PREPARE to peak!
What kind of player are you when it comes to preparing for a match?
·Are you organized and ready to go with plenty of time to spare, even if an unexpected event occurs, such as a retirement on your court?
·Or do you always seem to be rushed for time when your match is called?
Searching for that spare skirt or hat?
In the training room getting taped?
Preparing drinks and supplies to take on-court?
·Do you have a match plan and strategies for how to play your opponent and can you step on court with confidence that you are ready for the challenges ahead?
Preparing to play well is much more than doing a "warm-up" session on court the morning of your match. It encompasses physical, tactical, mental and emotional preparation. Champion players know this and therefore prepare for all possibilities.
Preparation reduces their stress, improves their confidence and sets them up to succeed.
·Do you want to reach your peak potential and performance in every match?
·Begin with great preparation and get ready to play at the top of your game.
"One important key to success is self-confidence.
An important key to self-confidence is preparation."
Arthur Ashe, Champion player
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Your Preparation Begins…Yesterday
Periodize Your Year
Most players think that getting ready for their match begins on the day of the match. This is not true! Your preparation needs to start long before you reach the morning of competition.
Your annual schedule should include competition periods when you intend to play your best tennis, followed by a rest and recovery phase and a preparation/conditioning stage which leads into your next competition or tournament phase. This phasing of your year is called periodization and it is scientifically proven to help athletes play their best tennis.Read a previous Topic of the Game, Set, Health website "Periodization" to learn more about it.
Rest and Recovery
Every player wants to feel energized and excited about tennis when she gets up on the morning of her match. Recovery helps you to feel this way and to bounce back from the hard training and mental pressures.
Whether you have a match or training, ensure that you use proven physical, mental and emotional recovery drills every day to help maintain your motivation, energy and desire to play. These include:
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·A restful night's sleep |
·A balanced athletic nutrition plan |
·Good hydration practices |
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·Massage |
·Relaxation activities to unwind |
·Stretching |
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·Take care of injuries |
·Hot and cold showers/ice baths |
·Social and fun activities |
Learn more about Good Recovery
Prepare all Aspects
Every day, be disciplined and stick to a strategy that prepares your whole game. This will set you up to play great tennis. This should include: physical training, tactical planning, mental skills, emotional control, good nutrition and proper hydration and recovery.
Are you ready?
Physical Preparation
You should arrive at every tournament physically ready to play. This means that your strength and conditioning, agility, fitness and flexibility work should be complete, and any injuries or illnesses are healed. Ask yourself, "Am I confident that I can play a week of three-set matches without physically breaking down?" If you answer "No" then you need to continue with your injury rehabilitation or progress your fitness and conditioning.
Tactical Preparation
You need a strategy for every match. This includes tactics that you practice in match-like conditions
with your hitting partner or coach. Make the points count, for example, the loser pays€1 a point.
Your drills should include a variety of strategies to answer your opponent's weapons, expose her
weak points and to highlight your strengths.A strong strategy increases your confidence when you step on court to play.
Mental Preparation
Have you mentally rehearsed how you will manage challenges in the match, like bad line calls, wind, distractions and break points? Other tests may be individual ones, like how to stop negative thinking, maintain concentration or reduce worry. Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you mentally prepare. Read more about Visualization
Emotional Preparation
Emotional stressors affect your ability to prepare, focus and play. They also increase your risk of injury or illness and negatively affect your performance
TIP from Margot Bauer-Mitterlehner, MSc, Primary Health Care Provider | Sony Ericsson WTA Tour:
'Focus on your own individual strengths, visualize them and embrace them during your sports performance. Control your mind and thoughts and don't let your thoughts control you!
Our thoughts possess power of tremendous dimension. They can fire your whole system (physically & mentally) up to another level or as well can bring the whole system down.
So be careful of what you think, as it will influence your performance.'
DISCLAIMER
The contents of the Game, Set, Health site, are for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical, psychiatric, psychological, health care or health management advice. The materials herein are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site. Reliance on any information provided herein is solely at your own risk.
