Got hammered, and it was great.

[MoxMonkey]

So I had a lesson today, and the man started free hitting at his true level against me. The things to take from this where that I definitely need to work on preparation and reaction time. I dont split step well(if at all) and find that I have to hit balls on a dead stretched run because of being late out the gate, I'm sure there's all sorts of other issues to continue to improve on.

And man the endurance issues. To be frank the first 15 minutes or so I had enough stamina to fight like hell to extend rallys and even push him back with some offensive shots, but playing reactive/late fast twitch tennis burns ya out. At that point my fundamentals/stroke quality, which are still not fully developed, were often totally breaking down.

The big positive I took home was that I could fully see the ball. It had good pace, and many times I didn't hit it very well, but I was reading it well.

The game is slowing down, and that is awesome.

I have reached an ability level where getting hammered on by a good player actually benefits me, the reps are truly constructive. The heat isn't as hot as it used to be.

As far as tips/instruction go, if anyone has some training routines to improve endurance, I'd appreciate it.

 

[MyFearHand]

One of my favorite drills for consistency, ball-direction and endurance is to have my hitting partner stand in one corner and I always have to hit the ball back to them while they move me around. They're not trying to hit winners on you, but they are trying to make sure you're moving a lot.

 

[Bender]

I got hammered on Monday night, had six pints of beer after two hours of tennis in temperamental weather. The hit wasn't great by the end, but the beer was

 

[Dragy]

As far as tips/instruction go, if anyone has some training routines to improve endurance, I'd appreciate it.

As far as endurance goes, I’d advocate either of the below:
- Just hit a lot. Move, hit the ball, find the flow and respective level of intensity and make it a habit.
- Go for proper basic endurance training, which implies big volumes of low intensity training in running/walking or cycling. Big volumes means 300min net volume per week, week after week, significant results to be achieved after ~3 month. Low intensity means individually determined level, control by heart rate monitor (usually 120 bpm), which allows you to go through 50-60 min run without feeling dead, and recovering for the next day workout, and again, and again. If you up the intensity you either get overload and cannot maintain the level for extended period, or (and) you drop the volumes, hence not fulfilling the program and not developing your goal feature - basic endurance.

Anything in the middle - some workout here and there - has low efficiency in developing endurance for tennis. Better play more tennis.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

As far as tips/instruction go, if anyone has some training routines to improve endurance, I'd appreciate it.

Tennis stamina requires developing the aerobic system as well anaerobic systems. (There are actually 2 anaerobic systems: ATP-CP and Lactic / Glycolitic). The anaerobic systems are required for burst-mode energy needs where as the aerobic systems provide more steady state endurance. Tennis requires a good aerobic base since something like 40-60% of your total energy needs will require this system).

The anaerobic systems can be developed with interval training. This type of training involves alternating periods of high intensity with periods of low intensity. One type of this training is known as HIIT.

There are several different protocols (regimens) to HIIT. Note that a small % of ppl, high responders, will derive adequate aerobic as well as anaerobic benefits from (some forms of) HIIT. But low or non-responders might derive only anaerobic benefits from interval training / HIIT. Most ppl are probably somewhere in between these two extremes. That is, they will achieve anaerobic benefits from HIIT but only modest or moderate aerobic benefits.

This means that most ppl will require some sort of cardio exercise, like cycling, elliptical exercise or endurance running to fully develop aerobic endurance.

Wind sprints, periodic rope skipping or HIIT can utilized for developing anaerobic endurance. Interval training can consist of alternating fast sprints (high intensity) with slow or moderate-speed walking (low intensity). The ratio of the high intensity phase to the low intensity phase can be varied as needed. It won't necessarily be a 50/50 duty cycle -- and probably won't be. It is not unusual for the low intensity phase of each cycle to be (much) longer in duration than the high intensity phase.

 

[Dragy]

It won't necessarily be 50/50 -- and probably won't be. It is not unusual for the low intensity cycle to be longer in duration than the high intensity cycle.

It's usually suggested to have at least 80% of low intensity workout, and 90+ for those beginning their athletic endeavor.

 

[FatHead250]

Was he hot? Id love to be hammered by him aswell

 

[Bender]

As far as endurance goes, I’d advocate either of the below:
- Just hit a lot. Move, hit the ball, find the flow and respective level of intensity and make it a habit.
- Go for proper basic endurance training, which implies big volumes of low intensity training in running/walking or cycling. Big volumes means 300min net volume per week, week after week, significant results to be achieved after ~3 month. Low intensity means individually determined level, control by heart rate monitor (usually 120 bpm), which allows you to go through 50-60 min run without feeling dead, and recovering for the next day workout, and again, and again. If you up the intensity you either get overload and cannot maintain the level for extended period, or (and) you drop the volumes, hence not fulfilling the program and not developing your goal feature - basic endurance.

Anything in the middle - some workout here and there - has low efficiency in developing endurance for tennis. Better play more tennis.

I think HIIT would be a far more efficient and relevant way to train endurance for tennis than going for weekly five-hour jogs.

I've met a few long distance runners and triathletes pick up tennis and get winded after like an hour of high intensity hitting, whereas I could go on for another hour or two.

Obviously they were no professional long distance runners and triathletes, but first, they would kick my ass in a long distance run, and secondly I'm not exactly a pro tennis player either.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

I think HIIT would be a far more efficient and relevant way to train endurance for tennis than going for weekly five-hour jogs.

I've met a few long distance runners and triathletes pick up tennis and get winded after like an hour of high intensity hitting, whereas I could go on for another hour or two.

Obviously they were no professional long distance runners and triathletes, but first, they would kick my ass in a long distance run, and secondly I'm not exactly a pro tennis player either.

As I detailed in post #5, HIIT could very well only solve part of the endurance equation. You might very well be one of those, in the minority, who are high responders.

You could very well have achieved adequate aerobic fitness w/o having to perform a lot of aerobic-type cardio exercise (like long distance running or cycling). But this is not true for many, if not most ppl. They will require both aerobic cardio training in addition to interval training such as HIIT.

Seasonal tennis players, like those who play HS or collegiate tennis and do not necessary play much in the off season, will often develop their aerobic base in the offseason or pre-season.

 

[Bender]

As I detailed in post #5, HIIT could very well only solve part of the endurance equation. You might very well be one of those, in the minority, who are high responders.

If you're telling me I've got superpowers, I'll take it

 

[Dragy]

I think HIIT would be a far more efficient and relevant way to train endurance for tennis than going for weekly five-hour jogs.

I've met a few long distance runners and triathletes pick up tennis and get winded after like an hour of high intensity hitting, whereas I could go on for another hour or two.

Obviously they were no professional long distance runners and triathletes, but first, they would kick my ass in a long distance run, and secondly I'm not exactly a pro tennis player either.

We should agree to disagree here. Trivial "relevance" is not the best way to figure out best practice approach. Biomechanical knowledge is. It's well acknowledged among formally educated coaches. Personally, I know at least one former high-level long-distance runner who started playing tennis and got to great success at rec level. And I'm aware of tennis players who imroved drastically by applying exactly high volume, low intensity paractice schedule - very diligently. Also, I work out in similar way (when I do ), and my endurence doesn't let me down in tennis.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Here is an ITF link that delves into the science of tennis endurance. They provide some further insight on how to develop both the aerobic and aerobic systems required for tennis.

https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/tennis-science-endurance-training/

A little bit more info. This sources suggests 30 mins of cardio 3x/week. They indicate that you should be able to run a 5k-10k in order to handle the aerobic needs of tennis.

Tennis Conditioning: Endurance Training On and Off the Court

Conditioning is an essential part of tennis. While the average point may only last 3-5 seconds, a match can go on for hours. Several years ago at Wimbledon, the match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut went on for three days, lasting a total of eleven hours and five minutes. Exercises...

tenniselbow.com

From USTA Player Development

Growth & Development: Coaching Through the Phases of Growth and Development | Player Development

www.playerdevelopment.usta.com

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Running Training for Tennis Players | ASICS

With such unusual performance requirements, it’s not surprising there’s quite specific running training for tennis players that many of the pros swear by.

www.asics.com

Tennis is a unique mix of anaerobic bursts of speed & aerobic movements that last a long time. If you think about the top tennis players, they are able to mix the explosive pace of a 100-metre sprinter with the endurance of a marathon runner to keep going for the duration of a full three- or five-set match...

 

[ChaelAZ]

I got hammered on Monday night, had six pints of beer after two hours of tennis in temperamental weather. The hit wasn't great by the end, but the beer was

Mine was a bottle of wine in a few hours after a long shizzy day of work, and the only thing I hit was bed early.

 

[Hit 'em clean]

A very good indication of how ingrained your strokes are... being able to still make a good swing when you are totally exhausted. There's a place when you're totally out of breath and the legs feel rubbery... or when you can't feel them... that you still have to be able to make the stroke(s) happen. In my experience you have to practice hitting in that state... and if you find your strokes are breaking down... you have to work more on them.

But yeah... I never minded and always enjoyed playing much better players because I could see what I was getting out of it. If you can rise up to meet their play then it can be some of the best and fastest learning you can get on court. Just seeing the quality of depth, spin, placement and power can be eye opening when you play up a level or two. At first you can feel overwhelmed, but if you can find you feet and start adapting it can be pretty cool to feel and see your level of play rise. Then when you go play the normal competition they can't show you anything you haven't seen... which then makes their game look like it's in slow motion and you'll feel like you know what's going to happen before they do.

 

[MoxMonkey]

A very good indication of how ingrained your strokes are... being able to still make a good swing when you are totally exhausted. There's a place when you're totally out of breath and the legs feel rubbery... or when you can't feel them... that you still have to be able to make the stroke(s) happen. In my experience you have to practice hitting in that state... and if you find your strokes are breaking down... you have to work more on them.

But yeah... I never minded and always enjoyed playing much better players because I could see what I was getting out of it. If you can rise up to meet their play then it can be some of the best and fastest learning you can get on court. Just seeing the quality of depth, spin, placement and power can be eye opening when you play up a level or two. At first you can feel overwhelmed, but if you can find you feet and start adapting it can be pretty cool to feel and see your level of play rise. Then when you go play the normal competition they can't show you anything you haven't seen... which then makes their game look like it's in slow motion and you'll feel like you know what's going to happen before they do.

I agree completely. It's just great seeing the game slow down.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

A very good indication of how ingrained your strokes are... being able to still make a good swing when you are totally exhausted. There's a place when you're totally out of breath and the legs feel rubbery... or when you can't feel them... that you still have to be able to make the stroke(s) happen. In my experience you have to practice hitting in that state... and if you find your strokes are breaking down... you have to work more on them.

I feel like I'm in better-than-average shape and yet when I do the simple drill of 10 GSs out near the alley, 5 FHs + 5 BHs, with recovery to the middle, by the 7th stroke I can feel a significant degradation.

Makes me appreciate how fit the pros are.

 

[Hit 'em clean]

Pros can run all day and then some... ridiculously fit. Not to mention the amount of physical suffering they are capable of handling once they do get to the point of being pushed. I'm at the Western & Southern a lot and watch Verdasco in a training session... no one else was around. These guys were just murdering crosscourt forehands... 20-30 shot rallies, rest for maybe 5 seconds and go again... no let up. Just ridiculous. Not to mention many of the contact points were around shoulder level or above, both were hitting big topspin. I've watched a lot guys up close, but this one session has always really stood out to me.