How long do you practice?

[Amirsan]

Hey everyone,

I recently posted a thread here about how to be a good high school tennis player and one of the advice was to play alot.

I'm in Israel now, and I'll be here for another 30 days, and luckily, my dad will pay for private lessons, group lessons, etc. There are two clubs in the area, with good level of play, etc.

But I was wondering, how much each day is necessary to practice to become good? I don't want to overdo it either. Lately, I've been usually practicing 6 days a week, 3 private lessons each an hour, and then 2 times a week a group lesson, which is from 4-5 and from 7-8.

Should I be playing more? How long do you play each day?

 

[Amirsan]

I should add that there is a program which the group practices 4 times a week for 3 hours a day. So this program, along with another group practice, so the breakdown would be like this:

2 days a week 1 hour private lesson and playing afterwords
then 4 times a week for 3 hours
then 2 times a week (overlapping the 3 hour also)

So basically I would be practicing 6 days a week, for an average of 2-4 hours. Is this good or is it over-doing it?

 

[Discovery660]

I don't know if you'd consider me good, but 12 years ago I played for my high school tennis team.

I currently practice 2 1-hour sessions a day, 4 times a week. This does not include my serve or my conditioning. I practice 30 minutes a day 4 days a week seperately on my serve. I also do 2 hours of swimming 4 days a week.

My job requires me to work shifts, which leaves me with 3-4 days off a week. On the days I work, no tennis or conditioning takes place. I consider those recoop days.

Sun = Work
Mon = Work
Tues = Work
Wed

Tennis ~10am - ~11am
Swimming ~12:30pm - 4pm (About 2 hours in the water total)
Serve ~6pm - ~6:30pm
Tennis ~8pm - ~9:30pm

Thurs

Tennis ~10am - ~11am
Swimming ~12:30pm - 4pm (About 2 hours in the water total)
Serve ~6pm - ~6:30pm
Tennis ~8pm - ~9:30pm

Friday

Tennis ~10am - ~11am
Swimming ~12:30pm - 4pm (About 2 hours in the water total)
Serve ~6pm - ~6:30pm
Tennis ~8pm - ~9:30pm

Sat

Tennis ~10am - ~11am
Swimming ~12:30pm - 4pm (About 2 hours in the water total)
Serve ~6pm - ~6:30pm
Tennis ~8pm - ~9:30pm

None of these are lessons. I hit with my wife, and sometimes my children.
I'm not in great shape, but my weight is coming down finally. When I am not playing tennis, or swimming...I read these forums, and think of things to work on when I get back on to the courts.

 

[Court_Jester]

This summer, I practice for 2 hours 3-4 times a week. I usually try to get to the court around 11am when the heat is beginning to be a bit uncomfortable for me. I'm trying to acclimate myself to the blazing heat that people are talking about 'coz at present, I have a low tolerance for heat. I guess I got inspired by watching Ginepri last year during the finals in Indianapolis. The temp was about 110F and Ginepri looked as cool as a cucumber in the heat while Dent was falling apart and eventually retired from the match.

However, when school starts, I can see my practice time go down to just once or twice a week.