jrachiever
Rookie
There is a lot of talk about who has and who hasn't adequately prepared their physical conditioning for the Australian Open. A lot of guys are getting taken to task for showing up unprepared. I don't know what the standard year in year out conditioning regimen is for most pros, but it makes perfect sense to me that a lot of guys aren't in great shape.
Just knowing the basics of training for performance, I'd imagine that ideally, players who are exhausted at the end of a season will need about 3-4 weeks of total rest, and a full 10 weeks to build a base of strength and aerobic conditioning and gradually transition to a lot of high intensity interval and explosive training. Another 3-4 weeks for 2 or 3 tune up tournaments until they're both physically and mentally ready to perform at a world class level. Basically, these guys need a real off season that they don't get.
Each player is different, and some may feel better at the end of the season than others, and opt to spend 3 weeks in December killing themselves and creating a quick surge in their fitness that can carry them through the Aussie Open. But if a player is beaten down, and understands the marathon that is the full season, I can't blame them if they decide to rest up most of the "offseason", show up with what they've got and hope at the AO, then continue to tune up and build conditioning over the next 6 weeks or so to be ready for the grind that begins in Indian Wells and ends at Wimbledon before the next real rest. It's probably the right long term decision for them. Just the way I see it anyways.
Just knowing the basics of training for performance, I'd imagine that ideally, players who are exhausted at the end of a season will need about 3-4 weeks of total rest, and a full 10 weeks to build a base of strength and aerobic conditioning and gradually transition to a lot of high intensity interval and explosive training. Another 3-4 weeks for 2 or 3 tune up tournaments until they're both physically and mentally ready to perform at a world class level. Basically, these guys need a real off season that they don't get.
Each player is different, and some may feel better at the end of the season than others, and opt to spend 3 weeks in December killing themselves and creating a quick surge in their fitness that can carry them through the Aussie Open. But if a player is beaten down, and understands the marathon that is the full season, I can't blame them if they decide to rest up most of the "offseason", show up with what they've got and hope at the AO, then continue to tune up and build conditioning over the next 6 weeks or so to be ready for the grind that begins in Indian Wells and ends at Wimbledon before the next real rest. It's probably the right long term decision for them. Just the way I see it anyways.
