The Four5 Project Presents: The Winter Tennis Plan

How to maintain your game without breaking the bank.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Maintaining Your Game• Unless you live in a warm

weather state, maintaining your tennis game over the Winter can be tough.

• Personally, I not good enough of a player to start over every Spring. By the time I get my game back, it’s time to put the racquets away again.

• Here are a few simple tips to help you keep your game sharp over through the cold Winter months without breaking the bank.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011

1. Shorten the Winter• When you’re a Tennis addict,

the Winter feels like it takes forever - but how long is it?

• In most parts of the country, Winter is three months - Dec, Jan and Feb.

• Make sure you’re playing Tennis as deep into the Winter as possible. October and November may be a little cooler, but there is still plenty of good playing time available.

• And when the weather starts to get nice, bust out those racquets and get back at it.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011

2. Find a way to play indoor tennis - without a membership.

• Joining an indoor tennis club might sound like a good idea, but it’s a slippery slope.

• A typical club is going to be $200 / month + court time. By the time it’s all said and done, you might be paying $300 for four hours of court time. Is that the best use of the money?

• Check and see if clubs offer court time for non-members. It might cost more per hour, but will be cheaper over the long-haul.

• Stay up-to-date on Winter tournaments - even if you don’t feel like your game is at it’s best.

• Mooch a guest pass off of your friends who have indoor club memberships.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011

3. Get in shape• No, you may not be getting out on

the court as much as you want, but a fitness plan can be just as effective. What would be like to get back out on the court in March and be able to out-work your opponents?

• Look for deals on gym memberships. My membership at 24-hour Fitness is $30 / month - about the rate of 1-hour of indoor court time.

• Work on strengthening your core and improving your cardio endurance.

• I have collected a variety of tennis exercises on YouTube. Even if you don’t have a gym membership, you can do most of these exercises at home. Click here to check them out.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011

4. Consider a Tennis Vacation

• The weather may suck where you live, but it’s probably better somewhere else. There are plenty of tennis vacations to be had in places like Vegas, California, Florida, Hilton Head and Texas.

• Consider playing a tournament or attend a Tennis Camp.

• Airfare is typically pretty cheap in January.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011

5. Try Shadow Strokes• If you have space in your

house or in your yard, practicing some shadow strokes can be an effective way to keep your footwork sharp.

• A shadow stroke is just going thru the motion of striking the ball. Think of a baseball player in the on-deck circle. They are doing shadow strokes as they swing the bat.

• Here is a video of me and my coach, Jeff Salzenstein, going through some shadow stroke drills.

Four5Project.comSaturday, December 24, 2011