Long time since I last posted a blog. Mainly down to the fact that whilst things have been very busy and going very well it's been very much a solid training routine the last few weeks. Not too much to report back upon as a result.
The training has been going very well and I'm striking the ball better than ever before. The majority of the technical changes we wanted to make when we started three months ago have taken place and we are now really focusing on the tactical side of things. This means lots and lots of practice sets and lots and lots of point scenario drills. Despite constantly being dogged by the rain over the last few weeks this has been going very well and I cannot wait to start competing, and start winning!
As we near the end of the three month training block period I am very excited to say that I will be playing for Wyvern in National Club League where I will hope to get a few matches under my belt as serious preparation for the British Tour. I hope to be competing on this circuit within several weeks time as it is a very good platform to then go onto play futures towards the end of the Summer from. As soon as I know my tournament schedule for this in a few weeks I will post it here so that it is easy to track my progress.
I hope to be playing British Tour in June so that I can kick this 2012 Summer off well and get going towards getting ATP points. I am very happy with how I have been playing in practice and know that if I can take this onto the match court I will give myself the best chance of achieving my goals. Now for all this rain to get out the way so we can get working on the tan too!
That's all for now and I will report back with how the next few weeks of NCL go and all the training, ice baths and rest days in between!
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Monday, 26 March 2012
Getting Pumped!
So about time I updated the blog! It's been a very busy few weeks and huge progress has been made in lots of different areas of the game. In fact it's been so long since I last updated that the weather has gone from freezing cold and snow to a much more enjoyable sunshine and 20ºC which is unusual for this early in the year, but far from unwelcome!
We have really pushed on from the initial progress we made in the first few weeks of training and as we feel like many of the technical issues have now been resolved the focus has turned more and more to tactics and matchplay. Again we have continued working on raising the level of intensity throughout points but also at the right moments throughout a set and a match as well. This has lead me to bring a lot more emotion onto the court allowing me to get more 'pumped' and 'psyched up' - which in turn results in a greater level of intensity and a reiteration of the desire and motivation to win every single point. It also helps to show your opponent how motivated you are and how much you want to win.
There have been a couple of things that we have been working on technically as well including the take back on my backhand which we have been making smoother. But ultimately I am striking the ball better than I ever have and I am showing a lot more confidence in all my shots as a result. This means I can go into matches and match situations feeling like I am much more able to use my big forehand to control points whilst also knowing I can begin to rely on my backhand to stay in control and stay in the point.
As we are nearing the end of the proposed three month training block prior to tournaments I am excited to say that I will be competing in National Club League for Wyvern throughout the next few weeks. These will act as my first few matches in the UK in order to be able to boost my rating so that I will be able to start competing regularly on the British Tour in a few weeks time. This will also act as very valuable court and match time in both doubles and singles which will allow me to put into practice the things that we have been training. The biggest obstacle for many tennis players is having the ability to take your practice game onto a match court and this is our main focus at the moment. I am able to play at a very high level on the practice court but I have to work a lot harder to bring this into matches. Initially there were just flashes of it few and far between; but I am now able to sustain a higher level of play for longer. The next step is to be able to sustain this high level of play throughout the match and once I get to this level I know that I will be able to compete for my first ATP points on the futures tour.
Off court the weather has made training on the gym rings a little easier and I have been doing a lot of core and stability work in the gym which is definitely paying off on the court. I am feeling very fit and quicker around the court as a result of some of the interval and sprint training that I have been doing and this can only improve my confidence and ability in practice and in matches. I'll keep you posted both on here and on my twitter as to how the training and the matches go over the next few weeks. Thanks for reading!
Friday, 10 February 2012
The snow must go on...
We are now nearing the end of week five of the new training programme. Unfortunately due to the snow we were forced to cancel some of the outdoor hitting sessions over the last couple of weeks as the picture above was what greeted us on Monday morning. As a result I made sure I was getting in the gym a lot and got a few decent sessions of Ashtanga yoga in as well; which is a more strenuous and fast paced version of yoga. It's really good for improving core strength and flexibility and is a lot tougher than expected so I highly recommend it - you really feel it through your core the next day! It's also very good to do something that isn't cardio based or particularly focused on one area of the body so you can continue to train to your full on a tennis court. After a pretty big effort from the coaches to clear the courts around four hours later they looked more like this though.
And so we were able to get some really good training sessions in over the next few days, despite the freezing cold. The primary focus of this week has been on intensity of footwork in all situations. Every ball hit must have a purpose and we have been working on the depth of the ball on every shot ensuring that you never give an opponent any opportunity to attack. On top of this we have also been doing some sprint work which I really enjoy. In tennis sprinting is very different to what most people think of sprinting as it is more about a few big powerful steps and a lot of change of direction. This week we have just begun work on improving that first step and discovered that one thing I was doing that was holding me back was almost taking a step back first to get in the right position to sprint forwards. We have started to work on getting rid of this habit so that my first step is really powerful out of the legs going straight forwards which I can already see is going to improve my movement up and down the court massively, as every second counts on a tennis court!
Finally we have continued work on the footwork patterns that have been implemented in the previous weeks and this is beginning to work better and better. Along with a greater intensity of the footwork it means that I am getting in a better position to hit the ball as I am beginning to get in line behind the ball before my bodyweight comes forward and through to strike the ball. Our next step is to make sure I am doing this on every ball, no matter how much pressure I am under.
On top of this I have also done the usual gym programme workouts including a very good bodyweight and core day that allows me to use the gymnastic rings. Despite them being absolutely killer they are really, really good for a vast array of core exercises that not only improve your strength throughout your body but also your balance, stability and coordination. I will get some pictures of these exercises for the next blog if I can! Today snow has hit yet again, so I'm about to hit the gym for a big session before an hour of Ashtanga yoga this afternoon and a much needed rest day tomorrow!
Monday, 30 January 2012
Magic Number 3
So we are into week four of the new training programme and I have had two tough weeks of training. The focus has come off technique ever so slightly and we are beginning to introduce more tactical developments to my game.
Since my last blog, the first week was a tough one and I was feeling the effects of both tiredness from the work that I had been doing and frustration with over thinking of technique. As a result I had one day in that week that was particularly tough and it was more about working through it and putting the effort in than seeing a great deal of progress. Since then however, I have been extremely happy with the levels of progress that has taken place with my game. After the particularly difficult day, I was determined to ensure that the following day I was able to get on court and just make balls. I focused less on specific technique areas but made sure I was able to raise the level of intensity I had on court and was able to put a lot more balls back in court.
This last week has been even more positive as I have seen significant developments in my forehand. I am beginning to get a lot more confidence in the technical adjustments and feel like my forehand is developing into a real weapon now and I look to dominate points off that wing more than ever. My backhand is taking a little longer to adjust and I have been focusing my attention on my footwork to ensure I get into a better position, with my body behind the ball, through every shot. I have also been working on my serve and am seeing progress to a much more fluid shot. I have included a couple of short videos below that give you a little idea of what I have been doing.
As a result of the improvements technically we have been able to do a lot more point work and are beginning to work on a higher level of intensity through each point. We are also working on my court positioning depending on the shot I have hit and really looking to dominate and dictate each point off the ground.
Despite the freezing cold here in the UK, we continue to train hard each day this week outdoors in all weather conditions and for more regular updates and photos please follow me on twitter here: twitter.com/jacksaunders
We also had an interview with The Daily Echo on Friday and I will ensure I post the article as soon as it appears in the paper! Thanks for reading and here's to another week of progress! :)
Since my last blog, the first week was a tough one and I was feeling the effects of both tiredness from the work that I had been doing and frustration with over thinking of technique. As a result I had one day in that week that was particularly tough and it was more about working through it and putting the effort in than seeing a great deal of progress. Since then however, I have been extremely happy with the levels of progress that has taken place with my game. After the particularly difficult day, I was determined to ensure that the following day I was able to get on court and just make balls. I focused less on specific technique areas but made sure I was able to raise the level of intensity I had on court and was able to put a lot more balls back in court.
This last week has been even more positive as I have seen significant developments in my forehand. I am beginning to get a lot more confidence in the technical adjustments and feel like my forehand is developing into a real weapon now and I look to dominate points off that wing more than ever. My backhand is taking a little longer to adjust and I have been focusing my attention on my footwork to ensure I get into a better position, with my body behind the ball, through every shot. I have also been working on my serve and am seeing progress to a much more fluid shot. I have included a couple of short videos below that give you a little idea of what I have been doing.
As a result of the improvements technically we have been able to do a lot more point work and are beginning to work on a higher level of intensity through each point. We are also working on my court positioning depending on the shot I have hit and really looking to dominate and dictate each point off the ground.
Despite the freezing cold here in the UK, we continue to train hard each day this week outdoors in all weather conditions and for more regular updates and photos please follow me on twitter here: twitter.com/jacksaunders
We also had an interview with The Daily Echo on Friday and I will ensure I post the article as soon as it appears in the paper! Thanks for reading and here's to another week of progress! :)
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
A week of shoulders
First week of training with new coach, Gary Waughman, has come and gone already. It's been a very intense week getting used to his style of coaching and the adjustments he wants to make to my game. I have also been working with hitting partner Kev Gissing who is ideal as at a playing level his game was always about grinding out victories making very few errors. This makes the sessions even tougher when the ball keeps coming back but gives me the goal that if I can hit through him and outlast him on a court, I know I'm doing well!
The biggest changes that we are in the process of making to my game is adjusting the shoulder rotation on both my forehand and my backhand. We have also made changes to my serve to increase the shoulder rotation to increase the 'coiling' effect. All of these adjustments are being introduced immediately and my new coach is right on my back to ensure that right through from the first ball I hit in the warm up through every point situation I am disciplined enough to continue the technique.
Alongside the technique adjustments and tennis training my fitness training has continued with a few running sessions, along with a newly acquired heart rate monitor which has been great for allowing me to monitor my progress and make sure I am training in the right 'zones'. I will drop my gym weights sessions to just three each week which will focus on heavy weight training still for chest and arms, shoulders and back and legs. However, I have introduced more core training and tennis specific training that I am able to complete with relatively little equipment in and around my work on court. This includes some new training using gymnastic rings, courtesy of my brother. They provide some great exercises that use your whole body to stabilise your movement through each exercise and are ideal for core training for tennis.
That's all for this blog this week but I will keep you updated on my progress. Here are just a couple of short videos showing the kind of thing that we have started working on in a controlled environment, hence working from the service line etc. Please also take a look at my twitter account for more regular updates! www.twitter.com/jacksaunders
The biggest changes that we are in the process of making to my game is adjusting the shoulder rotation on both my forehand and my backhand. We have also made changes to my serve to increase the shoulder rotation to increase the 'coiling' effect. All of these adjustments are being introduced immediately and my new coach is right on my back to ensure that right through from the first ball I hit in the warm up through every point situation I am disciplined enough to continue the technique.
Alongside the technique adjustments and tennis training my fitness training has continued with a few running sessions, along with a newly acquired heart rate monitor which has been great for allowing me to monitor my progress and make sure I am training in the right 'zones'. I will drop my gym weights sessions to just three each week which will focus on heavy weight training still for chest and arms, shoulders and back and legs. However, I have introduced more core training and tennis specific training that I am able to complete with relatively little equipment in and around my work on court. This includes some new training using gymnastic rings, courtesy of my brother. They provide some great exercises that use your whole body to stabilise your movement through each exercise and are ideal for core training for tennis.
That's all for this blog this week but I will keep you updated on my progress. Here are just a couple of short videos showing the kind of thing that we have started working on in a controlled environment, hence working from the service line etc. Please also take a look at my twitter account for more regular updates! www.twitter.com/jacksaunders
Friday, 6 January 2012
2012
Hello!
It's been a while since my last update about how my training block was going. So long in fact that a new year has begun!
My last post turned out to be the end of my tournament season 2011 and I continued my training through to the Christmas period. During this time I have been focusing more on the fitness side of my training than the tennis. I have continued to include up to ten hours of hitting a week but have had four heavy sessions in the gym per week as well as yoga, three running sessions per week and a seemingly endless time spent stretching and injury prevention!
Luckily for me, as opposed to many of the top players, I can forego some of my training over the Christmas period and treated myself to a week off training last week to spend with my girlfriend, family and friends. This is a really nice recovery period for the body as well as a really big boost ready to hit the new year hard. And I'm determined to make it a good one!
During the last couple of months of 2011 I have been in talks with a new coach and am delighted to announce that I will now be working with Gary Waughman and team at Sportstech. I have had several meetings with him over the past few weeks and after some discussions we have agreed a proposal which will see us work together over the next year.
I am very excited about the potential we have to work together and hopefully what we can achieve this year! Our current plan begins next week and we will work on a three month training block that will allow Gary to bring what he has to offer to my game and we can make the changes that we feel necessary before we are able to hit the tournaments hard and work towards getting my world ranking.
I will keep this blog much more regularly updated over this year as I hope it will accurately document my tennis career and hopefully what will be the best tennis year yet! In between I will also be updating my twitter account you can find me here: www.twitter.com/jacksaunders
It's been a while since my last update about how my training block was going. So long in fact that a new year has begun!
My last post turned out to be the end of my tournament season 2011 and I continued my training through to the Christmas period. During this time I have been focusing more on the fitness side of my training than the tennis. I have continued to include up to ten hours of hitting a week but have had four heavy sessions in the gym per week as well as yoga, three running sessions per week and a seemingly endless time spent stretching and injury prevention!
Luckily for me, as opposed to many of the top players, I can forego some of my training over the Christmas period and treated myself to a week off training last week to spend with my girlfriend, family and friends. This is a really nice recovery period for the body as well as a really big boost ready to hit the new year hard. And I'm determined to make it a good one!
During the last couple of months of 2011 I have been in talks with a new coach and am delighted to announce that I will now be working with Gary Waughman and team at Sportstech. I have had several meetings with him over the past few weeks and after some discussions we have agreed a proposal which will see us work together over the next year.
I am very excited about the potential we have to work together and hopefully what we can achieve this year! Our current plan begins next week and we will work on a three month training block that will allow Gary to bring what he has to offer to my game and we can make the changes that we feel necessary before we are able to hit the tournaments hard and work towards getting my world ranking.
I will keep this blog much more regularly updated over this year as I hope it will accurately document my tennis career and hopefully what will be the best tennis year yet! In between I will also be updating my twitter account you can find me here: www.twitter.com/jacksaunders
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