One of the biggest challenges in tennis is fatigue. While fatigue often makes cowards of many, it’s not always the case. Following a 33-hour solo flight, Charles Lindbergh landed safely in France. Give in to fatigue and you are cooked. Fight through it properly and you gain a huge advantage. Let's take a closer look.
Having recently attended the French Open and Wimbledon, I saw many five-set matches in the heat in which extremely fit world-class players were quite exhausted toward the end. If this happens to the best, you can bet that fatigue for recreational players is a huge nuisance.
Practice Safety First
It’s essential to know your body and physical condition well before undergoing any rigorous activity. Always have a medical exam and ask your physician before attempting to withstand three to five sets of hard-core tennis, especially in hot conditions. Heat stroke can be deadly. If you experience severe pain, headaches, vomiting, inability to sweat, or other common danger signs, always stop playing immediately.
Assuming that you are able to play tennis and are not in danger, fatigue usually presents itself in a variety of ways. Physical signs that your body is tiring include greater difficulty breathing, slower movements, aching muscles, reduced vision, and slower reaction times, to name just a few.
Problem: Lost Focus
The riskiest thing to your tennis game, and ego, is losing focus when you are tired. The mind can wander all over the place when the body signals exhaustion. This is partly due to the relationship between intensity level and attention, whereby broader and less disciplined focus allows many distractions to intrude. It is also true that when you become tired; your focus has a tendency to turn inward and dwell on your condition. Focus that could be much better spent on the match situation is wasted due to the bombardment of distractions caused by the body and mind during fatigue.
Solution: 10 Tips
What can be done to battle this destroyer of attention and energy? If you are seeking a crucial edge for your game, here are my ten tips to battle fatigue. Even though I am now into my 40s, I used some of these in recent matches to win the battle against fatigue in the hot sun near Wimbledon.
- Make sure that you get plenty of sleep prior to a big match. Nothing prepares your mind and body better to fight fatigue than recharging your batteries the conventional way.
- Eat small, balanced meals throughout the day and never consume a large meal right before a match. Eat light a few hours before the match, but make sure to get some good complex carbohydrates in your body the day before, too. For more details, consult with a nutritionist. Everyone's body and performance demands are different.
- Drink plenty of water mixed with Gatorade or fruit juice prior to and throughout the match. Start hydrating at least two hours before the match. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Pace yourself throughout the match. Anticipate your opponent's style in advance and know what will be needed to win in the final set if necessary. If needed, take a little longer before serving and setting up for the return. Control the pace of the match and you save valuable energy for later.
- Wear a hat and light-colored clothing in the sun. These minor measures mean a lot when battling outdoors. Protecting your head is especially important, and white reflects sunlight.
- Lose weight. Carrying an extra load around makes everything more difficult. Like a hot air balloon, throwing off some of the excessive baggage helps you soar higher for longer.
- Visualize yourself as a powerful force. When you become tired, an energy jolt is often helpful. See yourself as a space shuttle taking off rather than as a donkey bogged down in the sand.
- End points sooner. If you are hopelessly outclassed by a more consistent player and realize that your energy reserves will not last, find another way to win. Thinking of two- and three-point combinations to end rallies quickly will sometimes do the trick. Don't get wild, just bring the point to a close sooner and conserve energy.
- Never let your opponent know exactly how tired you really are. Psychological warfare involves some deception. Show how tired you are and your opponent gains both a tactical and emotional boost. Disguise your fatigue by turning toward the fence to catch your breath and gather yourself.
- Breathe continuously and steadily throughout the match. Players sometimes hold their breath under stress. Oxygen is essential. Breath out with your strokes and grunt if you must. Use deep slow breathing during changeovers.
I hope this has rejuvenated your energy levels and given you another set of weapons to use on the court. Like many distractions, fatigue should be managed wisely to your advantage.
Dr. John F Murray is a sports psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida and at *www.JohnFMurray.com*