2007

Welcome to Fitfortennis.com. Hope you've enjoyed the newsletter topics, articles and programs in the last year. The feedback has been great and thanks for buying the videos. We have sold more this year than ever before and hope to keep going. As a way of saying thank you, if you order in the month of July, the shipping is FREE! So take advantage and start improving your training with the videos: Functional Strength Training for Tennis and Speed, Agility and Footwork for Tennis. This season's article is about conditioning and mental toughness. It is designed to get you thinking about how you can improve your mental toughness on court by practicing the techniques when you are training in the weight room.

Conditioning and Mental Toughness

Whether you are a professional or a recreational tennis player, competing successfully requires mental toughness. Sports psychologists stress that in order to win, one must train the mind as well as the body, as matches are often won or lost as a result of mental fitness. This article explores nine techniques for practicing and improving mental toughness while training in the weight room.

1. Being disciplined ­ Training for any sport requires a commitment in order to make progress. The same principle can be applied to your workout: make a plan, write it in your calendar, stick to it and if changes are required, reschedule. Being disciplined about your training is a major step in developing mental toughness.

2. Breathing with intention ­ Using your breath to your advantage requires practice, but the payoff will surprise you. On the court, deep, even breathing can be used to calm your nerves and focus your attention on your immediate goal. In the weight room, exhaling deliberately and "drawing the navel into the back" during the exertion phase of all exercises helps you concentrate on the muscles you are engaging, allowing a precision of movement that keeps tension out of other parts of your body while simultaneously enhancing your core strength.

3. Performing one exercise at a time ­ Just as you need to play one point at a time, in the weight room you should focus fully on the exercise you are executing. Be sure you are in proper body alignment, that the non-working body parts are relaxed, that you are breathing, and that you are working through a full range of motion. This not only helps improve your ability to focus, but will allow you to get the full benefit of each exercise.

4. Blocking out irrelevant thoughts ­ On court, this can mean not listening to spectators, not thinking about what you need to do after the match, or not looking at the action on other courts. In the weight room, narrow your focus to the task at hand and don’t plan dinner or answer your cell phone needlessly. Train yourself to stay focussed on the present.

5. Training within your limits ­ Just as you need to play your own game, when you train, don’t look around at what others are doing and suddenly alter your tactics. If you have created a good program, stick to it and you will achieve your goals.

6. Having committed to training within your limits, occasionally attempt to exceed them. ­ Ever dig into your reserves to win a match you thought you would certainly lose? Similarly, if you train using sound principles of progression, you may be surprised to find that you can do something unexpected, such as a fifth (tenth?) pull-up or a personal best in the mile.

Knowing that you are capable of exceeding your own expectations in the gym can help pull you up if you are several games down on the court.

7. Pushing yourself by yourself ­ If you are a singles player, working out alone can help toughen your resolve on the court. If you are accustomed to getting through tough moments in the gym, you can draw on that experience in a match.

8. Pushing yourself with a partner ­ If you are a doubles player, working out with a partner can help you develop the give-and-take that occurs between doubles partners on court. Sometimes you are the motivator, sometimes you need motivation. Knowing how to use a partner’s energy to your advantage can help a doubles team prevail.

9. Developing a strategy for the session ­ Each match requires a strategy (or two) and the same principle can be put to effective use in the gym. Thinking of a mini-motivator for the day’s session can help you meet your goals. For example, attempting to minimize rest time between sets/exercises can allow you to push yourself to a new pace.

If your plan is not working on a particular day, have a ‘Plan B’ in the wings. Perhaps you missed some sleep or have a slight muscle pull that is preventing you from going full speed ahead with the day’s program. The ability to know when and how to change gears can be the key to turning the momentum to your favor on the court.

Become a stronger competitor by utilizing these mental toughness training concepts during your workouts and you’ll be pleased, and often surprised. with the results.

Happy Training.