Pro Secrets of Cross Training: Stage 6: Recovery

We’ve come a long way since the start of this series, and have developed a comprehensive staged, training program to prepare you to play your best tennis. This article takes us to Stage 6. It may look like the shortest article, but don’t be fooled. It’s one of the most important. Without this final phase, you can undermine all your hard work by falling into the danger of overtraining, or worse, creating an injury. Don’t be afraid to take the time off you need. It’s necessary and actually will help you reach your potential. Active Rest When your competitive cycle is finished, you go into the final phase of the training, active rest. Rest is a necessary component in an effective cross training program for players at all levels. Active rest will help you recover physically and mentally from playing and let minor injuries heal. Research has shown that allowing your body proper recovery after a competitive cycle is critical to good performance. Active Rest is the critical final component in cross training. Have Fun! Relax and do physical activities for fun. For example, swimming, golf or light jogging and stretching. Stress is something that literally accumulates in your body…