Tag: tennis

Tips on Buying the “right” Tennis Shoes

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Tips on Buying the “right” Tennis Shoes

Let’s start off by saying that not all tennis shoes are created equal. Form and function are still the best recipe for success. As with any shoes make sure the pair of tennis shoes you purchase allow you to move in very explosive start and stop movements. This is of course the complete, opposite of the concept behind a long distance running shoe.

Should you buy leather over more breathable materials? It is recommended that you purchase a hybrid of the two. One provides durability and won’t wear through as quickly while the other allows the foot to move inside the shoe a bit more giving the player more coordination.

It is also recommended to have more than one pair. The average, avid player can easily wear through a new pair shows within 4-6 months depending upon how often they play. Always look at the tread to determine how worn the shoes is.

The lateral aspects of a good shoe should provide stability and help protect against injury. If for example your shoes are too loose, you could potentially roll an ankle. This is a common injury that could bench you for an extended period-of-time.

Court Shoes are the only shoes that should be worn on the tennis court. The insole should provide some level of cushion to absorb the high impact and rapid movements of a playing surface. Clay court shoes for example are very different than concrete court shoes.

Always make sure you give yourself at least a half an inch from your toes to the end of the shoes to avoid blisters. Color, Style and brand are purely aesthetic so have fun choosing the right shoes for you!

Fitness starts with building a Strong Foundation

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Fitness starts with building a Strong Foundation

Today, exercise and fitness are not the same thing. Fitness combines strength and form where exercise builds endurance and skill. Today’s athletes know the secret to creating a finely tuned body is developing our core.

Life these days is stretched more than ever between work and home life. A strong core can give us all more energy and endurance to sustain the stress that plagues us all. Whether you find time to go to a gym or decide to workout at home, we can all turn back the aging process.

Technique and form delivers results in the shortest amount of time allowing our bodies at any age to develop lean muscle mass. Results don’t happen overnight so it’s important to keep a consistent routine combined with exercise, nutrition, and plenty of rest.

When we isolate our core muscles we target the area that all other muscles leverage for well-rounded performance on the tennis court. Resistance training has been proven to be one of the most effective ways for athletes to isolate muscles whereby eliminating and momentum and relying strictly on a single muscle to do the work.

Once we have established a strong core it is much easier to filter in weight training because the house is already built.

Mastering the art of supporting our own weight will return dividends later when combined with proper weight training.

Posture and use of the correct stance are the hallmark basics to achieving that perfect core. As with any form of cardio, breathing and exhaling build stamina over time. Start with 1- minute planks and each week go another minute with a goal of 5 minutes or more.

Once you can hold a plank for this amount of time you are ready to start with pull ups and then eventually weights. You will also notice major physical results and your body shape will start to change shape. You’ll notice you can stand up straighter and reduce the risk of injury.

Always remember to stretch before and after any rigorous activity. You’ll start to notice the effects of stretching daily as you experience less downtime for your muscles to repair. stretching combined with a strong core will also build endurance and flexibility.

Tennis is a cardiovascular activity the requires endurance. Players also helps to de-toxify the body and accelerate the fat burning zone. Activating the heart rate for 15 minutes daily will also improve the body’s ability to fight off disease and infection. The optimal heart rate formula is 220 minus your age, times 60 for the lower number, then 220 minus you age and times 80 for the upper number.

The tennis community has long known that the secret to maintaining a youthful appearance is by keeping a strong core and a healthy lifestyle balance.

Tennis Court Equipment can make a difference!

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Tennis Court Equipment can make a difference!

There are different categories of tennis court equipment for individuals, facilities, and for instruction. The most versatile on the market accommodate all categories. That said there are a few “must have” pieces of equipment all tennis players should consider if you don’t belong to some type of club that provides them.

Stop chasing balls and bending over backwards to scoop them up. Ball Hoppers are an essential and come in 3 sizes with the largest of the handhelds that holds up to 200 balls. The detachable polyurethane coated baskets are also ideal for use as a teaching aid. They are lightweight and easily convert to a standing position to feed balls from when coaching.

Another piece of equipment to consider is a Roller Squeegee. It is an expensive way to keep the court clean from debris. Try to get the steel handles that eliminate wobble and assures ultimate stability. It is not necessary to acquire a commercial grade version unless you are a facility coordinator. Look for the compact models that you can easily assemble and pack.

Water Brooms are key in regions of the country that tend to collect a lot of rain and moisture in the air. They are also a great way to maintain safety on the court and are one of the best ways to remove water deposits more quickly allowing players to help dry out the courts after a heavy rain. Make sure you shop around because there are several different variations that range in price.

Stay cool and out of the sun when taking a break with the Tennis Court Awning. Although they make awnings that come with stands, they tend not to be the portable. Try to find the awnings that attach to the bench. The detachable units also typically expand, contract, tilt, and fold into a carrying case. There are many sizes to choose from and some are heavier than others.

Last, but not least, is the gallon cooler stand. Stay hydrated with an insulated cooler that keeps water cold and can be rolled behind you, so nobody is required to do any lifting. Look for the coolers that compact to fit in the back of most vehicle trunks.

The Best Destination Tennis Vacations

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on The Best Destination Tennis Vacations

Tennis is one of the few sports where players can find a court in almost any location. However, for the true tennis connoisseur, only the best will do. Destination vacations are becoming increasingly popular in a health-conscious world. Unlike private tennis clubs, tennis players now can have the experience of an all-inclusive package that includes accommodation, airfare, fitness, spa, and most importantly plenty of Tennis. Indulge in endless private or family lessons, adult social clinics, junior’s tennis camps, and more.

Maybe you prefer an island tennis experience, perhaps a desert tennis getaway, how about tennis aboard a cruise ship, or even a seaside luxury tennis resort? Whatever your idea of the ideal destination tennis vacation is you’re sure to find a perfect blend of leisure travel with fitness. Choose from hard courts to clay and grass.

Destination Tennis vacations offer a limitless array of non-tennis activities set amongst beautiful backdrops and gorgeous sunsets. Healthy cuisine, guided tours, swimming, golf, massage, yoga, and much more are all part of the magic. Imagine coming home from a vacation refreshed and full of energy instead of fatigued. Pampered elegance at its finest best describes this kind of unique travel.

We’ve all heard that “families that play tennis together stay together”. Why not book your next Destination Tennis vacation with other like-minded families? Let the hotel concierges work with the Tennis department to line up matches and group lessons. After all this is your leisure time so have fun, relax, and enjoy the fresh air.

Dress codes are typically casual, but if you feel like shopping, almost every destination tennis resort has a wide variety of tennis apparel and equipment options at their Pro shops. Get the latest fashions from top designers. Expect to pay a little more because after all it is a hotel, but you’re on vacation so a little splurging here and there can add to the fun.

Quick recovery methods for combating Tennis Injuries

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Quick recovery methods for combating Tennis Injuries

It’s inevatable that injury will occur at some point in tennis since it’s a physical sport that places a lot of stress on the body the more competitive we play. Whether you suffer from joint pain, lower back pain, or tennis elbow there are numerous methods of treating these symptoms quickly so players can get back out on the faster.

Once such method is to explore the several prosthetic product options out there that can help restrain further injury and pain such as sport tapes, compression sleeves for knees and arms, and elbow guards for reducing tendinitis. The key is to continue wearing whenever you are on the court or until it is no longer needed. In addition there are some simple exercise tricks that can help accelerate muscle repair in these areas such as pushups, planks, and squats.

Like with other sports, it’s essential to stretch and loosen your muscles prior to playing tennis, then stretch again when you’re done. This will reduce the likelihood of muscle strains as well as the lower-back muscle spasms often experienced by tennis players. Core stretches such as trunk twists, arm circles and slow jogging from one part of the court to another are good ways to warm up your muscles prior to play. If you have chronic back pain, you may want to add to your warm up some lumbar stretches to your warm up routine. All professional tennis coaches recommend stretching before lessons so always try to arrive at least 10 minutes early. This practice also makes players more flexible and agile in their performance.

Learning proper technique will help reduce injuries when playing tennis. A professional coach will teach you optimal stances and other creative ways of working around injuries while still maintaining performance. One such method is using the one-handed backhand, which can reduce some of the rotational stress that this shot puts on the spine. Your coach can teach you safe practice techniques and help you avoid excessive repetition of a single kind of shot like a serve or overhead, reducing the chance of straining any muscle groups.

Massage Therapy has unlimited benefits for muscle spasms, soar joints, to tendinitis. Deep tissue massage and sports massage modalities are proven therapeutic methods of healing muscle and joints faster. You can always ask your licensed Massage therapies for additional methods you can use at home such as placing a tennis ball under your lower back to help relieve pressure.

Do Sports Supplements really work?

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Do Sports Supplements really work?

We all love taking group tennis lessons especially with friends and family. It’s a great way to stay fit with a healthy dose of competition. As we get older, stamina becomes a contributing factor. Equally important to note is that not all supplements are designed the same for men and women. Even more confusing is the subject around multi-vitamin supplements.

To define these questions, consider that for most recreational players the sport of Tennis is an activity that consists of short bursts of energy between 4-10 seconds in duration, with 10-20 seconds recovery times in between. Limited data exists detailing the dietary intakes and requirements for protein verses carbohydrates in racket sports. Although research has shown that a lower carbohydrate intake can limit high-intensity exercise. Therefore, its safe to say that glycogen depletion can likely fatigue a player during their tennis lesson or high-performance training.

Recent studies have shown that creatine can improve an athlete’s pre-workout performance. L-carnitine has been proven to expedite muscle recovery in post workout exercise. Nutritionists suggest there is a direct correlation between how a body transitions from pre-workout to post-workout exercise using these amino acid supplements.

Both can be effective for either pre-workout or post-workouts when they are high quality with no artificial flavoring. Alternatively, packing fruit, nuts, and low sugar snack bars can help to sustain energy throughout a tennis lesson or match. A final note to remember is as with any form of intense exercise is to stay hydrated with plenty of water. Stay away from soft drinks or other sugar related beverages as this can spike insulin levels and can cause dizziness, fatigue, or fainting in some cases.

Why do some players prefer “Grass Courts” over other types of surfaces?

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Why do some players prefer “Grass Courts” over other types of surfaces?

For starters, Grass Courts advocate a much softer on your body and joints. Up until the 1970s, grass was used at three of the four Grand Slam tournaments most notably Wimbledon, the exception being the French Open. Another advantage of grass courts is that they are the fastest of all the surfaces due to the slippery top soil. The ball moves at a faster pace with a lower bounce thus favoring players with a good serve and net players. By taking the ball out of the air you take the uncertainty out of the bounce proving in theory, that when the tennis ball smashes into the soft ground a slight skidding or sliding motion gives the ball a little “kick.” The skidding phenomenon takes some of the spin out of the ball, but the rotational energy is transferred into speed.

Grass Courts are well known for producing an unpredictable bounce to the ball due to the softer and slightly uneven surface of grass in general. This can be a competitive advantage for some players. Until a few years ago, grass court tennis were considered well suited for offensive players. In the early 2000s Wimbledon changed the composition of the grass courts in-an effort to make them more durable, but players companied that the change resulted in balls bouncing higher and slower off the new grass courts.

Grass courts are very expensive to build and maintain and therefore nowadays grass courts are very rare to find and most people want what we can’t have. Unfortunately, this means that few tennis players will ever actually play on grass courts in their lifetime. Even on the Pro Tour, the grass court season is very short and lasts only 4 weeks. However, “the grass isn’t always greener”. Due to the low bounce, players need to stay low all the time with their knees bent even more than usual, leaving some players to experience some discomfort if they aren’t used to playing on grass.

Finally, the biggest advantage to playing on grass courts is that it is easier to win a point in grass as it allows more aces and serve and volley style of play. The server can approach the net after serving and hit a volley and convert it into a point. Therefore, we see more serve points in Wimbledon than say in the French Open on clay. This is due to-the-fact that the slower court surfaces and quicker deflation of balls promotes longer rallies which is perfect if you are a spectator. However, in general the slower the surface, the less benefit of approaching the net which means it’s more physically demanding on the player.

Does age really factor into the decision to play Tennis verses Pickleball?

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on Does age really factor into the decision to play Tennis verses Pickleball?

In 2017, it was estimated that 962 million people around the planet were aged 60 or over, comprising a staggering 13% of the global population. The population aged 60 or above is growing at a rate of about 3% per year. Europe has the greatest percentage of population aged 60 or over at 25%. Rapid ageing will occur in other parts of the world as well, so that by 2050 all regions of the world except Africa will have nearly a quarter or more of their populations at ages 60 and above. The number of older persons in the world is projected to be 1.4 billion in 2030.

Another interesting statistic points to the fact that over 68% of all pickleball players are also over 60 years of age. Therefore, there is no denying that the lure of Pickleball is growing steadily in parallel with this age demographic population. In fact, there are more than 2 million people around the world playing it today. Skeptics are forecasting that in the next few years, we can expect four times as many pickleball players.

What’s the allure and why are traditional tennis enthusiasts turning in their rackets for paddles?
Maybe it’s because Pickleball has so many skills compatible with those of Tennis? Pickleball uses smaller courts, underhand strokes, and slower balls which appeal to many baby boomers who spent their previous decades hitting overhead smashes and charging the net and now want to stay active and competitive, despite their limitations. The game of Pickleball combines the elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Pickleball can be played indoors or outdoors with a paddle and a plastic ball, the court is the same size as a doubles badminton court, 20 by 44 feet and is striped similar-to a tennis court with left and right service courts. A 7-foot zone in front of the net, called the “kitchen,” designates the area players are not allowed to volley from. However, as of now the only lines that are supposed to be on tennis courts are tennis lines. Lines for 36- and 60-foot play can be added to tennis courts, but they must adhere to certain standards concerning color, spacing and width. Although it’s not uncommon to see lines for a variety of sports on private and recreational tennis courts. As the demand for court time grows through Pickleball ambassadors, more parks are building designated pickleball courts and more clubs are considering doing the same.

For now, the debate between the two sports continues. No player with hip, knee, or shoulder problems ever wants to hear that tennis may no longer be a realistic option. Athletes want to stay active and healthy throughout their entire lives. For these players, Pickleball just might be the answer. Starting in 2018 the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) and the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) will be offering Tennis Pro’s the opportunity to obtain their Pickleball teaching certifications. Additional distinctions for Wheelchair Pickleball will also be available. Interestingly the pro tours have not yet adopted Pickleball as a mainstream sport but that too will most likely change in the future.

If you like this article and want to learn more about Pickleball and would like Beach City Tennis Academy to send you a free copy of the official rule book, please reply to this blog with your email address and we will be happy to send you an electronic copy. Once teaching certifications become available, BCT Academy tennis staff plans to offer lessons and clinics as a licensed provider in designated locations.

How to determine your Tennis Level?

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on How to determine your Tennis Level?

The National Tennis Rating Program is available at most tennis academies and private clubs. The program allows players to properly assess their skill levels, from beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Certification programs are available through industry associations such as the USPAT or PTR. The rating system is used to evenly align players to compete against others of the same skill level. All United States Tennis Association leagues use the rating system for ladder tournament programming and is the official ranking system for non-USTA tennis events.

Beginner Level:
As a general rural of thumb, the rating system starts at 1.0 for beginners who have never picked up a racket. A 1.5 player may be able to hit the ball over the net but has never had their skill set ranked. If you have been playing for a while and can demonstrate some short rally ball control your rating should be closer to a 2.0 as an example. A 2.5 player typically has stronger ball control but lacks timing.

Intermediate Level:
A 3.0 player can rally consistently with repetitive rhythm but typically needs more point strategy development. A 3.5 player typically struggles with shot selection and execution but has but mastered shot placement and depth. lack depth and variety, you are most likely ranked at 3.5. Advanced Intermediate players typically are ranked as 4.0 players because they are well versed in the technical and mechanical aspects of their long game but are still learning how to improve their net play game with shots such as lobs, overheads, and volleys.

Advanced Level:
The 4.5 level player is typically what you see competing in leagues and tournament play and can confidently serve and return shots making points using higher velocity ball speed and topspin to pace the ball. Once a player reaches the 5.0-5.5 level, they are typically nationally ranked and are competing regularly. Once a player starts winning national tournaments they can reach 6.0 or higher and make a run for the pro tour.

How often should tennis players get their rackets restrung?

Posted on | by admin | Leave a Comment on How often should tennis players get their rackets restrung?

The restringing questions is one we get asked a lot as Tennis Pro’s. The basic idea is you should replace your strings as many times per year as you play per week. In other words, if you play once a week you then you should restring your racquet once per year. Of course, this theory of frequency has some flaws and should be considered on how hard you play verses how often you play like a set of brake pads for your car. If you are hard on your brakes you are going to need to replace them more often than other drivers who are not.

Another theory is that competitive players should change out their strings before every match to improve the length of play. While this is a personal choice, it’s not necessarily realistic for all budgets unless of course you break a lot of strings during match play.

The real answer can be found in the style of play. For example, if you prefer an eastern grip you most likely hit the ball softer than say a semi-western or western grip. These grips tend to be impacted more by the friction against the ball wearing down the strings faster.

Another tip is to at the tension weight. Players who like to hit a heavy ball are simply going to break strings more often. Tension weight can greatly improve power but be prepared to pay for it later. You may have read in some of previous we always recommend paying attention to the material used when stringing your racket as well. Synthetic such as nylon fibers tend to last longer.

If you are still in doubt there are several key indicators that alert players, it’s time to replace their strings such as loss of control of ball. Players will noticeably start seeing more errors and finding it tougher to place shots. Loss of topspin is a major signal and lack of the pop factor. Finally, several racket manufacturers have diagnostic centers at dedicated pros hops where players can test their string bed deflection for free.