how to improve stamina? (jump rope?)

H

hup

Rookie
I'm getting frustrated because I start matches well and I'm hitting nice and aggressive, but after a few running points I'm tired and the tiredness lasts for pretty much the entire match. This puts me on the defensive and I can't win many games. All I can do is rip it back semi high over the net because if I go for it and try to attack I miss alot because I'm feeling tired.

How do I improve my stamina so I can play every point without getting worn out?

I have a jump rope and I fool around with it for 20-30mins every few days but I am in need of a routine to stick to which would benefit my stamina.
 
I am not an expert on the issue but I am guessing that your diet is not good enough for sport activities. Try avoiding carbohydrates especially before matches and try to have as much water as your body needs. Carbos will give you a boost first but will make you tired after a while.
Mentally, you should focus on winning points rather than the match or games. Otherwise you start thinking you won the match or set after winning a few games and get loose.
 
donquijote said:
I am not an expert on the issue but I am guessing that your diet is not good enough for sport activities. Try avoiding carbohydrates especially before matches and try to have as much water as your body needs. Carbos will give you a boost first but will make you tired after a while.
Mentally, you should focus on winning points rather than the match or games. Otherwise you start thinking you won the match or set after winning a few games and get loose.
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This isn't a diet issue or a strength issue. Op is just out of shape. Do cardio for 20-30 minutes every few days. No need to make it complicated.
 
cut back on the cigarettes a little bit. maybe try going jogging a little bit to get your lung capacity up. sounds like your having trouble getting enough oxygen. you might need to break up the tar a little bit in your lungs.

keep doing the jump-ropes though. that exercise is pretty much a necessity for tennis. edberg used to do a ton of them.

You can do some sprint work as well. anything that is fast and makes you lose your breath will help.
 
Jumping rope is good - can you jump for 20 minutes straight? If you can - it's hard to imagine you get tired playing tennis..
 
You actually need more than 1 type of stamina for tennis. Energy demands needed for tennis are met with the aerobic system as well as from 2 anaerobic systems. You need to develop both (all) of these systems for tennis stamina. About 40-60% of your energy needs might come from the aerobic system so you need to have a good aerobic base. You can develop this with sustained cardio (20-30 minutes or more). Try to do this at least 2x/week.

Developing only your aerobic fitness is not enough for your tennis stamina, however. You also need to develop your anaerobic fitness for "burst mode". This can do this with interval training. You can do this by alternating high-speed sprints with low-intensity walking. You can also perform some of your intervals with a jump rope. Sprint or jump rope (high intensity) for 20 seconds or so. Follow this with 10 seconds to 40 seconds of easy walking. Continue these intervals for 4 to 30 minutes. Try to perform interval training 3x/week or more, if possible.

HIIT is one type of interval training. Some who employ the Tabata version of HIIT have found that they can develop both their aerobic system as well as their anearobic systems at the same time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training#Tabata_regimen
 
Try doing 40 seconds on and then 20 off and slowly decreasing the off interval over a few months. I can skip rope for a very long time after using that method to build endurance.
 
shindemac said:
This isn't a diet issue or a strength issue. Op is just out of shape. Do cardio for 20-30 minutes every few days. No need to make it complicated.
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Exactly. OP, presuming you're not drastically overweight, try going for a combo run/walk every other day. Alternate running then walking (fast, swinging your arms; you'll look ridiculous but it helps maintain your heart rate). Eventually, you'll run more than you'll walk, then add some fast-run segments to the routine.

Getting fitter isn't complicated, but it will require commitment. Jumping rope isn't enough.
 
donquijote said:
I am not an expert on the issue...diet...
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No kidding.

donquijote said:
Try avoiding carbohydrates especially before matches....
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Huh? Your body needs fuel. Now if you'd said 'crappy' carbs I'd be ok - but just saying no carbs is insane.

I'm not a jump rope fan - there are better options without the pounding. I have a Nordic Track cross country ski machine - I'm also fortunate to live near the ocean and can run on the hardpack sand at the beach.
 
Yeah I wouldn't remove pre-match carbs. Fruit/Bananas are amazing pre-peri match foods. Especially when you lose energy during the match. Even back before I was into training and eating high carb meals, I still had plenty of energy. This is an issue of conditioning.

I'm with Systemic/Magg, intervals.

I personally like doing a 45 sec jump rope in the gym between sets of lifting, so in a 1hr session i've done about 4-5 30-45second jump rope sets. The jump rope can be replaced with sprints, squat jumps, lunge jumps, high knees, BURPEES power ropes, kettle bell swings or any other plyometric movement.

This might also be a situation where I would recommend some lower intensity steady state cardio (such as jogging) for longer time so you get a better idea of endurance. This won't simulate a tennis match, but you'll have it in your head that you can keep up a pace after 30min-1hr of work.
 
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Couch to 5K running plan. This is a plan for a sedentary person to train for a 3.1 mile race in two months. There are a lot of people that are amazed that they can go from couch potato to running 3+ miles - it just takes a plan and execution.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/

High Intensity work is also good. So is strength-training but the HIIT and cardio is probably better for improving the fitness side of your tennis game in the short run.

I like carbs for energy before a match. I try to pack a few granola bars in my bag if I get the munchies during play. There is faster-acting stuff but I also like to avoid sugars and HFCS.
 
sovertennis said:
I think that the Tabata intervals are more appropriate for someone who already has a very good aerobic base, and not for someone (like the OP) who does not.
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That's my thought as well.

If you're in it for the long haul, start slowly and build up gradually. Only advance when you have MASTERED the level below.
 
You are right the risk for injury increases as overall training stress increases. Building training stress slowly over time increases work capacity though.
 
^^Going slowly and following a long term plan also increases the chances that you will stick to it and succeed.

Most of the training suggestions I see on this board (and most others for that matter) want to start the novice out doing pretty advanced stuff. IMO, it's much better to start out at a level where the training is "easy". Advance slowly according to a measured plan.

Most people want to jump right into "HIIT" or Tabata or other "cool" stuff long before they are ready. And sure, you can sort of complete the training in a sloppy manner for a few days or even a few weeks. But it won't help you much.

Build that base of training first. Don't be in a rush. Things that look easy on paper are often harder than they appear. Individual workouts might not be that hard, but if you aren't use to daily training, that "easy" workout will be pretty hard because of the fatigue your body is already feeling from previous training days.

And most importantly, be consistent with your training. Don't miss a workout.
 
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The Couch to 5K program is specifically designed for sedentary people and to avoid injury.

Don't jump to something like P90X - it's for people that are already in pretty good shape. I think that he requires that people use an HRM for his classes. I know an older guy that does a lot of HIIT and he always has his HRM on with alarms if his heart-rate goes too high.
 
sovertennis said:
I think that the Tabata intervals are more appropriate for someone who already has a very good aerobic base, and not for someone (like the OP) who does not.
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That may very well be true. I actually suggested some somewhat easier intervals earlier in post #7. These would probably need to be performed in addition to aerobic training (unless the OP already has a very good aerobic base).

With the more-advanced Tabata intervals, some practitioners may find that this protocol develops both their anaerobic and aerobic fitness adequately. If this is the case, then it may be unnecessary to perform additional aerobic exercise.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
That may very well be true. I actually suggested some somewhat easier intervals earlier in post #7. These would probably need to be performed in addition to aerobic training (unless the OP already has a very good aerobic base).

With the more-advanced Tabata intervals, some practitioners may find that this protocol develops both their anaerobic and aerobic fitness adequately. If this is the case, then it may be unnecessary to perform additional aerobic exercise.
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Best to keep it simple for now. Don't want anyone else hurting themselves.
 
shindemac said:
Best to keep it simple for now. Don't want anyone else hurting themselves.
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Too simple might not be sufficiently effective. As I indicated previously, aerobic cardio is an incomplete solution to the stamina issue for tennis. Players need to develop anaerobic (burst mode) fitness as well as aerobic fitness. While the OP does not necessarily need to incorporate an aggressive HIIT program (such as the Tabata protocol), it is still best to perform interval training as well as extended aerobic cardio training.

The OP has indicated that he/she has been engaging in some extended rope skipping about 2x/week. I am assuming that this is primarily aerobic training. While the OP may not be ready for something as intense as Tabata, some easier interval training would likely be highly beneficial. Rope skipping and/or sprints can be utilized for this. I suggest starting off with a high intensity phase of 20-30 seconds alternately with 30-40 seconds of low intensity (walking). Not a bad idea to vary the interval parameters somewhat instead of using fixed intervals.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
Too simple might not be sufficiently effective. As I indicated previously, aerobic cardio is an incomplete solution to the stamina issue for tennis. Players need to develop anaerobic (burst mode) fitness as well as aerobic fitness. While the OP does not necessarily need to incorporate an aggressive HIIT program (such as the Tabata protocol), it is still best to perform interval training as well as extended aerobic cardio training.

The OP has indicated that he/she has been engaging in some extended rope skipping about 2x/week. I am assuming that this is primarily aerobic training. While the OP may not be ready for something as intense as Tabata, some easier interval training would likely be highly beneficial. Rope skipping and/or sprints can be utilized for this. I suggest starting off with a high intensity phase of 20-30 seconds alternately with 30-40 seconds of low intensity (walking). Not a bad idea to vary the interval parameters somewhat instead of using fixed intervals.
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So cardio 2 to 3 times a week. Say M W F for 20 minutes. Add in sprints. 2 to 4 sets?
 
"Try avoiding carbohydrates especially before matches...."

This has to be the quote of the year. Priceless advice from Doctor Internets.
 
Tyrus said:
Yeah I wouldn't remove pre-match carbs. Fruit/Bananas are amazing pre-peri match foods. Especially when you lose energy during the match. Even back before I was into training and eating high carb meals, I still had plenty of energy. This is an issue of conditioning.

I'm with Systemic/Magg, intervals.

I personally like doing a 45 sec jump rope in the gym between sets of lifting, so in a 1hr session i've done about 4-5 30-45second jump rope sets. The jump rope can be replaced with sprints, squat jumps, lunge jumps, high knees, BURPEES power ropes, kettle bell swings or any other plyometric movement.

This might also be a situation where I would recommend some lower intensity steady state cardio (such as jogging) for longer time so you get a better idea of endurance. This won't simulate a tennis match, but you'll have it in your head that you can keep up a pace after 30min-1hr of work.
Click to expand...

Ever use a power/weight sled for interval training?
 
Tyrus said:
Yeah I wouldn't remove pre-match carbs. Fruit/Bananas are amazing pre-peri match foods. Especially when you lose energy during the match. Even back before I was into training and eating high carb meals, I still had plenty of energy. This is an issue of conditioning.

I'm with Systemic/Magg, intervals.

I personally like doing a 45 sec jump rope in the gym between sets of lifting, so in a 1hr session i've done about 4-5 30-45second jump rope sets. The jump rope can be replaced with sprints, squat jumps, lunge jumps, high knees, BURPEES power ropes, kettle bell swings or any other plyometric movement.

This might also be a situation where I would recommend some lower intensity steady state cardio (such as jogging) for longer time so you get a better idea of endurance. This won't simulate a tennis match, but you'll have it in your head that you can keep up a pace after 30min-1hr of work.
Click to expand...

+1 on kettlebells.

it is great resistance cardio and no impact on your joints.
 
West Coast Ace said:
donquijote said:
I am not an expert on the issue...
Click to expand...
No kidding.

donquijote said:
Try avoiding carbohydrates especially before matches and try to have as much water as your body needs. Carbos will give you a boost first but will make you tired after a while.
Mentally, you should focus on winning points rather than the match or games. Otherwise you start thinking you won the match or set after winning a few games and get loose.
Click to expand...

Huh? Your body needs fuel. Now if you'd said 'crappy' carbs I'd be ok - but just saying no carbs is insane...
Click to expand...

Don't know how I missed DQ's ill-advised post. Agree with WCA on this.

However, I do not agree that jumping rope is harmful if properly executed. It is considered a low-level plyometric exercise. The impact should not be very high unless you are jumping on very hard surfaces like concrete and your jumping technique is flawed.
 
SystemicAnomaly said:
Don't know how I missed DQ's ill-advised post. Agree with WCA on this.

However, I do not agree that jumping rope is harmful if properly executed. It is considered a low-level plyometric exercise. The impact should not be very high unless you are jumping on very hard surfaces like concrete and your jumping technique is flawed.
Click to expand...

This is the internets. People twist their ankles crossing the street. Freak accidents happen. Just look at Paul George.
 
shindemac said:
How do people use kettlebells? I was messing around w them at the gym and just swinging them back and forth between my legs.
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Swings, Clean & Press, and Deadlifts are your essential moves, all a google search away for proper form.

Don't do it like they do in Crossfit (they swing way too high) Russian style swings are what you want. Plenty of youtube videos on proper form.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ng3_TNsCR8

This is a good intro to it. Personally I think he uses a bit too much knees but that's just me. I prefer a heavy KB swing that emphasizes the hip snap over everything else, there will still be a slight knee bend but that SHOULD NOT be the source of your power. Emphasis should be on glutes, hamstrings and lower back. Don't do like you see many do where they squat into the swing, this is a posterior chain exercise.

Start light, and let the bells' momentum dictate how high you swing (it doesn't have to be as high as you see in the video).

Once you get the hang of those you can move into some more advanced movements like Alternating Swings, Snatch (quick burst form of clean & press), and (my personal favorite) Turkish Get-Ups. Again plenty of resources on YouTube, I can link you up with some more vids of proper form when I'm done at work.

Another favorite of mine is using light KB (10lbs max) and try a "bottoms up KB press" that'll put your entire arm and shoulder stabilizers to work.
 
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Tyrus said:
Swings, Clean & Press, and Deadlifts are your essential moves, all a google search away for proper form.

Don't do it like they do in Crossfit (they swing way too high) Russian style swings are what you want. Plenty of youtube videos on proper form.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ng3_TNsCR8

This is a good intro to it. Personally I think he uses a bit too much knees but that's just me. I prefer a heavy KB swing that emphasizes the hip snap over everything else, there will still be a slight knee bend but that SHOULD NOT be the source of your power. Emphasis should be on glutes, hamstrings and lower back. Don't do like you see many do where they squat into the swing, this is a posterior chain exercise.

Start light, and let the bells' momentum dictate how high you swing (it doesn't have to be as high as you see in the video).

Once you get the hang of those you can move into some more advanced movements like Alternating Swings, Snatch (quick burst form of clean & press), and (my personal favorite) Turkish Get-Ups. Again plenty of resources on YouTube, I can link you up with some more vids of proper form when I'm done at work.

Another favorite of mine is using light KB (10lbs max) and try a "bottoms up KB press" that'll put your entire arm and shoulder stabilizers to work.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm gonna incorporate the swings into my routine this week. I've been looking for another leg exercise and something to hit my hamstrings.
 
shindemac said:
Thanks. I'm gonna incorporate the swings into my routine this week. I've been looking for another leg exercise and something to hit my hamstrings.
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Kettlebell Deadlifts, Hamstring curls (Machine, Swiss Ball, Suspension), Straight Leg Deadlifts will all be your friends.
 
shindemac said:
This isn't a diet issue or a strength issue. Op is just out of shape. Do cardio for 20-30 minutes every few days. No need to make it complicated.
Click to expand...

Back in the stone age we did something called jogging.

A recreational tennis player would jog 2 easy miles every day.
 
uncle pollo said:
Back in the stone age we did something called jogging.

A recreational tennis player would jog 2 easy miles every day.
Click to expand...

Of course more is better. Ran 5 miles, then played a match, then jumprope 3000 skips. Then saw a player run 10-13 miles and play a match. Knees, who kneeds em.
 
I like LSD( Long Slow Distance) cardio to build an aerobic base. I prefer that it be done in a low or no impact capacity. Personally I use the Precor EFX machines. Close enough to running that you get some cross over but you avoid the constant pounding on your knees. Speed is built through going fast and being strong, by speed I mean short distance speed. Unfortunately the faster you go and the heavier you lift the greater the chance for injury, you must weigh the value of your workout versus your chance of injury. I find that a few speed sessions sprinkled in close to my tournaments makes me fast enough. I lift weights but I don't go really heavy anymore. If tennis performance is the ultimate goal, injury prevention is very important.
 
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