The Science of Tennis Performance and Physical Training.
Philosophy
In order to develop an elite tennis athlete, a foundation of athletic agility and body control should be built alongside the tennis development of the strokes.
This should include:
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Correcting any biomechanical defficiencies in posture, movement patterns and body control.
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Developing joint mobilities in the body, ranges of motion and flexibility to allow high speed movements to occur safely.
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Balancing the strengths and activation patterns of the muscles to prevent injuries and unnecessary stress on the body.
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To teach the correct movement patterns that allow high speed and explosive movements without overuse injuries.
Advancements in physical training research and methods have allowed athletes from all sports to achieve levels or performance never seen before. At the top of today’s game (both men and women) the players are better conditioned and more powerful than ever before and they are generally tall athletes. And in the modern game, most importantly, they have to be coordinated and agile athletes...not always easy with many female players close to six feet tall and the guys well over this height (185-200cm in height). We are seeing a 'complete package' athlete succeeding in the big tournaments today. If a player has a weakness in their physical conditioning or movement on the court they can not compete with the very top players. Look at the athletes at the top of the game, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Viktoria Azarenka, Kei Nishikori, Simona Halep. They are all complete athletes that can play all the shots, move explosively and efficiently and stay strong for two weeks of a grand slam tournament without fatiguing.
These specific areas of movement mechanics, movement efficiency and athletic development required in today’s game can be taught and developed.
I
Based on a foundation of athletic development and correct biomechanics, my programs systematically build a better tennis athlete. At the heart of any good athlete is a foundation of muscle balance and agility, and power and energy system development. Without this being developed first, an athlete increases their chances of injury when they move on to the explosive and high intensity training. Furthermore, without this foundation, any improvements that are seen will be limited. You can not develop power without first building strength. You can not optimally build strength without first developing muscle balance, correct movement patterns, joint mobility and fine control of the body.
Once this foundation is built, correct biomechanics and body position are key to maximising these improvements and truly reaching your potential. It is fairly simple to see small improvements in physical training level but at the top of the sport, players need to find the extra edge that will allow them to compete at the very best of their ability. It is the extra, hard to find, 2-3% in the level of performance through a whole match, that can turn a close 4-6, 5-7 loss into a 7-6, 7-5 win.
My programs are individual and built around the needs of each athlete. A play test and movement analysis evaluation given at the start of each training block allows me to develop a program tailored to the needs of each player. The result is a player that can move as efficiently and explosively as possible, to last through long matches without getting tired, to recover quickly after a long point and be ready for the next one, to have the strength to load and hit the ball time after time without being off balance or late on the ball, to reduce the injuries that keep them off the court during the season and maximise their time on the practise court and during tournaments.