When should you start looking at periodisation?

Personally, I believe that, as sson as a player can take in and understand what is involved, they should be taught the principals behind the various aspects of what they will need to do in tennis.

As an example, with my players, I start them looking at goal setting and training planning (plus other factors) as soon as I think they can comprehend them. I have

10 year olds who do goal setting for instance. We do not take it too seriously at that stage but we use the forms I have produced and set possibly imaginary goals for their tennis and also goals that they want to achieve in their life. We difine and analyse them and do the medium and short term goals. This at least sets them on the right path and they see the benefits of doing this as they progress.

Then, when it is necessary to look seriously at the training etc., it does not come as a surprise and it is far easier to work on the various aspects.

There are basically two types of people as far as sport is concerned, there are the sporty athletic types and the couch potatoes. The latter may decide that they want to become fitter and to take up a sport, but the former, at a young age, often have different abilities and fitness levels.

From a young age, most youngsters will naturally do a lot of running, jumping, skipping etc., and this will, together with their participation in various sports, give them a basic fitness. I believe that it is essential that all those participating in a sport, do a warm-up before commencing their playing-  this should be at all levels, although I do know of lots of members in clubs who do not do this. But, bearing in mind that many of them go onto the court and do an easy hitting to one another to start with, this serves them as a warm up. However, I do not believe this is sufficient if you are going to follow up with a really hard training session or a long tough league match.

Further more, it should also be drilled into players that they must also do a warm down at the end of lessons and play, and this should incorporate flexibility stretches.

It should be remembered that different sports require different types of training and it is important that you ascertain what your particular sport requires. As an example, as a tennis player, whilst you need strength and endurance, it would be incorrect to do training over a cross country course for 14 miles on a regular basis, equally, whilst a tennis player will do work in the gym, they would not do body building such as would be undertaken by a weight lifter. It is therefore essential to understand the type of training required for tennis and we will look at specific exercise routines and styles under fitness.

When you are ready to start your periodisation, we will assume you have achieved  a sound base level of general fitness prior to starting and that you will have completed a 2 week period of ACTIVE rest. I have put this in capitals because it is necessary to have active rest periods during your training cycle, and by active we mean that you are resting from your tennis training but still maintaining fitness by another method, perhaps playing or practicing basketball etc.,

You can utilise the half yearly form I have introduced, you can photocopy this and use it for a full year. We need to look at the programme for a complete year. Bearing in mind that you can only, generally peak 4 or 5 times in a year, you will need to fill in on the form, the tournaments that are important to you, i.e. the ones you want to succeed in.

Uou must also look at the period of training as a 12 week cycle, leading up to a major event. This will be broken down basically as follows:

         Weeks 1 – 5 or 6    improving the efficiency of the aerobic energy system training during this period should consist of 3 or 4 runs of about 3 – 4 miles performed at a ¾ intensity of maximum heart rate. Any improvement should be based on a better time and not to make the run any longer.

       Weeks  6  -  8     During this period we are transiting from endurance to speed.  Each week, one of the distance runs is substituted by an interval training session. During the first week the 3 – 4 miles is broken into sprints of  30 – 60 seconds alternated with slower running of a similar time

During the next two weeks the interval training will be done on court.

These sessions will be tennis specific patterns performed at high intensity for 15 – 45 seconds with a 1:3 work/rest ratio,  see specific on court drills under ‘High Intensity Training’  A session will involve 2 –3 sets of 5 repetitions – variations will appear under the same heading.

       Weeks  9  -  12 We are now in the preparation stage for our competition and the emphasis should be on specific on court agility, speed and power based activities. These should be specific movement patterns utilising racket and stroke production. Training periods should consist of tennis specific patterns  performed at maximum intensity  for 5 – 10 seconds and a 1 : 4 – 6 work/rest ratio, allowing complete recovery. A session may involve 2 – 3 sets  of 5 – 6 repetitions and times should be recorded and these should be improved upon.

It should be appreciated that working with advanced and professional players, the [eriodisatyion programme would have to vary, and this would depend on the tournament circuit in which they are involved, this may mean shorter periods of 6 – 7 weeks. However, the coach will know the physical conditioning programme of their player and this would have been constant throughout the season or year, but they would still need to peak at the right times. Sometimes this is difficult as will be seen with some of the top players peaking too soon or after that important tournament.

It will be appreciated that the physical conditioning  training will need to be different for the player who is eliminated from the tournament on the first day and the player

who has rounds of hard matches for a two week period up to the final.

One very important point to remember : The fitter and more athletic the player, the better will be their performance.

I will look at the long term development of the player seperatly.