fitness training, practice and playing tennis

[Levente]

Hi,

I'm sorry if this thread has been started earlier, but I'm a new one and I didn't find any similar...

What is the right rate between fitness training, practice and playing tennis for recreation players.
I know that to be fitt and doing some practice are required for playing good matches.
If I have 7 hours / week for tennis, the 1 hour fittness training. 1 hour practice and 5 hours play is good schedule.
OR
If I'm a recreation player then worth better to playing 7 hours?

Many thanks for reply!
Levente

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

It really depends on your own personal goals -- what you feel is most important -- fitness, fun, mastering tennis, etc. Given only 7 hours for exercise per week your current allocation might be fine.

What do you do for fitness? How often? If you have more time, you might consider 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per week. If you want to see more improvement in your tennis skills, you should be on the court a least 2, preferably 3, times per week. That court time would be a combination of practice and play.

 

[Levente]

It really depends on your own personal goals -- what you feel is most important -- fitness, fun, mastering tennis, etc. Given only 7 hours for exercise per week your current allocation might be fine.

What do you do for fitness? How often? If you have more time, you might consider 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per week. If you want to see more improvement in your tennis skills, you should be on the court a least 2, preferably 3, times per week. That court time would be a combination of practice and play.

Thank you for your reply.
My personal goal is to win all the matches what I play So my real aim is to improve, because if I were a better player my matches would much better.

For fittnes I do some jogging 30 mins / week (I hate it) and lifting weights 30 mins / 2 weeks. These two things are very boring.
1 hour / week we practice (cross forehand, straight(?) forehand, cross backhand, straight forehand, target hitting etc.)
and 5 hours / week playing matches.
What is the regular combination of practice and play?

 

[vChRiSv]

For fittnes I do some jogging 30 mins / week (I hate it) and lifting weights 30 mins / 2 weeks. These two things are very boring.

If you don't like jogging (which I personally hate... all pure cardio exercises dull me to no end), you can try mixing in cardio to your tennis drills. For example, the Spanish X drill is very good for training both your tennis game + cardio at the same time.

As for your weight lifting, 30 minutes a week twice a week seems like a really short period of time. I'm not a big weight lifting fan either, but my work outs tend to last at least an hour. What kind of exercises are you doing during your weight lifting?

 

[CDestroyer]

I like getting exercise every day or I feel like a worthless sack of doodo.

So my ideal week would be:

Tennis 3 matches a week

Nautilus machine (lifting weights) 2 times a week

Sprinting 2 times a week

I usually run after hitting the weights, that makes you feel great afterwards.:smile:

 

[Levente]

If you don't like jogging (which I personally hate... all pure cardio exercises dull me to no end), you can try mixing in cardio to your tennis drills. For example, the Spanish X drill is very good for training both your tennis game + cardio at the same time.

As for your weight lifting, 30 minutes a week twice a week seems like a really short period of time. I'm not a big weight lifting fan either, but my work outs tend to last at least an hour. What kind of exercises are you doing during your weight lifting?

The Spanish X looks nice (I've just checked on the YouTube)

I do weight lifting during watching TV (very-very rarely) and just some biceps, triceps, shoulder etc. exercises mainly with a one-handed (small) dumbbell.

 

[Levente]

I like getting exercise every day or I feel like a worthless sack of doodo.

So my ideal week would be:

Tennis 3 matches a week

Nautilus machine (lifting weights) 2 times a week

Sprinting 2 times a week

I usually run after hitting the weights, that makes you feel great afterwards.:smile:

Thanks it looks good, I will try this combination but lifting weights and run only once a week

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

...
For fittnes I do some jogging 30 mins / week (I hate it) and lifting weights 30 mins / 2 weeks. These two things are very boring...

Some jogging is ok -- good for the aerobic system. However, you also need to develop your anaerobic systems -- tennis uses a combination of the aerobic system plus 2 different anaerobic system. You can work the other other systems with interval training.

You can do this with a jump rope. Jump (medium-fast to fast) for 15-30 seconds and then walk (easily, not fast) for 30-60 seconds. Repeat the cycles (the high/low intervals). You can do the same thing for sprints -- high-speed sprints for 15-30 seconds followed by 30-60 seconds of walking). Not a bad idea to vary the lengths of the intervals. Usually the low intensity phase will be twice as long as the high intensity phase for tennis conditioning. You can also perform some 1:1 cycles (the high and low phases will be about the same duration).

 

[CDestroyer]

Thanks it looks good, I will try this combination but lifting weights and run only once a week

Try running ten 100 yard sprints. Its not boring because you are too busy gasping for air.

 

[Levente]

Many thanks for everybody for the useful advises.
I will modify my training plan.

 

[sixftlion]

Try running ten 100 yard sprints. Its not boring because you are too busy gasping for air.

Amen!!!

 

[sixftlion]

Some jogging is ok -- good for the aerobic system. However, you also need to develop your anaerobic systems -- tennis uses a combination of the aerobic system plus 2 different anaerobic system. You can work the other other systems with interval training.

For my interval training, I swing the kettlebells, because I don't want to run too much in addition to playing 6 days per week on the hard courts. Even the simple basic kettlebell swing raises your heart rate to the levels of sprinting, while it is preserving my joints. Plus I get to strengthen my lower body and core at the same time.

 

[OTMPut]

Burpees are a great conditioning alternative. You just need a little bit of space. You dont even need to be in a work out gear.

I am in love with burpees now.

 

[NLBwell]

The jogging isn't helping the tennis much. Assuming you don't have health problems you can do something more high itensity like sprinting as others have said, or just add more tennis - if you work the backboard hard, it is a tough workout.

 

[ssonosk]

suicides
suicides with karaoke steps
suicides with side steps
plyometrics

just do stuff that basketball players and football players do

using a medicine ball also helps with footwork and properly setting up for forehands

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

The jogging isn't helping the tennis much...

Not true. A good aerobic base is needed for tennis. I've already discussed the need for both the aerobic and 2 types of anaerobic systems for tennis stamina. I have provided links in past threads that back this up.

 

[NLBwell]

Sorry I wasn't clear (and you still may disagree with me) but on top of the tennis, which is actually good at building aerobic capacity and the other exercise, 1/2 hour of jogging a week isn't going to make much differece in aerobic capacity. Spending that time on a workout that will stress aerobic capacity more - energetc backboard workout or adding in more sprints for the 1/2 hour will do more good.

 

[maverick66]

Sorry I wasn't clear (and you still may disagree with me) but on top of the tennis, which is actually good at building aerobic capacity and the other exercise, 1/2 hour of jogging a week isn't going to make much differece in aerobic capacity. Spending that time on a workout that will stress aerobic capacity more - energetc backboard workout or adding in more sprints for the 1/2 hour will do more good.

That would be incorrect. You are ignoring devoleping key recovery elements by not doing long distance work. Even if its at a solid pace for 30 mins which is actually pretty good amount of time to jog or bike. Its a big mistake that is happening in sports training right now and hopefully will go out of style soon.