GET FIT TO PLAY SPORT, NOT PLAY SPORT TO GET FIT.
 
A well-designed strength training program can work wonders for your game...long gone are the
days when coaches believed all forms of strength training were detrimental to sports demanding
finely-tuned skills. While the wrong type of weight training can be a hindrance to your game,
follow simple guidelines and the benefits can be immense. Being a sport that requires many
physical requirements, such as good flexibility, co-ordination, aerobic fitness, strength and a good
mental ability, there is obviously a lot of room for improvement in most players of any racket sport.

·  Short bursts of explosive exercise, either sprinting, jumping or swinging the racket
 
·  Short recovery between each point, especially for squash and badminton when played at a high standard. With tennis having short rest breaks at various intervals of the game
 
·  A lot of running around back and forth with plenty of lateral movement to both sides
 
·  Time on court can vary from 30 minutes to 3 hours plus, so a good endurance base is required for those that are serious about their sport
 
·  There is no rest period during intense rallies, the rally stops when a player loses a point. Points are lost and won depending on the skills and fitness level of you the player

If you take the game seriously, a training program should be high on your agenda. It doesn't need to be overly complicated, but it does need to more refined than those "off the shelf" programs found in every commercial fitness magazine. Those enlightened enough to condition themselves for racket sports usually lift the typical '3 sets of 10' in the weight room...that's not the best approach...not when strength training specifically for racket sports. Spend a little of your time understanding how to train optimally for the demands of your sport and you will reap the rewards on the court!

Discipline, motivation, self confidence...lack any of these when it comes to training? I will give you my support, guidance and knowledge to help you reach your goals, and with a combination of your hard work and determination you will be one step closer to achieving them. I believe in quality over quantity so i always train hard and make each workout count and that is how i will deliver my sessions with you.
Get pro active. Get fit.
 
Health and fitness is in my blood - i've just grown up with it. I studied
Health Promotion & Personal Training at the Uniersityof Chichester
and am also level 2 and level 3 qualified. I am currently working at
Fitness First in Waterlooville where i train many different people of
all ages, shapes and sizes, however i want to reach out to others
who may need a nudge in the right direction. I can gurantee you
results and improve your life so please feel free to contact me.

Cheers,

Chris Sturge

Mobile: 07902 027250

Injury Prevention
 
Of course it is unrealistic to completely eliminate injuries in sport, but we can do our best to
minimise the risk.
Firstly, be flexible.
Muscles that are able to work trough a greater range of movement will tire less quickly and work
more efficiently.
Secondly, warm up before playing, especially in colder weather. Dress appropriately. If it is cold put on more layers, they can always be removed.
Thirdly, re-hydrate. If you have work hard you will need to replace fluid lost. It is important to drink plenty and eat a healthy diet.

Should injuries occur apply crushed ice in a bag covered in a damp tea-towel. This should be applied for 5-15 minutes and can be applied as often as is needed for the first 24 hours.
If after 3-4 days the injury does not feel it is getting better seek help.
As a rough guide-line muscle strains will take 6-8 weeks to repair.
Ligament and tendan sprains (eg. ankle sprain) will take 8-12 weeks.
Ankle rehabilitation is advised after an ankle sprain.

For advice or further information please call,

Cate Munro-Clark MCSP

www.lissphysio.com

Clinic: 01730 890118
Mobile: 07918236032

• Don't let an opponents' bad line call change the out come of the    match. The result depends on your reaction to the call.

• Why give yourself a hard time on court, when you have an opponent    to focus on beating.

• Consistent play is the foundation of every win.

• Keep your body language positive.

• Respect your opponent.

• Don't let nerves and frustration lead to negative play. Channel them    into positive out comes.

• It doesn't matter how much you are loosing by, you can still come    back and win.

• Regardless of who your opponent is or what their LTA rating, you still    need to find a way to beat them and everyone can be beaten.

• Enjoy playing the match.

• Your next shot is only as good as your recovery.

• After a match, whether it was a win or loss, analyse it and take    something positive from it.

Top spin Forehand

These steps will give players the technical aspects of a forehand that you can then build upon to create a consistent forehand.

Grip

The grip depends on a player’s standard of play and the surface they predominately play on. For example: for a grass court an extreme topspin grip is less effective as the surface is faster and we want the ball to skid through the court instead of sitting up for players to attack.
For the average player the semi-western grip provides sufficient top spin and racket head control. Players should have a strong grip on the racket without squeezing and the strings should be tilted towards the floor instead of facing the sky where slice will be created.

Backswing

The backswing gives a player either plenty of time to execute the shot, or not enough time to produce a good contact point.
As soon as the player is aware they will have to hit a forehand the backswing should begin. This should be before the ball has crossed the net. The racket head needs to smoothly, not rapidly and disjointed, get in a position where it is below the wrist and below the height of the ball. The eye of the racket needs to be pointing down the court to give the player enough swing to generate momentum through the contact.
The non dominant arm should be out in front of the body to enable good rotation through the shoulders. The key to a strong forehand is adaptability. If your opponent is playing a big shot to you, you will need to shorten your back swing to give a stronger contact. This shorter back swing will give you time to get the desired contact; instead of driving through the shot the forehand becomes a counter punch, where the opponents power has been used to send the ball back just as fast. This is playing the forehand with an efficient swing.

Contact Point

The contact point needs to be out in front of the body to enable a full range of movement through the wrist, forearm, shoulders and waist to transfer the greatest amount of effortless power. It is at this point players need to be driving the racket head up the back of the ball to create topspin.
It is crucial that the player is watching the ball throughout the contact. If you lift your head too early (this may be down to being too eager to see the effectiveness of the shot), the contact will change and mistakes will be easily made.
Players should extend their arm through the contact point to give an effective contact. Players who contact the ball late are more susceptible to injuries, as non dominant muscles are being strained and you will not create the same amount of power and top spin on the forehand.

Follow through

During the contact you should accelerate the racket head to generate sufficient spin and power; now the swing needs to slow down and drop over the opposite shoulder to the side the shot is being played. Where a player follows through will affect the spin and flight of the ball. The follow through needs to be high and over the shoulder.