Fight off Winter Fatigue

Unless you live in a tropical or mild climate, one without winter snow and rain, you probably don't enjoy this time of year. Tennis players dread shorter days and less daylight to play in, but it's even worse when the weather turns bad. Opportunities to get out and play are far and few between. You have to seize the moment whenever you can to hit a few balls in between storms.

The result of winter weather is that everyone's tennis game goes downhill, and it's easy for their fitness level to do the same. Don't let that happen to you. Make an extra effort to be active, even if it's an indoor activity, or a brisk walk around the block just after the rain. If you continue to do aerobic and cardio training during the tennis off-season, you'll be that much farther ahead of your opponent come spring.

Most tennis players find themselves playing less during the winter months, some because of bad weather, and some because of family commitments during the holidays. There's nothing wrong with that, and you can definitely improve your game when the weather gets better, but don't neglect your body during this time. We all have a tendency to over eat at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This can have a very negative impact on your tennis game. Think about that the next time you reach for a second piece of pie.

The best way to combat the bad effects the holidays may have on your tennis game is get out and do something. If you work a desk job during the day, get up and walk around the building a few times during the day, or go outside and walk around the parking lot. This is especially important if you sit at a computer all day. Your eyes need a break too.

Find something to keep your feet moving and your heart rate up. If you don't, you'll begin to notice the effects right away. The next time you step on the court after a break, you will feel sluggish and your footwork will be non-existent. Not only will you play really bad, but you also have a tendency to be more prone to injury when your body isn't used to so much activity.

If you do find yourself leaning toward a couch potato during the holidays, be careful when you go back out on the court. Take it easy and warm up slowly. Don't go for your winner backhand down the line until you've hit a few easy groundies. Instead of going all out at 100% effort, hold back to about 50% until your body remembers what it's supposed to do. Once you're warmed up, go ahead and try running down a few balls. If you become easily winded, it's a good time to take it easy or cut this practice session short.