I recently got to spend a week in Indian Wells in order to film the best players in the world with a super slow motion camera. What you can see with this kind of a camera is absolutely amazing and I am certain the footage that I will release over the next couple of weeks and months will help you play better Tennis!
In this post I want to share a few observations from the tournament with you and show you a few impressive videos.
#1: Leg Strength Is Crucial
One of the most striking observations for me was how well almost all of the players at the tournament move around the court. They have incredibly strong legs, which we oftentimes don’t see on television.
Have A Look At Federer Playing Points In Super Slow Motion
Watching that clip I see incredibly strong legs and very efficient movement from Roger.
If your movement on the court is not what it should be, I highly recommend you start with a leg strengthening program!
Doing lunges on a regular basis can already do wonders for your tennis game.
Click Here For More Information: Lunges For Leg Strength
#2: Manage Your Intensity Level
I’ve talked about practice intensity before and it is a very important topic. During my week in Indian Wells I watched almost exclusively the practice courts and I saw many different practice intensity levels.
I saw three practice sessions from Roger Federer and I would say that in two of them he had rather low intensity. I also saw three practice sessions from Rafael Nadal and he had a very high intensity level in 2 out of 3 sessions according to my observations.
Have A Look At Rafael Nadal During A Practice Session In Indian Wells
Have A Look At Roger Federer During A Practice Session In Indian Wells
So what is the lesson to be learned here ? I believe it is very important to manage your intensity level according to what you are trying to accomplish!
Very few recreational players seem to be aware of this. If you are always practicing with the same physical intensity, then you are really not maximizing your practice time!
Here Are Some Guidelines For Practice Intensity:
- If you are training to get fitter, it is obviously necessary to challenge yourself in regards to the intensity level.
- If you are trying to groove your swings and work on technique, then it is usually better to keep the physical intensity level rather low!
- The best practice intensity shortly before an important match seems to be individual. Nadal likes to have high intensity practices before important matches whereas Federer seems to prefer low intensity levels. If you are unsure you can always simply test it out. Generally speaking most students seem to do better in matches after at least breaking a good sweat during the pre-match practice session!
As usual let me know your thoughts and observations below. How intense do you prefer to practice shortly before an important match ?
