Topic: Tennis4you - Tennis Journal

[monstertruck]

Is your goal to hit each muscle group once a week?
Or are you just winging it and having fun?

[Tennis4you]

Is your goal to hit each muscle group once a week?
Or are you just winging it and having fun?

Once a week?  You must think I am slacking...

If I started on a Monday this is what it would look like:

Monday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Tuesday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Wednsday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Thursday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Friday:  Rest
Saturday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Sunday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)

That is why I need to work shoulders in.  That gives each major muscle two days to recoup instead of just 1.  That is how I use to do it back in the day.  Although now it is more about lower weight (Still to exhaustion on lots of sets) & higher reps.

I would be lying though if I said I did not hit 2 days of rest this week, but that is OK too.  But above is the goal with shoulder added in there as their own day.

[monstertruck]

Is your goal to hit each muscle group once a week?
Or are you just winging it and having fun?

Once a week?  You must think I am slacking...

If I started on a Monday this is what it would look like:

Monday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Tuesday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Wednsday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Thursday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Friday:  Rest
Saturday:  Chest / Bi's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)
Sunday:  Back / Tri's (Then the few sets of legs & stomach with treadmill)

That is why I need to work shoulders in.  That gives each major muscle two days to recoup instead of just 1.  That is how I use to do it back in the day.  Although now it is more about lower weight (Still to exhaustion on lots of sets) & higher reps.

I would be lying though if I said I did not hit 2 days of rest this week, but that is OK too.  But above is the goal with shoulder added in there as their own day.

Have you thought of making the legs (largest muscles in the body!) a separate group? 
Another technique is to superset opposing muscle groups.

Supersets
Supersets are an advanced bodybuilding technique in which you perform a set of two different exercises back-to-back. According to MuscleandStrength.com founder Damien Mase, the exercises you choose for supersets must be close together on your body, such as triceps and biceps or hamstrings and quadriceps. Once you have chosen two exercises, perform a full set of one followed immediately by a full set of the second. This combination of exercises forces more blood into the target muscles and will cause you to reach muscle exhaustion quickly

Great for workout efficiency and plateau breakthroughs.
This also allows for maximum rest and twice a week training of all muscle groups.

Monday-  Chest & back (always do before 'arm' day).
Tuesday-  Legs & shoulders.
Wednesday-  Bi's, Tri's and forearms (especially for you tennis players! )
Thursday-  Rest or repeat cycle.

From there you can add your cardio and core training as necessary.

Sounds like you're on the right track by keeping the weight down, reps up, and working the muscles to exhaustion.  The last thing you want to do (for your tennis) is limit flexibility and develop muscles trained to function in only linear movements.

Good luck and have fun!

[Tennis4you]

Supersets eh?  That sounds interesting.  I like the theory.

Hit back and tris last night with 6 sets (2 different types ) of stomach.  Not sure how to tell if it is "core" stuff though.  I need to research core exercises.

[monstertruck]

Supersets eh?  That sounds interesting.  I like the theory.

Hit back and tris last night with 6 sets (2 different types ) of stomach.  Not sure how to tell if it is "core" stuff though.  I need to research core exercises.

The basic concept was to increase bloodflow to the pair of opposing muscles being worked.  I though it also helped workout efficiency.  At the very least, it's a great plateau buster providing some muscle confusion for a short time.

[Tennis4you]

Hit with Jamesdster last night for an hour.  We are both rusty and a little hesitant to be slamming around on our feet.  Not bad stuff though and we hit a lot of balls in an hour.

Ankle felt pretty good.  I did not slam the brakes on it too hard though except a few times and I of course had an ankle brace on.  I will play a match tomorrow but probably unwisely. I will keep the brace on for matches and do ankle strengthening exercises between matches assuming I can find some good ones to do online.

[monstertruck]

How severe was the sprain?
Is the pain bearable and has swelling subsided?

Thank goodness you already know the benefits of applying ice to the area post workout and do so on a regular basis.......

After that, initial rehab begins with stretching.
I know as much about ankles as I do buffet lines.

[Tennis4you]

Problem is, I am just guessing it is an ankle sprain.  No initial trauma, no swelling.  But I can feel it in the outer ankle and if I stop on it hard enough I can feel it in the inner ankle too.  Add to that the top of the foot is starting to bother me when I drive and it bothered me pretty bad last time I hit with wife 2 weeks ago.  I have a foot doctor appointment next Monday. 

[Jamesdster]

Hit with Jamesdster last night for an hour.  We are both rusty and a little hesitant to be slamming around on our feet.  Not bad stuff though and we hit a lot of balls in an hour.

Ankle felt pretty good.  I did not slam the brakes on it too hard though except a few times and I of course had an ankle brace on.  I will play a match tomorrow but probably unwisely. I will keep the brace on for matches and do ankle strengthening exercises between matches assuming I can find some good ones to do online.

You and me together on a tennis court and AT THE SAME TIME?  What were the odds of that happening?  Oh the humanity.

[Tennis4you]

humanity or humility?

[monstertruck]

That doesn't sound like any sprain I've ever had.

Git ye to the saw bones!

[Tennis4you]

That doesn't sound like any sprain I've ever had.

Git ye to the saw bones!

Me neither, but it feels like the week after the initial trauma of a sprain...

[Tennis4you]

Played last night after 3 1/2 weeks off of match play.  I hit with Jamesdster Monday night which helped shake some of the rust. 

I played pretty darn well last night.  RG and I tore into VC and MC 6-1, 7-6 (0).  The only thing I did not do well was serve hard.  I pretty much just hit high kickers and not even that hard.  RG was volleying well and I was too so the softer kick serves into the corners was doing OK.  Ankle help up but I could slightly feel it.  Brace was obviously on.  MC said it sounds like I have a high ankle sprain.  He said to screw ditch the foot doctor and see a orthopedic.  Foot doctor actually called me this morning to reschedule.  I told them I would call them back.  We will see...

[Tennis4you]

Had a nail-bitter today against Jamsdster.  Long 2 1/2 hour match of dubs.  We each had really solid partners today.  Maybe very strong 4.0 / weak 4.5? (Jamesdster can give his thoughts on that). 
 
 We got broke early in the first set but broke back, broke again and we got broke serving for the set (I think I got broke?  I forget).  We took the first set 7-6 (5).  (I think "5").
 
 Second set we got a break late and served for the match but my partner got broke.  That went to a tb and we lost it 6-8.
 
 Played a third set tb where my partner came alive and hit some blistering groundies.  We got up 9-6, I served to Jamesdster and my partner missed an easy high ball at the net.  Should have been an overhead but I think he played it like a high volley?  He hit it straight down into the ground on our side.  I lose the net point after a few tough volleys, I missed one wide.  That put us back on serve and Jamesdster serving.  We lucked out in the end and got that point and took it 10-8.
 
 Both Jamesdster and I were rusty for sure  Jamesdster's partner played very solid and my partner had his ups and downs.  Luckily he had one of those ups in the 3rd set tb.  Jamesdster and I are gonna be sore tomorrow!

[Jamesdster]

Had a nail-bitter today against Jamsdster.  Long 2 1/2 hour match of dubs.  We each had really solid partners today.  Maybe very strong 4.0 / weak 4.5? (Jamesdster can give his thoughts on that). 
 
 We got broke early in the first set but broke back, broke again and we got broke serving for the set (I think I got broke?  I forget).  We took the first set 7-6 (5).  (I think "5").
 
 Second set we got a break late and served for the match but my partner got broke.  That went to a tb and we lost it 6-8.
 
 Played a third set tb where my partner came alive and hit some blistering groundies.  We got up 9-6, I served to Jamesdster and my partner missed an easy high ball at the net.  Should have been an overhead but I think he played it like a high volley?  He hit it straight down into the ground on our side.  I lose the net point after a few tough volleys, I missed one wide.  That put us back on serve and Jamesdster serving.  We lucked out in the end and got that point and took it 10-8.
 
 Both Jamesdster and I were rusty for sure  Jamesdster's partner played very solid and my partner had his ups and downs.  Luckily he had one of those ups in the 3rd set tb.  Jamesdster and I are gonna be sore tomorrow!

7-6 6-7 10-8..Scott and Zack over Paul and me.  Both Scott and I are coming off layoffs and our partners, in my opinion played GREAT.  My partner played as well as he can.  I put it all on me, or should I say all on my rustiness.  But to be honest, I played ok for as little as I have played in the last 4 months.  Scott played pretty well but not as good as usual.  It came down to Zack vs Paul and they got us.  I served at 8-9 to Zack and he hit a weak shot to my forehand volley that I dumped into the net.  FUNNNN FUNNN Match.  If I can stay healthy, this match coulde be a launching pad to better things.  I would rather lose this match than win 2 & 2 in a non-competitive match.  GREAT MATCH

[Tennis4you]

Like I said earlier, fun but frustrating.  I do not ever want to miss every first serve to PC for an entire set and then poach some of his returns and miss them all.  I bet a lot of my missed had to do with taking my eyes off the ball too early.  That and some bad timing.  I play USTA tomorrow and I will be sore as all get out.  I don't do well when my legs feel like I had just run a 4,000 mile marathon.

[Jamesdster]

Like I said earlier, fun but frustrating.  I do not ever want to miss every first serve to PC for an entire set and then poach some of his returns and miss them all.  I bet a lot of my missed had to do with taking my eyes off the ball too early.  That and some bad timing.  I play USTA tomorrow and I will be sore as all get out.  I don't do well when my legs feel like I had just run a 4,000 mile marathon.

You will be fine tomorrow.  I didn't get "the call" so that is probably a good thing.  I am weeks or months away from being 100% (or as close to it as possible).  My leg is weak from the sciatica and was told that could take months to recover from.

[Tennis4you]

Randy talked to JR yesterday and they only had 5 or 6 people without Randy.  Randy is still playing is day by day with the back.  We are old yo.

[Jamesdster]

Randy talked to JR yesterday and they only had 5 or 6 people without Randy.  Randy is still playing is day by day with the back.  We are old yo.

Well, if you talk to the captains, let them know I can play if we are short.

[Tennis4you]

coolio!