Alexander Technique

The Alexander technique has been typically used with musicians and actors to maximize breathing capacity and posture alignment. It teaches how to free ones-self from self-imposed limitations that may have been incidentally learned in past skill building. Its main purposes are movement freedom, self-improvement affecting poise, impulse control and directing attention. After several sessions with Carolyn, I found I had an increased mechanical ability on all strokes. My serve speed improved and my arms became more relaxed over time. I introduced Carolyn Kepes to a few of my tennis players and they now see her on a regular basis. If you are interested in more information about the Alexander Technique you can email Carolyn at this address carolyn7k@gmail.com

Rolfing

I was lucky enough to receive a phone call recently from a woman named Aline Newton. Aline introduced me to rolfing and after two sessions I found I can move with more efficiency which also translated to the tennis court. Luckily enough, she was interested in learning tennis so our little barter worked out well.

Rolfing is stated as a “holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organized the whole body in gravity”. It is difficult for me to paint a clear picture to what Rolfing is, I’ll give you my experience in layman’s terms. Aline applies pressure to certain areas of the body including the feet, pelvis and shoulders. This is combined with massage to enable tight muscles to fall into mechanical advantage. After experiencing time on the table or seated upright on the bench I found that my body felt very strange. (in a good way) My walking momentum and posture improved noticeably and it enacted a permanent change in how I moved through space.

I recommend you go to her website

Meditation

I think it’s time that atletes got past the “talent myth”. (http://www.larrygluck.com/the-talent-myth) I don’t believe that Michael Jordan was born to be a Basketball player. He simply had a vision, his thoughts and external doubters didn’t get in the way of that vision and he transformed his body commensurate with his goals which were obviously to be the greatest basketball player in history. (arguably)

The physical is important, don’t get me wrong. In fact, I believe that working on the physical body helps the mind tremendously but the physical body must also be attacked in reverse. In my humble opinion, meditation should be a part of every athletes training. No, I’m not asking you to become a Buddhist, this is purely about taking the time to attempt eliminating thoughts which often hinder our ability to think clearly when we are fully conscious. If we can think clearly, then we are more likely to learn at a greater rate. Here is a recent article in Science Daily. It’s a good read

Tai Chi

The final “outside the box” training form is Tai Chi. I should warn you that I haven’t tried tai chi just yet, however, it is next on my list. Tai Chi translates from Chinese as “supreme ultimate fist”. What attracts me to this is the fact that the focus is on internal power, thus providing the external with power potential if achieved correctly. Lastly, to learn Tai Chi is quite inexpensive. Costs can be as low as $12/class. Once I have experienced some classes I will share what I experience.

Overall, it’s important to keep an open mind when learning anything. I must stress that Rolfing and the Alexander technique can be expensive so you have to design your training programs on what you can afford. If you’re interested in learning further. Type these trainings into youtube and do some research yourself to see what may resonate with you.

Notice how relaxed Federer’s neck is and how whip like his arms are. Ground force from his leg drive facilitates torso rotation. His smooth kinetic chain sequence is enabled due to his well aligned torso.

Roddick achieves maximal torso rotation on his serve which is made possible by a perfect 90 degree knee bend and finishing in a balanced position. If you observe carefully you’ll notice that his arm is not culprit in producing force yet it is his legs and torso rotation that provides this force. His posture is neutral throughout the swing’s entirety.

If we look at some yoga postures that are specific to tennis postures then we are on our way to finding solutions to achieve mechanical perfection in tennis. These are beginners exercises that do not involve rotation but mainly focus on awareness and maintaining neutral spine.

The cat cow stretch is perfect for mechanical proprioception, lower back pain and training posture in a very stable and simple position.

This is advertised as a golf exercise but this position is important for landing after the serve. If you go back to Roddick’s serve you’ll notice he is in this arabesque position after all of his serves.

The downward dog pose is very good for creating a perfect hinging angle for your hits whilst opening up your shoulders, gluteals and hamstrings. If you beginning this pose I recommend you keep bending your knees while you’re in the pose to you can continuously realign your lower back.

I really like warrior 2 for tennis because it promotes centered balance and alignment for open stance forehands/backhands.

So there you have it, these are some simple exercises for any level to improve some mechanical fundamentals. There will be more exercises soon to come. If you’re interested in comprehensive yoga training then go try a beginners class at your local gym or yoga centre. Enjoy!

Masteries

Nutritional – I cannot give sound nutritional advice because it is not my field but after watching the movie food inc I will not be eating the same things I used to eat. I highly recommend this movie if you can stomach it. I could only get through fifteen minutes and I started tearing up. (Don’t laugh, it is truly traumatic what happens to these animals) I try buy fresh organic foods from co-ops and markets when possible. From the information I have received thus far I would recommend you eat lots of nuts, berries, beans, fruits, vegetables and buy organic farm raised meats if possible. Give up the soda and stick to water. High fructose corn syrup is extremely bad for you so that should be enough to deter you from gatorade and soft drink.

Strength/power – Most sports require extraordinary amounts of power. Plyometric training like jumps, skipping are helpful. It is also good to test yourself to monitor progression of height and distance. If you are confused as to which exercises to do, jump on youtube and type in “plyometrics tennis” and you will get some great advice from the likes of Pat Etcheberry and others. Surfing youtube is definitely the way to go for on and off court exercises.

Movement – Again, youtube is a great resource. I recommend ladder training, cone weaving and reaction ball exercises if you have a partner. Make sure when you take off from a ready position that you don’t naturally take a step backwards, this can be corrected through repetition.

Social – A balanced social life is important for growth. If all you do is go to school, train and sleep then you are not connecting with others and fulfilling a very important part of your life. The only way to have good social skills is to be social. Go sit in a coffee shop and chat to some random who sits by you, or watch go watch football game with some cranberry juice and have a laugh.

Mechanical – Perfect mechanics can only be achieved with sound advice from professionals who know their stuff or rigorous self study if a coach cannot be afforded, however, they can’t be achieved unless you train mechanics in other aspects of your training. For example replacing “stretching” with yoga increases your efficiency because not only are you lengthening your muscles, you are strengthening them and developing your mechanics in all planes at once.

Tactical – Tactics are important in tennis. Game situations and match practice should be a time to work on specifics. Tactics can’t be thought up in a match, they must be “experienced” in practice. Observe if you are playing the most intelligent shot possible and moving the the most intelligent position possible when you practice so these patterns become autonomous during match play.

Study – I have one word. Youtube. Take time to study your favorite players. How do they move? What decisions do they make in which situations? Watch slow motion video in high definition to observe mechanics and movement. These visuals will inspire you to work on certain aspects in your training.

Relationship – Balance your relationships. I’m talking about with family and friends. Take the time and energy to visit and spend time with them when you can. They will always be there for you, make sure that you’re there for them too.

Muscular quality – A trainer once said to me that you are only as good as your tightest muscle. Massage therapy is important to keep muscles soft and supple so they can function at greater rates. I know it is expensive but if you can find it in your budget to receive regular massage then take up that opportunity, even if you have to barter for it. Bartering with Massage therapists can be difficult because their work is so much more difficult than other services like personal training or tennis lessons. You might have to offer two tennis lessons for a massage… sorry.

Financial – Financial stability is important. If you live beyond your means you’ll be forced to live beneath your means. (Don’t let your government be your guide hahaha) If you have to take up a part time job to pay for your training then so be it. Many tennis players don’t risk going straight onto the tour. You should look to playing college tennis or club tennis in europe if you are self sufficient because the tour is risky without financial back up. Injuries are always possible so you must take these things into consideration. I also recommend couch surfing if you can’t afford hotels. Times are tough, stay on a couch or two when you’re on the tour until you meet enough people around the world.

Earth – Don’t forget about nature. It is healthy to connect with the earth. Go for some nature hikes and observe some birds and squirrels. It is good to get away from the cities and the tennis court once in a while and enjoy what the natural world has to offer like humans used to do.

Spiritual – Tennis is a very spiritual sport whether you believe in the new age or not. Just the very idea of being present. Not thinking about the past or thinking about the future is paramount whilst in a tennis match. Federer is a great example of presence. He is almost always able to perform optimally for this reason. I recommend meditation for tennis players. Try taking a meditation class. Your brain is usually thinking about stuff all day, meditation gives those brain firings a rest and can give you access to your true self and this can be a window to true potential.

Yoga – I think yoga should replace general stretching. It is much more efficient that traditional stretches because the practice has a strong emphasis on posture, muscular lengthening, mechanics and body awareness. Go on the internet and see if your local gym has any yoga classes. Make a fool out of yourself and attend. Only the fool will not attend.

In the end, balance your life, use your resources and open your mind with your training. Use couch surfing for your travels, youtube for your study and facebook to stay connected with friends. I hope some of these suggestions are helpful. Good luck!

“Neurons that no longer fire together no longer wire together” (Dr Joe Dispenza)
Unfortunately, when a player reacts to a perceived negative outcome, these neurons are strengthened to further wire the same reaction in a similar future circumstance. This is why you see the same competitors react the same way week in week out. Roger Federer generally does not react to errors because his brain is not wired that way through repetition of not reacting. Roger wasn’t always this way. As a junior he used to react to errors, however, he has changed his philosophy because he had the courage to stop the reactionary strengthened pathways.

If you are a player who reacts negatively to outcomes such as easy misses or disappointing losses, then you are living a considerable amount of time in the past whilst on the tennis court. If you’re a player who worries or is over anxious about outcomes before they happen, then you are living a considerable amount of time in the future. Some play in both past and future, but is that how you want to live your life? Is it worth feeling this way every time you step on the tennis court?

So how can you overcome these negative wirings? Well first you have to admit that you feel this way and identify the problem at hand. If you can dedicate your next training session to “not reacting” after a situation that you normally do react to, then you have already taken the first step to changing these pathways, then the environment will change as a result. Every time you don’t react to something you used to react to, it becomes easier until you don’t even perceive a missed shot as a negative at all, only it is observed and the information is processed accurately. If you can take that first step to overcome these issues, living in the present is can be beautiful and rewarding.

“The environment is an extension of the mind” (Dr Joe Dispenza)
Depression is as simple as re-living the past over and over again in the present. Physiologically you actually experience the same emotions every time your mind goes back to a negative part of your life, whether it is a bad loss in tennis or a girl breaking your heart. Again, if you keep re-living the past, you strengthen neurological pathways to keep you thinking about the past and it becomes more and more difficult to break. But can still be done by anyone.

Alternatively, the same can be said for anxiety. If your mind perceives an outcome like losing the final of a tournament, a girl not liking you or even envisioning a bad day at the office because of someone you conflict with, your neurons will strengthen and in the quantum world these outcomes can manifest.

Your mind does not know the difference between what is taking place in reality and what the mind is experiencing. If you are losing a tennis match badly, not playing well, but in your mind you are experiencing joy, gratitude and happiness for just being alive, then you can enjoy every experience on the tennis court. The present is much better than the past and the future because it is happening right now, even as your read this. Professionals fix their strings, bounce the ball before a serve and take deep breaths for a reason. They are techniques to bring them back the present, allowing them fight on for the next point. You can do this too.

It is important to not dedicate your training sessions to being critical of yourself. Try replacing the focus to something that is actually going to improve your game. Best to play almost all live ball games. Try one week of different focuses on each day. Your training program could look something like this.

Mon – Breath (1 hour)
Tue – Balance (static and dynamic) (1 hour)
Wed – Posture (lumbar curve and relaxed shoulders) (1 hour)
Thu – Enjoyment (Seriously, dedicate a day to having fun) (1 hour)
Fri – Relaxed arms (envision your arms as ribbons) (1 hour)

Try it, won’t kill you.

muscular integration
Any of the following practices would be beneficial in enhancing proprioception. Slow movements where the athlete can concentrate and feel the muscles work together. Well integrated muscles can enhance tennis mechanics as the kinetic chain will be more rapidly understood and implemented by the athlete!
- tai-chi
- feldenkrais method
- yoga
- rock-climbing

footwork
Can be taught on the tennis court, but it’s much more effective if the player naturally learns how to coordinate foot movement.
- dancing
- fencing
- boxing
- hackey sack

team sports
Good for cardio-vascular endurance and they stimulate decision making calculations as other team members must use their energy for one another in order to produce success. This also changes the experience of the athlete as losses are suffered with others and victories are enjoyed with others. I believe these are important development lessons.
- soccer
- football (recreational American football. ex. 4 on 4)
- lacrosse
- field or ice hockey
- touch rugby
- ultimate frisbee

balance development
We must remember that the tennis court is flat, we wear comfy shoes so our balance is only challenged by the movements we make. Balance should be overloaded for this reason. This can reduce the chance of ankle and knee injuries as these modalities recruit new stablizers.
- rollerblading
- surfing
- skate-boarding (wear proper crash equipment)
- wake-boarding
- snow-boarding

cardiovascular endurance
cycling promotes secretion of natural lubricants in joints and swimming is great for bio-mechanics as it requires the whole body to participate.
- cycling
- swimming

Balance: Awareness of balance is a simple technique to get you started. It can be used in training or playing a practice match. Balance can be observed as static (being still) or dynamic. (in motion) You must try to not be critical of how well you balance in given situations, try only to be aware of how you move.

Posture: Training an entire session with awareness of how your spine is aligned in different positions requires much focus. Some optimal positions may be awkward like the lunge position, however this can be corrected in time if the intent is to align the spine on low balls.

Spaghetti arms: If legs are the springloading force driving rotation of the torso, then the arms must do their part in producing enough speed. If arm muscles are supple and loose then they should be very whip like. The best way to get started on this is through co-operative mini-tennis. You can practice serves, ground-strokes, volleys with different spins whilst only tapping the ball nicely to your opponent who is on the opposite service line.

Ground Force: Most of you probably remember one of Newton’s laws. “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. Most force comes from the ground. Awareness of ground force can help develop leg mechanics in all situations. If you feel that your arm motion is a product of your leg motion then you have linked an important chain for perfection in stroke efficiency. Try to feel how much your legs drive your arms on serves, slice or topspin strokes and in all areas of motion.

Breathing: Breathing keeps muscles relaxed so the ability to do this optimally is helpful. Try breathing out fully on the forward motion of every ground-stroke and feel your shoulders and arm muscles relax on the out-breath.

I suggest try training one skill at a time as it is easier for an athlete to focus on one clear goal. These goals can also compliment one other in some way. For example, if you breathe correctly, it helps relax your arms or if you have well aligned posture, it can increase  balance and power.

Next time you are playing a match and you feel angry, try to notice that you are feeling angry and allow the feeling to take place. Replace holding on to that emotion with techniques designed to bring you back to “the present”. 1. Awareness of the breath. 2. Feeling your feet touch the ground. 3. Taking in and letting go of  sounds around you.

Try these of techniques the next time you play and find yourself holding on to emotions or noticing mind chatter.  Most importantly, experience and try to enjoy every moment on the tennis court!

Parents are often surprised at my lessons involve almost no dialogue. Sometimes I’m asked “why do you let him get away with doing that”? I guess it’s then fair to ask, what are they paying me for?  Well, I believe that failure is necessary as long as observation and presence is taking place within the individual. If students are empowered to solve mechanical issues with the coach, they will become more efficient learners.

My role is facilitation. Tactical and technical calculations are going to take place when the student is present and stimulated by competition specific to ability. Mini tennis games encourage angular learning, thus stimulating effective strategy.

Roger Federer hits his forehand over forty different ways so who am I to tell someone the correct way to hit a forehand? I can’t teach someone each of the forty forehands to hit in each given situation. It’s impossible.

I’m not suggesting that no teaching is involved whatsoever. It’s important for students understand that most force is produced from the ground, use of opposite arm levers, implementing kinetic chain repetition, static/dynamic balance, and postural alignment through all planes of motion must be understood and integrated through quality repetitious exercises.

I encourage parents to check out the quickstart program as the structure itself encourages player empowerment though lighter racquets, modified balls, modified courts and live ball learning.

Children are like sponges, they absorb everything. If they can be empowered to make decisions, solve problems and be independent, then there’s no reason why they can’t learn to implement these skills in tournaments or amongst friends/family. It takes an experienced and empathic coach to facilitate this type of learning. It also requires cooperation of the parent, coach and player to understand what their role is.