Spring tennis shoes

1. Inspect your tennis bag! Check your racquet(s) grips, strings, vibration dampeners and frame for any "wear'n'tear." If you think anything needs to be replaced, then do it. We can regrip and restring your racquet here at the club. If you need a new racquet, we can also special order you one but you should first try some different demo's before investing in a new racquet. This too can be done here at the club.
2. Inspect your shoes! Make sure they're tennis specific shoes. (running shoes don't count!) Also, check the outsole for any wear. If you've had them for over a season the midsole has probably begun to already breakdown and you're beginning to lose out on important cushioning that the shoe provides. Since we have hard courts here, treat your feet to the most cushioned shoes you can get!
3. Start stretching now! Tennis has very specific muscles that it uses. The muscles in the hand and forearm, the muscles you can't see around the rotator cuff, your back and especially your legs! Start getting these bodyparts ready for all the movement and work required to play tennis.
4. Start working on your cardio fitness now! Tennis players don't just need to be aerobically fit, but anaeorbically fit. In-between points your heart rate is already elevated, once the next point begins your heart rate elevates even more. To properly train this, alternate from a brisk walk to a jog for a designated length and time. Once that gets easier, alternate from a jog to a sprint. By training specifically for your sport, you'll see immediate results.
5. Start planning out your season now! What leagues are you participating in? What tournaments are you entering? How long does your high school season go for? When are you going on vacation? How often are you going to get together for practices or social matches. Try to aim for a balance this season to avoid burn-out and injury. Only YOU know how much tennis you can fit into your life and still keep it fun! I see a lot of players get so happy once it's warm out, that they say "yes" to every opportunity to play but by June they're sick of playing. It's okay and highly recommended to schedule rest periods during your season just to keep things fresh! But it's easier to do this when you have a global view of your season.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone this spring. Hopefully the cold weather will go away and let us enjoy outdoor tennis soon!