fun of life. You still gotta motocross, surf, windsurf, snowboard, ride bicycles, and occasionally ski.

Hewex · Sep 30, 2011

LeeD said:
Well, I'm not fit, have lived all my life in the fog belt in SanFrancisco (the coldest winter I've ever spent was a summer in SanFrancisco), and there's always some other sports which take priority over my tennis. Starting tennis with 6 pins in the left leg, 3 in the right, seems to have curtailed some of my physical fitness.
Is tennis our lives? Nope, it's just part of the fun of life. You still gotta motocross, surf, windsurf, snowboard, ride bicycles, and occasionally ski.

Good afternoon Mark Twain

On the fitness note, I'm 50 and have no problem playing 3 hard sets....Part of that is because I do 2 1/2 hour drills twice a week or did until my TE.

maggmaster · Sep 30, 2011

I am fit, I train to be that way. The plan is that once I get my tennis skills beyond a 3.5 level my fitness will help make me competitive a higher levels. We will see how that works.

rjw · Sep 30, 2011

I started back to tennis in order to get in shape. Dropped 40 lbs so far, but I doubt that I could go 3 sets, full tilt at this point.

Still need to lose 20 to 30 more lbs. then I think I could last in an all out 3 set battle. I'm actually very quick, and that should improve a lot as the weight goes down.

sportsfan1 · Sep 30, 2011

maggmaster said:
I am fit, I train to be that way. The plan is that once I get my tennis skills beyond a 3.5 level my fitness will help make me competitive a higher levels. We will see how that works.

Curious, what does your training involve? cardio, planking, running? And how many hours a week approximately?

maggmaster · Oct 1, 2011

OK a typical day is an hour and a half on the ball machine and an hour and a half in the gym. I periodize my training but currently all of my cardio is being done on the bike and the rowing machine. Right now I am working my way up to 100 miles per week on the bike and 20,000 meters on the rower. I also do an abbreviated full body lifting complex ( bench, pullup, squat, seated row) with varying rep ranges depending upon a schedule. I also perform the throwers 10 and a footwork complex that involves jumping rope, mountain climbers and other plyometrics. On the three days a week that I have a match, I drop the gym time down to 20 minutes slow on the bike and stretching.

Taking the winter off...

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