Anyone have some tips on training while playing?
Earlier this year while recovering from tennis elbow I was in pretty good shape. Running constantly, long distance and sprint intervals ect... tennis focused weight lifting, lots of squats and lunges, and constant stretching with some yoga. I was prepared to come back from my injury in the best form a "oldish" player who works full time with a family can. I was determined to come back roaring with increased determination that only sitting on the sidelines while your friends and family play tennis can provide.
Then my elbow healed. Ever since then, while ramping up playing to the levels of 5-6 days a week (or more sometimes), I feel my conditioning has dropped. If I play a hard match it seems that my legs are toasted to the point where I need to recover for the next day's match, which ends up putting off running and any leg strengthening work like lunges. I can no longer find time to run because I'm always concerned with having some leg strength for the next match. While playing 4 times in 2 days, I woke up the next day and could barely move my legs. Tight quads, tight calves, and aching Achilles resulted in a walking gait reminiscent of a 80 year old man with 60 years of back problems. Rolling and stretching helps, but not enough, and I'm just not to where I WANT to be. I feel like I'm regressing and losing conditioning bit by bit. I need to get that feeling back in my legs that I felt earlier this year.
So I'm thinking that I need to play a bit less, work out a bit more, and I'm here just looking for some advice and shared experiences going forward. What are some players doing that helps them feel great all season long? I understand that older players never "feel great", but relatively speaking. I just want to take my tennis to the next level and I feel this is a big part of the next step.
Earlier this year while recovering from tennis elbow I was in pretty good shape. Running constantly, long distance and sprint intervals ect... tennis focused weight lifting, lots of squats and lunges, and constant stretching with some yoga. I was prepared to come back from my injury in the best form a "oldish" player who works full time with a family can. I was determined to come back roaring with increased determination that only sitting on the sidelines while your friends and family play tennis can provide.
Then my elbow healed. Ever since then, while ramping up playing to the levels of 5-6 days a week (or more sometimes), I feel my conditioning has dropped. If I play a hard match it seems that my legs are toasted to the point where I need to recover for the next day's match, which ends up putting off running and any leg strengthening work like lunges. I can no longer find time to run because I'm always concerned with having some leg strength for the next match. While playing 4 times in 2 days, I woke up the next day and could barely move my legs. Tight quads, tight calves, and aching Achilles resulted in a walking gait reminiscent of a 80 year old man with 60 years of back problems. Rolling and stretching helps, but not enough, and I'm just not to where I WANT to be. I feel like I'm regressing and losing conditioning bit by bit. I need to get that feeling back in my legs that I felt earlier this year.
So I'm thinking that I need to play a bit less, work out a bit more, and I'm here just looking for some advice and shared experiences going forward. What are some players doing that helps them feel great all season long? I understand that older players never "feel great", but relatively speaking. I just want to take my tennis to the next level and I feel this is a big part of the next step.
