Periodization Training for Tennis Part 1

What’s the fastest way to make a real jump in your level of play? You’ve taken lessons, dissected
your technique, maybe you’ve read every lesson in the Tennisplayer lesson archive. But are you ready to try a completely
different approach to improve results? Periodization training could raise your game 10% or more, without making any
other changes in your strokes and strategy. That could be the difference in advancing an entire level in NTRP play,
from a 3.5 league to a 4.0, or from 4.0 to 4.5.

At the very top levels of tennis, the benefits of periodization training are well established. Pete
Sampras and Lindsay Davenport, for example, are two elite professional players who credit their training as vital to
their tournament success. You may never hit serves like Pete or whistle two-handed backhands like Lindsay, but, no
matter what your level, you can use the same training techniques as these pros, by adapting them to your level and
current conditioning.

If that sounds interesting, the first question to answer is what exactly is a “periodization training program”? It’s actually a simple concept. Periodization training means training in stages to increase tennis fitness. The type and amount of training…