stress
Tips for Building and Maintaining Shoulder Strength
March 21, 2010 by Ryan Krane · Leave a Comment
1. Strengthen your shoulder. The shoulder is able to move fluidly thanks to the synchronized correspondence between several muscles, the shoulder blade and the bicep tendon. Strengthening all of the muscles works to stabilize the shoulder, reduce the risk of injury, and increase the longevity of optimal performance.
2. Use proper posture. Bad posture only causes further stress on the shoulder. It doesn’t matter if you are on the court, in the gym, driving to work, or talking on your cell phone, always try to stay mindful of whether or not you are slouching.
3. Stretch out the stress. Stress will cause muscles to become sore and take longer to heal. As discussed a couple weeks ago, stretching is a great way to relieve pain, de-stress, improve posture, and prevent injury.
4. If injured, seek advice from a personal trainer or physician. Your gut may be telling you to strengthen your shoulder after an injury since it feels weak, but exercising too soon can do more damage than good. Bottom line: If you are experiencing any level of chronic pain or discomfort in your shoulder, play it safe and seek a professional!
stress
Coping With Keeping The Lead
November 6, 2009 by Ryan Krane · 1 Comment
There is no certainty in tennis. Players fight to overcome the odds all the time. A friend of mine experienced this firsthand when she lost her lead in the second set during a tournament. No matter how hard she tried, she felt like she couldn’t regain the lead.
“I don’t know what happened,” she told me. “My whole game broke-down. My forehands were all going long, and my serves were in the net. My opponent kept improving, the whole game shifted. All of a sudden I didn’t have a chance.”
As with every other sport, there is an underlying mental game to tennis. The skills required to take the lead are not necessarily the same skills needed to keep the lead. Taking the lead is about gaining momentum, while keeping the lead is about holding your momentum no matter the obstacle.
Obstacles:
-Tendency to panic
-Overhitting
-Increase in errors
-Emotional outbursts
How to cope:
-Keep a positive mindset
-Don’t worry about winning
-Don’t play the score
-Stick to your rituals
-Take deep, relaxing breaths after every point
-Don’t rush to go for the kill, be patient
-Stick to the game plan that got you in the lead
-Push your game to the top of your comfort zone, but not beyond
Taking control over your nerves may cost you a point here and there, but it will keep most of the momentum on your side of the court. For many players, like my friend, this is a great challenge, and a coach who is able to diagnose the underlying issues can help to awaken players of all levels to their maximum potential. Keeping the lead takes focus, patience, and a positive mindset. Remember, more often than not, the player with the most heart wins!
