All athletes have a bit of mad scientist inside them. Whether you love one sport or play multiple sports with equal zeal, you’re always tinkering, experimenting, searching for the little things that can give you an edge. Maybe it’s about conditioning, or performance, or avoiding injury, but I’ll bet you’re on the lookout for cool, proven ideas you can take to your next training session or game. Well, I aim to please.
I want to see you both excel and remain healthy, so here’s an entire chapter devoted to just those kinds of ideas. I start you off with a section of general, non-sport-specific tips that apply to all athletes, then I move into the sport-specific info. Give ’em a try, play mad scientist, and enjoy the ride.
Sound goofy? Think about it. Juggling is all about hand-eye coordination. And better hand-eye coordination means faster, smoother reactions and fewer rushed, jerky, wrenching motions that can cause both errors and injuries. Put simply, juggling can help make you a better all-around athlete.
Athletes who wear custom-fitted mouth guards reduce their risk of dental injuries by 82 percent, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “What does this have to do with improving my performance?” you may ask. A well-protected athlete concentrates on the game, not on what might happen if he or she takes a bone-rattling hit or an elbow to the jaw. Lay out the money for a custom-fitted guard and it’ll last for years. So will your smile.
Humid environments—i.e., anywhere south of Maine and east of Colorado—take their toll on training performance and can make conditions like asthma even worse. If you train outdoors, train early. The temperature will be lower, and so will the humidity and ozone levels that can mess with your lungs. And while we’re on the subject…
When you hear the words ozone alert day, move your workout indoors. A study in the the Lancet medical journal found that those who exercise in high-ozone conditions are three times more likely to develop asthma than those who skip overheated workouts on those days.
A simple loss of body water can decrease your performance, though you may not feel it. Weigh yourself before and after a long workout in hot weather. If you’ve lost more than 2 percent of your body weight by the time you’re finished, you’re dehydrated and could be at risk for heatstroke (you’ll find more detailed hydration info in the nutrition section). Endurance athletes, invest in a water pack so you can easily sip throughout your workout. And water’s not enough for exercise lasting more than an hour—your body also loses salt in sweat, so you need a sports drink containing carbohydrates and electrolytes.
If you play any sport in hot weather, staying cool is crucial. Here are two tricks.
• Drown your hands. During a break from the action, submerge both hands in a bucket of ice water for as long as you can stand it. There are a lot of blood vessels in your hands and fingers, so you’re cooling a lot of blood via that surface area. The blood circulates throughout your body, helping to bring your internal temperature down.
• Make some Florida water. An old-school heat remedy from the Deep South, Florida water is used in youth and adult sports from football to baseball to tennis. You mix a small amount of spirits of ammonia (not, I repeat, not regular household ammonia) with a few gallons of ice water and soak some small towels in the solution. The spirits of ammonia, which you can find at your pharmacy, opens your pores and cools you faster than regular ice water can.
Try this recipe: Fill a bucket or small cooler halfway with ice, then fill it the rest of the way with water and 1 ½ ounces of spirits of ammonia for every gallon of water. Soak small towels or washcloths in the mixture. During game breaks, wring out a washcloth and wipe yourself down. Do not drink Florida water or stick the washcloth in your mouth. Nasty.
Back in 2005, I raced in the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Hawaii for the first time. I felt prepared, but as the race approached, I felt increasingly excited, nervous, and agitated. Questions raced in my brain: Will I bonk? Will I stumble across the finish line? Will a shark see me as a tasty treat? Will the famed winds of Kona knock me off my bike?
So there I sat, a week out from an Ironman race in Lake Placid. I had to decide: Do I go forward with the race? Or do I bail and trash months of training and preparation? The joy of race day is offset by a lot of sacrifice to get there. My brothers were competing in this race as well (and I hate losing to them!) and our parents were coming in.
Herein lies the rub: My stupid left foot, specifically the ridiculous plantar fascia, was telling me not to run. Living through this debilitating heel pain was enough to elicit a string of words unsuitable for a family publication. Of course, I tried all the treatments and even had some ideas for race day. But here and now, aweek before, I didn’t think I could run.
So ask yourself: When do you pull the plug on a big sporting event? Is it worth starting and perhaps hurting yourself even more? The questions are simple. The answers are more complicated.
Having dealt with these issues with my patients for some time, here’s the algorithm that seems to make the most sense. First of all, is there a risk for a more serious or severe injury? If so, the answer is immediate: Don’t do it.
If there is little risk of further injury, what will the experience be like? Agonizing? Fun? A mix? Will the pain be so great that you can’t perform the way you normally would? My general rule here is that if pain limits an athlete’s ability to perform normally, it’s best to stop. Why? Because injuries from improper form can take months to heal and create even worse problems than the one you’re dealing with now.
Another good strategy: Consult with your doctor, not your coach. Your coach wants you in the game, but your doctor will be straight with you about your risks. Consider all of these factors when deciding whether to “play with the pain.”
Me? I agonized over my decision for the next week. And then I finished that Ironman in just under 12 hours.
Anxiety is an irrational fear that delivers a physical reaction: rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and sweating. The anxiety you feel before a big game or race is anticipatory anxiety. If all your energy is spent worrying, anticipating, and getting nervous, the body doesn’t work very well. Bloodflow is diverted, sleep quality declines, and helpful energy is wasted in the days and hours leading up to the event. A little bit of anxiety is good—it keeps the mind sharp and the muscles ready. But too much for too long is a big negative.
I’ve spoken with sports psychologists about this, and in the days leading up to a big race—like that big triathlon I mentioned—I use positive visualization and get good results. I visualize everything going right, breaking down each step in my mind, rehearsing how it will work. This boosts my confidence and alleviates self-doubt. Before a triathlon, I envision a smooth swim with tropical fish. I see myself cruising along on the bike with the wind at my back. I see myself running with a strong stride, pain free and smiling.
Are these images true? No way! However, they do allow me to focus and quell my anticipatory anxiety. Running the event in your head allows for a positive mind-set, but it also allows you to focus on the task in a detailed way before you do it. You no longer have time to think about the things that make you nervous.
It’s simple: If you do everything you need to do to prepare for an event, you’ll perform better because you’ll be more relaxed and confident in your skills and conditioning. Science backs this up: Performance anxiety can narrow your peripheral vision by as much as 3 degrees and slow your reaction time by 119 milliseconds, according to the Journal of Sports Sciences. Any athlete knows what a difference those tiny numbers can make.
A study of army recruits found that smokers were nearly 50 percent more likely than clean-lunged privates to suffer fractures, sprains, and other injuries. Smoking may interfere with wound healing and muscle repair. And it’s counterproductive to conditioning.
It loosens after 10 minutes of play, according to the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers found that those who wore ankle braces after an injury returned to full participation 2 days sooner than those who were taped. But wearing an ankle brace doesn’t give you a free pass on being smart about your injury. Keep it braced for at least 6 months, advises the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Most foot and ankle injuries are caused by incomplete healing of prior injuries.
Men work their chest and biceps, women want a great butt and legs. These are the vanity muscles, and we forget that the shoulder, for example, is a balanced joint that needs strong muscles on the front and back. Strong quads give you great-looking legs, but if your hamstrings are neglected, you’re headed for an injury. Whatever exercise you do, be sure to perform an equal number of reps for the opposing movement. For example, for every set of chest presses you do, perform a set of seated rows as well.
A recent study in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine found that 47 percent of male high-school and college athletes involved in contact sports do not wear any kind of genital protection. The good news? These Darwin Award winners will be less likely to breed.
A well-fitted sports bra can make the difference between a pleasant training session and discomfort, chafing, and an all-around miserable experience. Here are some tips for finding the right fit.
• Look for sports bras that encapsulate each breast in a separate chamber; they reduce bounce and support better than simple shelf bras.
• Try to find sports bras that come in cup and band sizes rather than just small, medium, and large; they usually fit more precisely.
• Look for strategically placed seams and stitching, which help cushion the breast. Or go seamless. Companies like Isis, Asics, and Champion make seamless sports bras.
• Pick high-performance fabrics (like CoolMax and Double Dry) that wick away sweat to minimize chafing.
• Own a variety of sports bras, and when in doubt, choose a higher-impact bra for a lower-impact sport—never the other way around.
• Get fitted by an expert. You can find bra fitters at most department stores and lingerie shops.
• Before buying, jump, swing your arms, and move around. If a bra pokes, rubs, slips, doesn’t support you, constricts your breathing, or bulges, put it back. Also, it should fit on the first hook; as it loses elasticity over time, you’ll need room to tighten it.
• Rotate your bras and wash them regularly so you can get at least a year’s use out of each one.
If you want to last longer at your chosen sport, cross-training can help keep you from overtraining or overusing the same muscles.
But cross-train with your brain and try out different sports that complement the muscles and movements you already do. Natural pairings: skiing and soccer, swimming and martial arts, running and cycling, tennis and hoops.
Training sensory receptors in your ankles can help prevent recurrent injury, according to research from the Netherlands. Try a wobble board to get better at something known as proprioception: the subconscious bond between your nerves and the muscles that do your brain’s bidding. Try standing on a wobble board for 5 minutes a day—say, while you’re watching Sports Center. When that becomes easy, balance with your eyes closed (and listen to sports on Sirius).
If you train for long periods, especially on rural roads or in farming regions, either on a bike or on foot, chances are you’ll encounter a surly dog at some point. Even a nip can break the skin or rip your shorts, so it’s best not to let Fido get that close to you. Some solutions:
If you’re on a bike, squirt him with your water bottle. In the face. Never let him get in front of you. Running him over could cause a crash that hurts you worse than him. (And then he has a roadside meal!)
If you meet the dog on a regular route, start carrying biscuits. You might make a friend.
If he’s behind you and closing in, turn around and jog backward. It’s never a good idea to turn your back on a barking dog—he’ll think your derriere is fair game. If you face him, however, or take a step toward him, a lot of “all bark” dogs will back off.
If a dog flat-out attacks you, use whatever you’ve got to fight with and scream to wake the dead. The situation is no joke, and you need help from whoever’s in earshot. Like the dog’s owner, for example, who now has just as serious a problem with you as you do with his or her dog.
You’ve seen them before, the hot-tempered, ultracompetitive players who bring a good dose of rage to the game. Hey, maybe that’s you. Nothing wrong with wanting to win. But when you bring all your anger and stress to the field, you not only take away others’ enjoyment, you jack up your own injury risk. Researchers found that athletes with high levels of stress off the field are five times more likely to experience injuries than even-keeled people. Think about it: Mixing anger and a need to win could make you do something stupid that could hurt yourself or another athlete.
No one really likes kneepads, but boy, do they make a difference. In a recent University of Iowa study, researchers examined young amateur athletes involved in contact sports—basketball, volleyball, and wrestling—and found that wearing kneepads reduced the rate of lower-extremity injuries by 67 percent. That’s big. It’s the same principle I mentioned about mouth guards—a protected athlete isn’t just a healthy athlete, but also a confident athlete.
This is a major issue. Sometimes people want to prove how good they are and get into situations they shouldn’t. So be smart: Choose a league or race appropriate to your skill level. Injuries tend to happen when things get out of control, but even if you don’t get hurt, you’ll definitely frustrate yourself and/or your teammates with your inability to compete at the same level.
Now, that said, here’s an idea. Compete at the lower level, but practice and train with the more-advanced players. That will reduce your injury risk and frustration level, but your skill level will jump. And maybe you’ll eventually dominate the lower level enough that you’ll be ready for that next level naturally.
Shop at night, when your feet are swollen after a day of pounding. That approximates how big your feet will be after the first 3 miles of your run. Also, try to find a running shoe store that offers video analysis of your stride, which can help you find the right shoe.
Unstable surfaces train stable ankles.
Soggy midsoles have 40 to 50 percent less shock-absorbing capability than dry sneaks. But don’t toss your shoes in the dryer; heat can degrade cushioning and support components.
Muscles that are strengthened as they lengthen can absorb more force, and this means less potential for tendon trouble. Try some eccentric training, meaning you go slower on the lowering part of a lift. Here’s a good move for runners: In a calf raise, lift for 2 seconds, then spend 10 seconds lowering the weight. The tissue is lengthening as it’s contracting, and that trains it for force absorption and greater strength.
I’ll never forget this quote. I was standing in line with 300 of my closest friends in 2008 at the EagleMan triathlon. It was 6 in the morning and pre-race jitters were rampant. And I heard this from a fellow racer a few places back: “Dear Lord, please let everything work for me in the porto-potty.”
Any endurance athlete knows exactly what he was talking about. The truth is that bad bathroom prep can ruin a race. Racers have succumbed to any number of gastrointestinal emergencies—none of them pretty.
Good bathroom prep depends on a phenomenon called gastrointestinal transit time. Some foods, such as fiber-heavy and carb-heavy foods, move quickly through the GI tract, often completing the trip in 12 hours or less. And some, fat-laden foods in particular, can take up to 36 hours to pass.
In planning your pre-race bathroom strategy, make sure that on the day before, and particularly in the last meal before the race, your diet is heavy in foods that won’t cause problems the next morning. That means that pre-race meals should be consumed about 10 to 12 hours before the start time. And avoid fatty foods.
And beware caffeine. It jacks up the muscular contraction in the intestines, moving things a long faster. If you want caffeine, have it 2 hours before the race, never right before the gun.
Naturally, even the best-laid plans fail. For that reason, many racers carry toilet paper during a race. It’s also a good idea during your training weeks, especially on long runs. If there are such things as better and worse reasons for a bad race, poor bathroom prep has to be among the very worst. Good luck out there.
Road running is necessary for a lot of runners, and you might have noticed that most roads are designed with a crown, meaning the center of the road is higher than the sides. This allows rain to run off to the roadside. But running on a crowned surface means that one foot will always be striking at a higher level than the other. This uneven surface could cause a muscle imbalance if you don’t compensate for the other leg. And that’s easy: If you run one way on a road like that, run back in the opposite direction for the same distance, staying on the same side so your other leg gets equal time.
In a University of Georgia study, cyclists who downed caffeine before a 30-minute ride had significantly less thigh pain than those who took a placebo. For longer rides, however, avoid caffeine in large amounts (5 to 7 cups of coffee a day), which can dehydrate you. Caffeine can also stimulate your digestive system. You know what that means.
When pedaling, don’t press down with the balls of your feet, because that’s tough on your knees. Rather, press with your heel, then pull back and up with your calves in a circular motion. This generates power and speed.
Here are three ways to change up your rides.
1. Once a week, go for distance. Work up to 2 hours or more, depending on the length of the race you’re training for.
2. Every other week, do 20 to 30 minutes of “tempo riding” at an increased pace. Begin and end these sessions with at least 10 minutes of easy riding.
3. Every other week, or even every 3rd week, do some speed. After 15 minutes of easy cycling, push hard for a minute, then go easy for a minute. Repeat 10 to 20 times, finishing with 15 minutes of easy riding.
Inhaling organic material, such as particles of hair, skin, or urine (even on a microscopic level), can cause breathing problems. Schedule your lap sessions early: Fewer people in the pool means less splashing and less of their debris left behind in the water.
In each of these four drills, swim short repeats (25 meters or so) slowly and easily, and try to feel what’s described in each drill. Between repeats, take three to five deep, slow breaths until you feel ready to swim again without fatigue.
DRILL 1: Hide your head
Why: Good head-spine alignment is essential to smooth swimming.
How: Lead with the top of your head, not your forehead. Feel water flowing over the back of your head. Look at the pool bottom directly under you, not in front of you.
DRILL 2: Swim downhill
Why: Balance—feeling completely supported by the water—is the essential skill for efficient swimming.
How: “Lean” on your chest until your hips and legs feel light. Your hips and legs should actually be slightly higher in the water than your head and torso.
DRILL 3: Lengthen your body
Why: A longer body line reduces drag, making swimming easier.
How: Extend a “weightless” arm slowly. Slip your arm into the water as if you’re sliding it into a jacket sleeve. Keep extending it until you feel your shoulder touch your jaw.
DRILL 4: Flow like water
Why: Making waves and creating turbulence takes energy, all of it supplied by you.
How: Pierce the water; slip through the smallest possible hole. Swim as quietly as possible. Try not to make waves or disturb the water.
To keep your training schedule as simple as possible, plan to do two runs, two swims, and two bike sessions each week, with 1 day of rest. This is how your week might look.
FOR THE SWIMMING STAGE…
Don’t go too slow. Triathlon coaches warn against simply logging laps at a slow pace. The problem with it is that before long your form deteriorates and you adopt poor habits. Go with interval training instead, such as 5 bursts of 25 meters each with rests between repeats.
Increase overall strength. With swimming, you increase muscle mass in your upper body while giving your legs a break. This is crucial because it actually helps your running improve.
Improve fitness without the injury risk. You should never run hard 2 days in a row, but you can swim hard the day after a hard run, because you’re working completely different muscles. Therefore, you’ll be boosting fitness capacity without increasing your injury risk.
FOR THE CYCLING STAGE…
Remember that cycling is not running. In terms of training effect, running 1 mile equals cycling about 3 miles, but cycling can take considerably more time. For example, a 5-mile run may take you 45 minutes. An equivalent bike ride of 15 miles could take you at least an hour, depending on terrain and other conditions. Plan your schedule accordingly.
Push smarter, not harder. A common cycling mistake that novice triathletes make is mashing big gears—that is, using higher gears in the hope that it will get them in cycling shape faster. But this can lead to knee injuries and stalled progress. Instead, do what cyclists call “spinning”: Stay in the lower gears at a cadence of at least 90 revolutions per minute.
FOR THE RUNNING STAGE…
To maintain your running speed and endurance, concentrate on these three running workouts.
• Every Sunday, do a long run at an easy training pace. If you’re training for an Ironman, work up to 20 miles for your long run.
• Every other Wednesday, do a 15- to 20-minute tempo run slightly slower than 10-K-race pace.
• On the Wednesdays you’re not doing tempo, do 800- to 1,600-meter repeats at about 5-K-race pace, with plenty of rest between the repeats.
If you’re new to triathloning, you should probably look for short-distance “sprint” triathlons, especially those with pool swims as opposed to open-water swims. Sprint triathlons usually include a ¼-mile swim, a 15-mile bike ride, and a 5-K run. For a large listing of triathlons, go to usatriathlon.org, or check Triathlete magazine’s Web site at triathletemag.com. Both sites have national race calendars.
Sprint-based sports like baseball and softball churn out a lot of lower-body muscle strains (especially in “beer leagues” where training may not be the biggest priority). The fix: stop-and-start drills.
Run 40 yards at about 70 percent of your maximum effort, slow to a jog for 10 yards, then pick it up again for another 40 yards. Repeat 4 or 5 times. You’ll be conditioned to sprint to first base, slow down, and charge for second.
An injured rotator cuff can shut down a shoulder. Add external-and internal-rotation stretching to protect your rotator cuffs.
External. Stand with your right arm straight out to the side and parallel to the floor. Bend your elbow so your arm forms a right angle and your forearm points straight up, palm facing forward. Keeping your elbow in place, move your hand back until you feel slight tension in your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left side.
Internal. Do as directed above, but point your forearm straight down toward the floor at the start, palm facing behind you. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
When you see a guy get flipped, it’s usually because he went outside the bag to make the throw. If you can’t jump and throw, use the bag to protect yourself by standing directly behind it. You may not be able to throw to turn a double play, but at least the runner won’t get a piece of you.
Aim up and over the side of the bag. Slide over it so your foot or hand does not catch on it. If your slide comes to a sudden stop, your joints take most of the impact.
In a recent study, Hong Kong researchers found that goalkeepers rarely stand in the center of the goal. They favor one side, hoping to bait the opposition into kicking toward the open side, which in turn enables them to anticipate the shot. Eliminate this advantage by aiming your shots at the corner above the goalkeeper’s head. Top corner shots can’t be stopped. A soccer ball’s sweet spot: bottom right (if you’re right-foot dominant). Strike it with the top of your big toe.
Try this classic drill to blast your lungs and legs simultaneously. Place a soccer ball a foot in front of you. Jumping quickly, alternate touching your big toes on top of the ball without kicking it forward. Do this for 40 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat twice more. For an added challenge, circle the ball as you work.
For a great conditioning and sports workout (that also helps your soccer game), trade a 30-minute jog for 10 minutes of intermittent sprints while dribbling a soccer ball from foot to foot. Simply sprint with the ball for 20 seconds, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat 7 times.
Interesting stat: Basketball is responsible for the most eye injuries, according to the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. No, basketball goggles don’t look all that flattering, but then neither do black eyes or bloody eyeballs.
Think about the wild gyrations you perform during one turnover from offense to defense in basketball. If your groin, back, and leg muscles aren’t ready, you’ll pull up in pain. Before the game, run backward, forward, sideways, and in quick combos of all directions.
To dominate on the glass, place your backside or elbow firmly against your opponent’s hip as soon as the ball hits the rim. You’ll be able to rebound and score easy put-back points. It’s simple and fundamental, but effective.
Break to the basket after every pass you throw. Don’t get the ball? Immediately switch to an L cut. Here’s how: Once you’re under the goal, lock your defender behind you with a hip check (above). Then run to the free-throw line. As soon as your foot touches the line, break horizontally toward the closest wing, your body facing the ball. You’ll be wide open to receive a pass. From there
A good head fake is the most important but least used move in pickup basketball. Pump the ball as if you’re about to shoot. Then, as you bring the ball back down, throw a strong head fake to the left, and drive right. The first move gets your defender in the air and the second gets him or her moving in the wrong direction, leaving you an open path to the hoop.
Stiff arms are more easily injured. Keep a 15-degree bend in your elbow when going for a block or a dunk. Overextending your arm makes you prone to injury.
Add arch supports to your basketball shoes, even if you don’t have flat feet. It’ll cut down on pressure on the outer edge of your foot—a common site for stress fractures. Over-the-counter insoles in general work great, and they’ll save you a hundred bucks over custom inserts.
The huge majority of ACL injuries occur when players are pivoting or landing awkwardly after a jump. Hitting the ground with your knees bent instead of nearly straight greatly reduces the risk, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
When you land after a jump, make sure it’s toes first, then heel. If you land either flat-footed or on your heels, you’ll be putting a lot of stress on your Achilles tendons, which may cause your knees to hyperextend.
Learning to snowboard is a snap—for your wrists. When you fall, let your butt and back share the impact with your forearms. And wear wrist guards; they may not look sexy, but neither will a cast and sling.
Here’s another good reason to invest in a wobble board: It helps you work on maintaining your sense of balance and keeping your center of gravity low for snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing. It also requires you to move your ankles in a fashion that’s similar to what you’ll be doing during your ride.
Skiing is just like running track. The difference: You’re wearing a lot more clothes. Your body loses moisture during all activity, even in cold weather; if you can see your breath, you’re venting moisture. Store a water bladder under your parka so it won’t freeze.
Gravity’s your gas on a snowboard, but there are right and wrong ways to accelerate off the line. Consider your front leg to be first gear, your back leg overdrive. As you start from a standstill, lean on the front leg to start moving (rock back and forth if you’re rooted in place), then ease into a balanced position once you get going. Leaning on your back leg too much is like punching the gas in a funny car: Your front end will lift off the ground, and you’ll lose control of where you’re headed.
Slowing down without sitting down is one of the toughest skills to nail. Apply pressure to whatever edge of the board is uphill, dragging yourself against the slope like a knife shaving butter. Your knees should be slightly bent, with your body angled slightly uphill to maintain your center of gravity. The same technique will help you regulate speed between turns.
Most amateurs show up late and rush to the first tee, take a practice swing, and play. How can you not hook it into the pro shop with that approach? Show up early enough to stretch and hit a bucket of balls. By gradually warming up for that first strike, you’ll guard against incorrect body rotation on your takeaway—the primary cause of golf-related back injuries (and lost balls).
Most wrist and elbow injuries occur because people are not gripping the club lightly enough. Gripping a golf club should feel like holding a bird. To get the feel, swing two clubs at once—it can’t be done with a tight grip.
Walking the course will keep your back and hips loose between shots, helping to prevent muscle strains.
If you refuse to give up the golf cart (or the course requires it), use it as a stretching tool: Stand about a foot away from the cart and facing it. With your knees slightly bent, reach out and grab the handle on the side. Keeping your arms fully extended, sit back so your buttocks and hips extend away from the cart. You should feel a stretch in the lower part of your back. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 2 times at every hole.
Try this before each golf shot: Grasp a club in both hands like a handlebar, hold it parallel to the ground, and lift it overhead. Bend forward at the waist to make your shoulders as parallel to the ground as possible. With your arms extended, raise the club as far as you can overhead and behind you.
People forget to use their legs when they’re hitting their serve or other strokes. For example, when you toss the ball up for a serve, you stress your lower back if you don’t use your legs. Bend your knees and push up and through the serve with your legs. You’ll gather power from the strongest part of your body.
Natural surfaces are naturally kinder to your body. Plus, soft surfaces absorb less heat, reducing heatstroke risk.
Sounds silly, but a lot of people play tennis in running shoes. Unlike running shoes, however, which have an angled bottom to promote linear movement, tennis-shoe soles are flat, for optimal side-to-side motion.