Hot Tennis Shoe Deals at MidwestTennis.net! Tuesday, April 24, 2007

MidwestTennis.net

04/24/2007

Tennis Racquets

Tennis Shoes

Adidas ClimaCool CC Boom W Tennis Shoes Ladies - 749878

New for 2006, the Adidas CC Boom is a performance tennis shoe designed with the active player in mind. Durable adiTUFF on the medial side supports toe drag while the traction adiWEAR sole keeps its grip.

Color: White/Zenith Blue/Matte Silver

Features:ClimaCool 360 degree cooling for the entire foot
Abrasion-resistant adiWEAR outsole
adiPRENE forefoot cushion
TORSION SYSTEM stability
Shock-absorbing adiPRENE heel
CM-EVA midsole

Average weight: 12.5 oz. (Size 8.5)

Adidas ClimaCool CC Boom W Tennis Shoes Ladies - 749878
Price: $85.00
Sale: $49.99
You Save: $35.01 (41%)

Adidas Barricade IV Tennis Shoes Ladies - 452075 Price: $129.95 Sale: $89.95 You Save: $40.00 (30%)	adidas Women's Barricade III Price: $119.99 Sale: $89.99 You Save: $30.00 (25%)	Adidas Clima Ultimate II (Mens) Light Silver Price: $84.99 Sale: $64.99 You Save: $20.00 (24%)
Wilson Challenge Tennis Shoe Mens Price: $79.95 Sale: $49.95 You Save: $30.00 (37%)	Prince QT Fastcourt Price: $39.97	Price: $84.95 Sale: $49.95 You Save: $35.00 (41%)
Prince Viper III Mid Price: $54.97	Prince Quicktrac GT Low Price: $49.97	Women's Fila Open Price: $120.95

Visit the Liquidation section of our site anytime for the best deals in tennis!

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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 2:30 PM, ,

The Role of Practice in Performance Friday, April 20, 2007

There is an old joke about the an excited visitor to New York who stops a passerby on the street and asks, "Do you know how to get to Carnegie Hall?" The passerby answers, "Sure-practice, practice, practice".

Many tennis players who seek to improve their game either fail to practice, practice incorrectly or incompletely.

Most recreational player’s practice consist of hitting a few balls at the start of a match and declaring, "First one in!" Playing is not practice! To improve, you must develop muscle memory which requires repetition of similar movements during a short period of time.

Some players use a ball machine to practice. While this is potentially an excellent approach to improving one’s game, unsupervised ball machine practice can have a negative effect on performance. I observed someone on the machine the other day consistently hitting his forehand – late, every time! He was grooving a bad habit, which will now have to be unlearned before he can move ahead.

Another common mistake is to practice strokes in isolation. Once a basic stroke is fundamentally correct, it’s critical to practice "patterns’ of strokes which simulate play and involve hitting, movement and recovery. Think about a "boxer" who sets the opponent up with a few jabs, then an uppercut before delivering the "knockout" punch.

Many players fail to practice the full range of strokes. How many of you practice your lob? Drop shot? Return of serve?

Finally, advancing players need to practice the full range of strokes from a variety of angles and positions. The forehand can be hit with topspin and slice. It can be hit down the line and crosscourt. It can be hit deep and wide. You need to be able to return it while running to the side or towards the net. You need to hit it when it’s below the net, in your strike zone and at shoulder height. As you can see, you really have a dozen different forehands and each one needs to be practiced.

If your time is limited, consider investing one third of your on-court time to practice. So, find yourself a partner who shares your passion for improving their game- and yours and PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE to take your game to the next level.

Tennis Training Aid Backhand Hitting Practice
Price: $39.95
Sale: $19.95
You Save: $20.00 (50%)

SKLZ PowerBase Tennis Trainer
Price: $29.99

Dynamic Tennis Practices Video
Price: $28.99

posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:54 AM, ,

A Passing Shot... Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Isn’t a passing shot a passing shot, whether you hit it deep or short?

It always fascinates me how often tennis players develop a misguided and twisted conceptions of how, where, or when to hit a ball.

The following is a top ranking of the most common misconceptions I encounter from my students and how I explain it to them.

1. "I’m too slow." No Doris, you are not too slow. I have never had anybody be too slow on the tennis court and I have taught people from the age of 3 right up to 84. It’s your anticipation that ain’t quite what it should be. But don’t worry, another 15 years of practicing five hours a day should take care of that though, my dear.

2. "My backhand has to be as powerful and precise as my forehand." But Herman, that would be too much to ask! You know what? Even if doesn’t yet register on the speed gun and I could probably run across the net faster than one of those lasers off your backhand wing, your backhand is already pretty, gorgeous and cute because it’s consistent and gets you the ball back in court.

Just look at the pros: all of ‘em have one dominant side, be it the forehand or the backhand. They use that shot to put pressure on the opponent and use the other side to keep the ball in play. It’s what we call in Peter Burshash International (PBI): the two opposites - meaning that whatever "like" you have, you will have a mirror dislike. Herman, it’s simple: as long as your opponent doesn’t come out on court thinking that your backhand is a genuine weakness, then you’re hunky dory.

3. "You should hit every ball 0.7267 inches over the net." Yes Rupert, I know it looks that way on TV but when you actually see it from close up, pros hit the ball way higher then that over the net when they are rallying from baseline to baseline. Do you know why? Because a ball that lands in the net is a much worst mistake than a ball that lands too long.

Just think about it Rupert: if the ball goes in the net, it’s basta, finito, schluss, chalass - the end of the point. But when you’ve hit a little too high, well, at least you still have a chance: your opponent misjudges it, or he calls it in even though it landed long or a gust of wind takes it back down in time. And the double advantage of hitting with arc is that consistency on depth is easier to achieve. So Herman, after telling you this, are you still going to aim that low over the net or would you like to do push-ups for the rest of the hour?

4. "I’m not tall - I’ll never serve hard." No offence Jacky, but the five year old I taught just before you, serves twice as hard and precise as you and he doesn’t even reach to that pierced belly button of yours. Look, I’ll get down on my knees and you watch this.

See, if you have that loose wrist, you can do anything. The only advantage in being tall on the serve is that you have a slightly higher chance of getting the ball in because the net becomes geometrically lower.

5. "The follow-through, man!... it’s all in the follow-through." Yep, right, OK, and pigs might fly and chickens have lips. Think about it logically, dude... what’s your follow-through going to do to the trajectory of the ball - nothing, nada, nichts!

Once that ball has left your strings, man, it’s arrivederci. No amount of follow-through is gonna make a difference, dude! But, I’ll tell you this though: that follow-through is important for one thing - it prevents injuries by smoothening out your stroke. It’s too much of a strain on your arm to stop your swing at contact on every ball... dude.

6. "Passing shot? Hmmm, good question coach". "Well, I guess if he’s up at the net, my ball has got to land deep in the corner" Look Herby, a passing shot, is a passing shot, is a passing shot. Whether you aim it for the corner, at the back, or shorter, half-way up the court. In fact, it would be preferable to aim half-way up the court because you only face the danger of going out-of-bounds on one line.

7. "My coach told me to hit all my volleys deep." Listen Buffy, I’m sure your coach had the best of intentions - bless his cotton socks - but you have to be able to volley both deep and short. Furthermore, most of the time when you’re up at the net, your opponent will be back on the baseline, so what’s the point in hitting it back deep where they’re standing already anyway?

Tennis Tactics: Winning Patterns of Play
Price: $19.95
Sale: $13.57
You Save: $6.38 (32%)

Secrets of Winning Tennis/Essays to Elevate Your Game
Price: $15.00

High Tech Tennis
Price: FROM $1.46

posted by Brandon Schenz @ 10:05 AM, ,

Womens Avia Apparel Sale from MidwestTennis.net Tuesday, April 17, 2007

MidwestTennis.net

04/17/2007

Avia Women's Micro Stretch Poly Racer Back Tank Price: $25.99	Avia Women's Half Zip Tank Price: $26.99	Avia Performance Polo Womens Price: $29.99
Avia Vital Skirt Womens Price: $31.99	Avia Women's Basic Shorts Price: $13.99	Avia Double Short Womens Price: $29.99
Avia Chill Palazzo Pant Womens Price: $34.99	Avia Sports Skirt Womens Price: $27.99	Avia Women's Stretch Micro Poly V Neck Tank Price: $23.99

Visit the Liquidation section of our site anytime for the best deals in tennis!

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posted by Brandon Schenz @ 12:20 PM, ,

Back Exercises & Strong Arms Tuesday, April 10, 2007

PLEASE NOTE: The medical opinions presented here are responses intended for the average player. Please consult with your primary physician before beginning any new exercise program.

Question: Are there any exercises or stretches I can do to improve my lower back strength?

Answer: Good question, especially since many tennis players experience low back pain or tightness at some point in their career. Just so that there is no confusion, exercises are used for strengthening muscles and improving coordination between muscles and stretches are performed to improve flexibility.

There are a number of exercises you can do to strengthen your lower back – too many to actually list here. With that said, squats and "good mornings" are two good body weight exercises that can be used to improve lower back strength.

Another exercise that you can do to improve lower back strength is the quadruped alternate limb extension.

Download the attached exercise sheets to read how to perform the exercises.

There are also several stretches that help improve flexibility in your lower back. One of the most effective is pulling your knee to your chest while lying on your back. You can do this one leg at a time or both legs simultaneously.

Another stretch that targets the lower back is the "modified hurdler’s stretch". This is commonly thought of as a hamstring stretch, but it also targets the lower back when performed properly. It is important to keep a "neutral spine" when performing the hurdler’s stretch. If you arch the back and/or roll the shoulders forward you put added stress on the spine.

One leg knee to chest.

Two legs knee to chest.

Modified hurdler stretch

Keep in mind that static stretching should be performed after exercise. Additionally, research has shown that performing lower back stretches like these in the morning after waking up places three times as much stress on the disks in your lower back compared to performing the same activities a few hours later.

The same hold true for any exercise, even crunch sit-ups and good mornings. You should not perform any exercise that involves bending of the trunk until several hours after you wake-up. If you have a sore back and do these exercises to start your day, chances are you will feel the tightness and soreness again the next day.

Question: I want to make my arms stronger so I can hit the ball harder when I play tennis. I don't know which exercise is just based on my arms for tennis. Can you show me which exercise?

Question: My question is I have smaller arms and I want to strengthen them and make them thicker and stronger. I am also joining a tennis league for section summer session. With me playing I don't want to wear out my arms out, but I want to get them stronger at the same time. What would you recommend?

Answer: Many tennis players think that is important to have big, strong arms to hit the ball harder and play tennis more effectively. In reality, almost every shot you hit involves the entire body. All of the body parts are linked together.

Power and strength are first generated in the legs, then the hips, the trunk, shoulders and arm before you finally hit the ball. It is not the arms, but the legs, trunk and shoulders that develop most of the power for your strokes.

The arms are actually the last and one of the weakest links in the chain. Tennis players should engage in a full-body strength-training program. Strengthening the arms should be a part of that program, but should not be the primary focus. Focus first on building strength in the legs, core region and the shoulders – particularly the rotator cuff muscles.

This will help with injury prevention and set the stage for improved performance. Also, don’t forget the role of proper technique when you play tennis. Sometimes hitting the ball harder simply means hitting the ball correctly.

Specific exercises that will strengthen the arms include:

Arm curls will target the biceps muscles in the front of your upper arm.
Triceps extension exercises will target the triceps in the back of the upper arm.
Wrist curls will strengthen the forearm muscles.
Squeezing a tennis ball, or another softer ball, will help strengthen the forearm muscles and improve grip strength.
External rotation exercises will improve strength in the rotator cuff.

posted by Brandon Schenz @ 4:05 PM, ,