Topic: Tennis Activity

[krizzle]

I suppose it's time for me to create a tennis journal; i'm starting to play tennis rather seriously.
First off, some facts:
Age: 14
Grade: Freshman
Weight:132
Height: 5'3.5"
Body Fat: around 10.5%
Decently muscular and strong
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Tennis background:
Parents haven't really played. I took some classes when I was six, but dropped tennis in favor of soccer. When I made Freshman soccer, I decided to do track to keep me in shape, but I enjoy tennis much more.
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I have taken a few more tennis classes (6) and my tennis season starts tomorrow.
I expect to make the tennis team, meaning I will be automatically placed on JV where doubles are played. With some coaching, I will perhaps be able to make Varsity. Today there were 18 people who met with the coach, though it was raining. I expect around 25 people to try-out; the limit is 30. 
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My pre-season schedule, that started a month before tryouts:
Wake up either 6:45 or 7:15, play tennis AM 7:20-8:00 if I woke up,
Class 8:05-11:40
Play tennis 11:50-12:20
Class 12:25-3:05
workout at the gym, alternating between:
Arms and cardio stuff (3* 1 mile or 2* 1.5 mile) -Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Core and legs and cardio (2* 1 mile or 1*2)-Tuesday, Thursday
After M-W-F workouts, i'd go home and do homework
After the T-T workouts, I would have a tennis lesson (5-6)
Regardless, i'd have dinner 6:15
Do homework
Go to sleep 10:00/15/30
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My strengths as a tennis player:
-I run down every ball that I feel I can get to, often hitting winners from drop shots
-Forehands
-Decent fitness level
-Volleys
My weaknesses:
-Backhand
-Serve
-Consistency/(focus?)
-Overhead smashes

~K

[krizzle]

Severe back pain as well as the weather conditions have not permitted me to train. Luckily, the back pain is a muscle strain and not something more dangerous (internal organ stuff) and has gotten better over the past few days, and I am fully prepared to return to tennis on Monday after a week of not practicing.

[euroka1]

Severe back pain as well as the weather conditions have not permitted me to train. Luckily, the back pain is a muscle strain and not something more dangerous (internal organ stuff) and has gotten better over the past few days, and I am fully prepared to return to tennis on Monday after a week of not practicing.

I had a lot of back pain in my twenties but it was all fixed by physiotherapy to strengthen the back muscles. Still use the same routines. Physiotherapists can be very helpful when the pain does not go away.
Best wishes for a speedy return to tennis. Keep up the good play. 

[krizzle]

Through a somewhat miraculous recovery, my back has almost completely healed within four days. It still hurts on full-out sprints, but I fully expect to start practicing on Sunday, with official tryouts on Monday. Depending on the pain, I might do some conditioning Sunday, as well as do some rallying.

[Tennis4you]

Good luck in the try outs!

[krizzle]

I played soccer for two hours today, probably not the best idea. Back is fine though, no pain. I'm playing tennis tomorrow as a warm-up for tryouts.
Btw, how is the NTRP ranking determined?

[Tennis4you]

Here is the link to the NTRP.  I feel that anyone reading this will rate themselves .5 higher than they probably are.

http://www.tennis4you.com/links/rate-yourself/rate-yourself.htm

[krizzle]

I rallied for an hour today (Feb 28), and no pain!
Looks like i'm completely back to playing. I do have a problem with the NTRP ranking, though. It seems it might be something like 3    rankings too high for me.
From 4.5:
Starting to master the use of power and spins and beginning to handle pace, has sound footwork, can control depth of shots and is beginning to vary game plan according to opponents.
Has good shot anticipation.  Is able to force errors off of short balls and can put away volleys, can successfully execute lobs, drop shots, half volleys.

[krizzle]

First official tennis practice today.
3 hours long, with drills involving forehands, backhands, volleys, serves, and overhead shots. After that, I played a doubles match with my friend. After losing the first two games, it was my turn to serve. It took a very long time, but I eventually held serve, and we won the next five sets after that, winning 6-2.
It's really intense! 
Rallying for some time and drills take a lot out of me, and so does playing a match.

[krizzle]

It's been a whole week of tennis. Tennis practice is extremely intensive, leaving me tired out and unwilling to do any homework. This week I badly hyper-extended my shoulder trying to reach a drop-shot, and played through it and it has recovered. I also went from lower JV (doubles) to practicing on the low end of varsity (singles). It looks as though I might make Varsity, and not be the lowest ranking person there. 

[sydneyguru]

From your last two posts, it sounds like endurance may be an issue for you.  Short burts and recovery seem fine.  Are you doing anything for endurance?

[krizzle]

Actually, endurance is my strong point. I've gotten a lot better recently at anticipating the ball, and moving there, and so most drop-shots won't work on me. The only ones that I cannot reach are when I am 5 ft behind the baseline and the other person hits a lot of spin.

Today, it was warm. And then it turned cold and windy. And then it snowed. In March. We had to cancel practice, so I found an opportunity to head over to our school gym.

[krizzle]

Another day of practice cut short by rain. I had some good consistency on my cross-court shots and I am now much more formidable at smashes. I didn't make many unforced errors today, and my volleying was crisp. My serving did not get much better, though. The coach wants me to practice with the Varsity players.

That was incoherent. Sorry, i'm really tired.

[krizzle]

I played two practice sets that determine ranking for my high school team. My first match:
I was playing a sophomore, a year older than me, who had played last year on varsity. I started off very well, winning the first two games, and losing one. Eventually, I reached a 5-2 lead. I was serving, and the score was 30:30. After some really nice play hitting out wide, he stopped running, too tired. I had an open court to hit to. The ball flew off my racket, and dipped. It hit the upper part of the net cord, and taunted me, before it dropped onto my court. Disappointed, I lost the point after that, and therefore the game (no Ad scoring). Some way or another, I found myself at 5:5. That was the pressure I needed, winning the next game, but I was broken serve, leading to a tiebreak. After losing the first point, I played well and finally won the set 7-6, that should have been mine at 6-2. Oh well, that's life.
My second match:
I played a freshman who i'd practiced with before. He's pretty tall, almost 6 ft tall. His serve was a bit off, but so were my returns. Much to my surprise, he could not deal with my lobs, even though he has a huge reach. In much easier fashion, I had 30:30 again serving for the match at 5-2. Once again, I was broken serve, leading to 5-3. After a few well played points, I was leading 40-0. After a very questionable call from an overhead smash, I rallied again and won the next point, winning 6-3.

It was difficult, but I won both matches! 

[Tennis4you]

Nice job winning both matches.  Where do you think that puts you on the team right now?

[krizzle]

I'd say it puts me within the top 8 out of something like 22. I'm pretty sure i'll make varsity, but only top 4 play singles.

After really bad weather canceling tennis, I went to the gym. I did something like 72 repetitions all-together of 50 or 60 pounds on the rowing machine, some ab stuff on a machine, calves, and shoulder muscles (deltoids, trapezius).

[krizzle]

There was no practice Friday. I rallied for a while, though, in the windy conditions, and am not feeling 100% healthy today. It's actually nice weather outside, and it's a bummer I can't be out there. Instead, i'm doing this workout:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/925256/how_to_get_six_pack_abs_in_6_minutes_on_your_couch_this_works/

and it's really intense. Hopefully tomorrow i'll be feeling better and ready to play.

[Tennis4you]

Hitting in the wind is good practice for your footwork!

Hope you feel better next time!

[krizzle]

I've been working on my serve, but unfortunately it still goes out. I've had my coach look at it for over an hour, and he's changed both my grip and my swing, but I consistently hit long or hit a slice that goes waaay out.

[krizzle]

          I've been working on my serve again, and it's coming nicely but truthfully it could be better. I played my third match for ranking in my team today, against a person who might make varsity.
          I started off playing well, breaking his serve, but he broke mine. This continued until he was up 3-2 and I was serving, but for the first time I held serve. After getting back to 4-4, he held serve, forcing me to clutch serve. At 30:30, he gained a point, meaning that it was double-match point (no ad in highschool). Fortunately, I gained the next two points myself, meaning 5-5. We both broke serve again, leading to a tie-break. After gaining a four-point lead, after two dubious calls it was 4-2. I gave up the next, but then held and won the match, (7-3 points), 7-6.
          My serving was definitely off today, and I'm planning on working on it for a while. Also, I could not put away volleys down the line. If I had been able to, I would have gained crucial points and maybe won 6-3 or 4.
         I'm in really good physical fitness right now, but I only have two days of tennis before a break lasting a whole week. Hopefully this spring break won't see me lose fitness (i plan on doing HIIT up a decent sized hill and doing general-body workouts.)