My match got rained out a few days ago and I thought, “Here we go with the rain.” Rainouts in the fall and winter are very common here in Houston. So what does a tennis player do on a rainy day?
1. Play indoors. OK, this is cheating on my part. Not everyone has access to indoor courts or can afford to pay for them on a regular basis. My club has them and, at about $10 an hour, I think its a worthwhile investment when you really want to play. The problem? Getting a court booked before everyone else does.
2. Get a good cardio workout. Well, of course you're working out, right? Tennis alone, especially doubles, is not going to get you in really great shape. And nothing is more disheartening to your opponent than seeing that you just never get tired! Getting in great cardio shape will ensure that you can keep playing no matter how long a match goes.
3. Get a good upper body workout. No doubt about it – its a great idea to have strong arms and shoulders in tennis. You know you should be doing weight-bearing exercise along with your cardio. Be sure you concentrate on your upper body at least twice a week to bring more power to your game.
4. Read a great tennis book. There are plenty of tennis books that can improve your game. Here are just a few that I like (click on the title and you'll go right to my post on that book!):
Extraordinary Tennis for the Ordinary Player
Tennis Beyond Big Shots
Vic Braden's Laugh and Win at Doubles
Tennis and the Meaning of Life
The Best Tennis of Your Life
5. Clean out your bag. You know what a well-equipped tennis bag should have in it. So get the rest of that junk out of there – the cans of flat balls, the expired Tylenol, the gross dirty towel. Be sure to keep all of the necessary items in there to guarantee you have a great match – just check out this post: What I Have In My Tennis Bag.
6. Go shopping! For tennis gear, of course. It never hurts your game to have a cute outfit and new shoes to wear on the court!
© Kim Selzman 2009
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