Training Block Weeks 3 & 4

Hello,

Unfortunately I was around 30 on the alternates list for Glasgow futures this weekend gone. As such I simply couldn't justify the cost of travelling the entire length of the country if I wasn't guaranteed to get in, so instead this week saw the third week of my training block start and it was just as heavy!

For this week I decided to increase the intensity somewhat in the gym. This meant things got a lot heavier - and I focused more on shorter breaks in between the various exercises to really work the muscles. This has required some seriously early nights after being completely exhausted at the end of what feels like a very long day! The week finished with a hit with my old coach who is currently on temporary leave from the Royal Marines, but is a former top 700 ATP player, so it's always good fun. 

The training block has now become a five week training block as the futures in Cardiff were becoming more unlikely and I simply had to accept some work that I was offered. One thing you quickly learn in full time tennis is that, unless you are quite close to the top of the game, there is very little money in it in comparison to the expense. Thankfully one job that does pay well and offers good flexibility around training and competing is doing some coaching work, and so I will have a long weekend off working instead of training amid this block!

This comes at a very necessary time as this fourth week of my training block has gotten underway and, whilst it is only Tuesday, I must say I am already waning! I have had two two hour sessions on court that have been a mix of controls and practice sets, alongside a heavy chest and arms session in the gym yesterday. I will have three more sessions in the gym this week to complete the training alongside hitting. All those little niggles and aches are beginning to take their toll on my body and so I am looking forward to spending the weekend away from the gym; ready to blitz a final week of this block.

Next week should see a very different style of training so be sure to check in and find out what I've been up to! Then we are looking at a much longer off-season than previously expected as we go into the winter and I will be sure to keep updating this on my progress with videos, photos and reports! 

Training Block Week 2

Hi,

Week two of my training block has been the toughest week so far - it was far heavier in the gym and also included a lot more cardio training with two medium length runs and two pool sessions as well. I have decided to increase my pool sessions, it's not something I would normally include in my training programme as I prefer running, and whilst I want to keep up my running as it's the ideal workout for your legs and tennis cardio, swimming provides a much lower impact cardio training. This means that I have felt like I can train harder on a tennis court because my legs are less tired and have fewer aches and pains as they would from the pounding they take from a run. Obviously, I will continue to run also, as interval training, sprints and middle distance running provide the backbone of my cardio training.

During a training block like this it is very important to know about the nutritional side of things and implement it effectively. This can have a huge impact on your recovery and your energy through and after training. I say this now as I am tucking into two large steak sandwiches to prep me for a harsh gym session this afternoon! :) 

I also managed to get a few videos of some of my on court training this week - they are only short individual clips but hopefully it gives an idea of my tennis and my shots. This has also provided me with some good material to study and work with - it really helps to see your shots in action as you can pick up on exactly what you are doing both right and wrong visually, that you don't get to see when you are on a court normally. Thanks to the wonders of youtube unfortunately the quality is even worse then originally! But here are a just a couple to give you a taster of my game - will get some more of my training over the remainder of this training block.

Hope you enjoy watching and reading a bit about what I do - I am now on week 3 which is slightly lighter in the gym in preparation for Glasgow futures however I am currently around 30 on the alternates list so I will decide on Tuesday or Wednesday whether it will be worth me making the trip up the entire length of the country for that one or not. If not then I will be extending my training block ready for Cardiff the week after and making this week as heavy as last week.

I will keep you updated on my training and whether or not I end up in Glasgow or not. If you have any questions or feedback I would love to hear from you! Also I'm on twitter @jacksaunders so get in touch.

Training Block Week 1

Hi,

First off sorry for this taking so long - I can't believe how much time has passed since I last updated my blog but time flies when you're busy I guess! And the last couple of weeks have been particularly busy indeed.

After the last futures tournament I played I had scheduled a couple of weeks away with my girlfriend as a holiday which was much needed and extremely well-received! A few days off like this away from tennis and training and most importantly doing very little is essential and I am more conscious of this  nowadays after suffering from a form of Mono at a similar time last year as a result of working several jobs alongside my full time training. Since then I have been much more alert as to ensuring that rest periods are frequent enough to ensure the risk of burnout is minimised.

I arrived back from my holiday over a week ago and my three-week training block began last Tuesday. This training block has been setup in preparation for two more futures tournaments that begin at the end of the three-week block. The first is in Glasgow, Scotland and the second in Cardiff, Wales back to back - I am currently on the alternate list for Glasgow so am hoping to get in on withdrawals at the moment.

The first week of my training has been based on two hours tennis in the morning, with heavy gym sessions in the afternoons, followed by my regular stretching programme. My gym sessions for the first two weeks of the training block are very heavy weights and resistance sessions. This means that I will do around 4 sets of 6-10 reps of each exercise and each day is based around two muscle groups. My programme is broken down into Chest & Arms; Shoulders & Back; Legs & Abs; and Core Stability. Each day is focused around the respective muscle group and really allows me to heavily work that particular area of the body.

I have been feeling very good on the court this last week and have spent it hitting with another player, Ashley. This first week has been more about finding my rhythm back out on a tennis court after a little while off. This then included a lot of point based scenarios and towards the end of the week I began serve and return work also.

This next week holds a lot more hitting work and gym work, including some additional cardio work. This will be a mix of sprint training, interval training and 10k running which will really push me as it is the middle week of the block. The final week of my training block will include more hitting and matchplay getting me ready for the tournament qualifiers the following week and any gym sessions will be more endurance based (ie: lower weight; higher reps).

I hope this has provided a reasonably in depth breakdown of what this training block is looking like for me. I really hope to push my fitness to the next level over the next couple of weeks as the winter training off season will begin shortly after Cardiff and I want to be fully prepared to take my game to the next level after that!

I hope to get you some video of my training both on and off the court at some point over this training block and look forward to any feedback or questions on the blog!