Tennis Tips for Making the Transition from Indoors to Outdoors!

For all of us who have braved the cold weather and endless snow this winter, changing our grips as we scraped our windshields, holding our feet steady on the ice , and yearning for that sun to shine…Spring time is almost here!

Playing the game inside all year, players will have some difficulties making the transition to outdoor tennis. A lot of things change in the game
because of the elements of Mother Nature. Here are a few tips to help
you make the transition.

Go practice your serve…..

You’ve heard this from every pro you’ve taken lessons from, but don’t take it for granted. If you serve well, there is a great chance you’ll play well. Your confidence will be stronger and your opponents will feel more pressure. This will also give you easier opportunities to hit higher percentage shots.  So, grab a basket of balls and serve away!

Move your feet….

Go onto a court and run the lines or do some suicides. Get used to running in your new element. My old coach use to say, “Avoid defeat with quicker feet.” The game is about movement and if your feet are in the right position, you will have a better chance of hitting the correct shot.

Focus, Focus, Focus….

With all the new elements, our surroundings are not fixed anymore.  We’re not closed in by walls, curtains, and heat lamps. There are more distractions that will throw you off your game like the sun, wind and trees. If you take a few deep breaths, slow down and give your body a chance to adjust you will straighten out your game quicker.

These little tips will help you play at your best when heading to the outdoor
courts. And remember, it’s always better than going to work.

Good luck and enjoy the sun….

About the Author

Tony Pizzuli is a USPTA Certified Professional coaching at the Nassau Tennis Club

 

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Nassau Tennis Club adds new piece of court technology

By Ann LoPrinzi/For The Times The Times, Trenton
on January 13, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated January 13, 2014 at 6:23 AM

Tennis pro coach Marc Hill, left, works with David Zhang, using PlaySight’s SmartCourt. (Ann LoPrinzi/For The Times)

Technology is the new wave of tennis, and it’s getting more sophisticated.

Rackets, strings and court surfaces have made great breakthroughs. Coaches of professional players are using more scientific data. Video analysis is now a common tool. Babolat has come out with a new racket, priced at $399, that collects statistics during play. SAP, an application software company, and the WTA Tour just made an announcement in the past week about a continued collaboration on innovative technology to analyze performance and optimize strategy. ‘Virtual Coaching’ is becoming a buzzword. Apps for the iPhone apps, such as Coach’s Eye, are used to chart matches.

Now, it’s going local. The Nassau Tennis Club in Montgomery installed the new SmartCourt by PlaySight, which is Israeli-based, making it one of only 20 installations in the world. Now, average club tennis players will have access to the same type of feedback about their games as the pros. Coaches and players alike are already benefiting from this powerful tool.

It consists of five cameras to capture data and a courtside kiosk to retrieve it. After logging out, your information goes right to your e-mail, so you can then have the same details at home. It recognizes such things as the difference between forehands, backhands, direction of ball, net clearance, the ball speed and how many yards you’ve run. You can isolate numbers, like how many backhands went in or how many forehands you missed and then watch the video of just those shots. It actually calls “out” when the ball is out.

There’s a court view, a player view and a 3D view. In the 3D view, dots show where your balls landed, and it is color-coded by what kind of shot it was. You can see a rally from behind Player 1 or Player 2 or be the ball. After a hitting session, you can select Debrief on the machine and choose different modes, such as practice your serve, practice your strokes, match mode or video only. Your stats from each session will stay with your profile, so that you’ll always have access to them.

Former professional Gilad Bloom demonstrates PlaySight’s SmartCourt.

Nassau’s installation took place in November, about four months after Joao Pinho, the

manager of tennis operations, saw a demonstration in a New York club. He gave me a brief demonstration, and it didn’t take long to see that it was simple to operate and just as impressive as it’s been to all the kids and parents who have been privy to it so far.This day, high-school player David Zhang was hitting with pro Marc Hill. Both are loving this new tool, which may be adding a doubles function soon.

“It gives me a look at my strokes from a different perspective,” Zhang said. “When I’m hitting, I’m not aware of some things. I might think I’m doing it right, but I’m doing something I didn’t even know.”

Most of the installations are in the New York area, but one is being installed at Roland Garos, and the numbers are about to really grow. The club pays an installation fee and then monthly dues. SmartCourt hasn’t been made widely available to the Nassau club members or general public yet. In the short term, they have about 50 players, mostly high-level juniors, testing it. Soon, price points will be developed and made known to all levels. There are plans to add the technology to additional courts. Then, all one has to do is register online at playsight.com and call the club and reserve the court.

“Everybody is really excited about the ability to see right away what they do real time,” Pinho said. “The words of the coach with the image makes my life a lot easier.”

The technical breakthroughs in general are revolutionary. Babolat has been working with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on rules, and the ITF now allow the use of player analysis technologies during official competitions.

There may be caveats to look out for. I checked in with former New Jerseyan Mike Sell, who now coaches top American John Isner. He reiterated that video analysis is a tremendous resource, if used appropriately and is a great resource for showing court positioning, shot selection, strategy and to scout opponents. He also pointed out that developing a highlight reel of all the positive points played in a match can be a huge motivation.

“The biggest misuse of video analysis is when coaches get too technical with their student, give their students too much information or where the pro tries to copy the stroke of a pro player into their student,” Sell said. “Each player is different, so while certain fundamentals of a stroke should be the same, students add their own flare. You have to know what type of learner your student is and how he/she processes that information.”

Contact Ann LoPrinzi at annloprinzi@gmail.com

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6 Easy Steps to Fit Exercise Into Your Holiday Schedule

With  the Holidays just a weeks away,  You know what this means: Shopping and other holiday activities will consume so much of your time, regular exercise will be put on the back burner – or forgotten altogether.

“During this time of year, our lives can get very hectic, so workout routines can get disrupted or ignored,” says, David Knapp owner of Princeton Adventure BootCamps. “It’€Ÿs easy to say, a few weeks without exercise won’t harm me”€ or “I’ll catch up after the New Years. However, it will be more difficult to re-start exercising later, when you might have a few post-holiday pounds to lose. And, by the way, running from store to store is NOT exercise!”

Although finding time for regular workouts may be a challenge during the holidays, there are ways to stay on track – it’€Ÿs all a matter of good planning and motivation David  says.

He suggests these 6 steps to holiday fitness:

  • Try a bit of visualization. Imagine yourself on January 1 – and beyond – after not having exercised for several weeks. How much heavier will you be? How much harder / longer will you have to work out to lose all the weight that piled on during the holidays? Often, when you think of the consequences of your actions ahead of time, that will be all the motivation you’ll need to keep exercising!
  • Break your usual exercise routine into a couple of small sessions throughout the day. For example, two or three 10-15-minute workouts may be more manageable than an hour-long session.
  • Exercise in the morning. It may mean getting up earlier than usual, but at least you’ll be done for the day. Plus, you’ll be more energized for all the other activities. Another possibility is to use part of your lunch hour for a mini-workout; even a short session is better than none.
  • Choose the right type of exercise. Use HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), which is shorter in duration, but extremely effective at burning fat and keeping you in shape.
  • Ban all the “But I don’t have time” excuses. Don’t fall into a trap of coming up with reasons why you can’t work out. Tell yourself right now that exercise is an important part of your day and keeps you energized for all the other activities. Another possibility is to use part of your lunch hour for a mini-workout; even a short session is better than none.
  • Choose the right type of exercise. Use HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), which is shorter in duration, but extremely effective at burning fat and keeping you in shape.
  • Ban all the “But I don’t have time” excuses. “Don’t fall into a trap of coming up with reasons why you can’t work out. Tell yourself right now that exercise is an important part of your healthy lifestyle, and that you can and will fit it into your schedule, no matter how hectic it gets.
  • Work out with a buddy or in a group. Statistics show that people who exercise with a friend or in a group are more successful at exercising consistently. Make a pact with friends to encourage each other should one of you feel like slacking off.

Following all these points “will help even the busiest people keep up with their exercise routines,” David notes. “When all the holiday bustle is over, they’ll be glad they did!”

About PRINCETON ADVENTURE BOOTCAMP A  personal trainer, Dave launched Princeton Adventure Boot Camp  in February of 2007 and   specializes in weight loss and Functional Metabolic training for women and men. Schedules and client testimonials are available at www.PrincetonBootCamps.com.

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Christina Rosca Wins NJ State High School Championship

 

In Photo: Christina Rosca, a Princeton High School Sophomore, and Marc Hill, Coach and Director of the High Performance Academy at the Nassau Tennis Club

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Injury Prevention On and Off the Court

Information from THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE on injury prevention, as presented by Dinara Sharipova to Nassau Tennis Club’s Professional Staff:

Every workout must start with a warm-up and a cool-down.

A warm-up is necessary to prepare the body for exercise by increasing heart rate and blood flow to working muscles.

The warm-up should start slow and easy and consist of a general cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging or biking. The goal is to break a sweat. After five to 10 minutes, the warm-up should focus on muscles and movements more specific to the exercise activity planned. Creating a smooth transition from the warm-up to a specific activity is a great way to prevent injuries.

Flexibility exercises are an essential part of every good warm-up. Once the muscles are warm, they become more elastic and are ready to be stretched. You may choose to perform static stretches (by holding each position for 10-30 seconds), or perform dynamic stretches (by moving the body through a functional range of motion). Each stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort. Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch. Flexibility prepares the muscles, tendons and joints for work by allowing them to move freely through a full active range of motion. The more prepared the body is, the less likely it is to get injured.

An area that often gets ignored is the cool-down after activity. Just as the warm-up prepares the body for work, the cool down brings it back to its normal state. Time spent performing five to 10 minutes of low-intensity cardiovascular activity followed by stretching immediately after the workout will decrease muscle soreness and aid in recovery, both of which help to prepare the body for the next workout.

Rest is a critical component to any good workout routine and time spent allowing the body to recover is a great way to prevent injuries. A rest day must occur at least one to two times per week. Even small breaks during a workout are sometimes required to get the most out of the workout and prevent injuries.

A healthy, well-balanced diet can aid in injury prevention as well. A poor diet can lead to muscle weakness, decreased muscle strength and endurance. Equally important is maintaining hydration throughout the day, during and after your workout.

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Advantage Nassau Tennis! GeoPeak Energy Serves a Solar ACE

(PR WEB) Nassau Tennis Club has flipped the switch on its newly installed solar system at its Skillman, New Jersey tennis center. GeoPeak Energy was chosen to design and install the system, engineering it as one of New Jersey’s highest efficiency solar systems.

The electricity generated from this system is set to eliminate up to 99% of Nassau’s electrical needs from conventional energy sources and allows the facility to operate on clean, renewable solar power.

The solar energy system is comprised of high-efficiency SunPower 318 watt photovoltaic modules, Sharp photovoltaic modules, and SatCon Inverters. With further energy efficiencies, the 15 court facility will qualify as part of GeoPeak Energy’s list of “Zero Emissions Buildings in 2011”.

“We installed this new generation high efficiency photovoltaic system on a single building and supplied electricity for all buildings and outdoor play areas on site” said AJ Javan, Chief Strategy Officer of GeoPeak Energy. “The SunPower high efficiency modules produce up to 50% higher output than conventional solar panels, which, combined with GeoPeak Energy’s engineering and installation, made it possible to nearly eliminate Nassau Tennis’s dependence on conventional electricity”.

Nassau Tennis has also taken advantage of the GeoPeak Energy Alliance Program, which offers members and employees of the club a discounted solar installation cost, priority service, and additional financial incentives for them to install a solar energy system on their home or business.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Friday, December 16 at the club, and featured Skillman township Mayor and newly elected New Jersey Freeholder Mark Caliguire.

GeoPeak Energy, headquartered in Somerset NJ, is a global turnkey renewable energy solutions company that designs, deploys, owns and operates renewable energy systems. Through innovative technologies and exceptional customer service we deliver high quality solutions to enable our customers to reach their cost reduction and sustainability goals. Our offerings include project feasibility studies, development, engineering, financing and ownership, installation and delivery, monitoring and maintenance. GeoPeak Energy also specializes in seamless and integrated technology platforms that allow its customers to track and report their carbon reduction and sustainability initiatives globally. GeoPeak Energy is a SunPower Elite Dealer, which represents the highest tier of quality training and customer service achievement. http://www.geopeak.com/commercial

The Nassau Racquet & Tennis Club opened its doors to the public in 1971. The indoor club was designed and built by Benton Camper, a life-long tennis player and amateur champion. Situated on 12 acres in Skillman, NJ, the Club has evolved into the area’s premier tennis facility, offering year round opportunities for improving, competing and socializing. The facility has 10 indoor hard courts and 5 outdoor Har-Tru courts. http://www.nassautennis.net

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Nadal, Williams Lead the Way in US Open Series Bonus Challenge

The U.S. Open Series Bonus Challenge links the performance of the top three men’s and women’s finishers at Series events to their performance at the US Open. First-place finishers will compete for up to an additional $1 million in bonus prize money. Second-place finishers will compete for up to $500,000 and third-place finishers will play for up to $250,000.

Top 8 Men

1. Rafael Nadal, Spain, 200
2. John Isner, United States, 185
3. Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina, 130
4. Milos Raonic, Canada, 85
5. Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 70
6. Kevin Anderson, South Africa, 60
6. Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 60
8. Dmitry Tursunov, Russia, 50

Top 8 Women

1. Serena Williams, United States, 170
2. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, 145
3. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland, 130
4. Sam Stosur, Australia, 100
5. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia, 95
5. Sorana Cirstea, Romania, 95
7. Li Na, China, 90
8. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia, 60

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New Jersey 3.0 USTA Team will Represent Middle States in National Championships

(l-r) Back Row – Gino Carosello (Coach), Monica Chapman, Vicki Brody, Mara Wilmot, Carol Buck, Courtenay Hansen.  Front Row – Kris Vanderbei, Linda Haderer (Captain), Laura Goldman, Maureen Ruckleshaus, Jie Hayes.  Missing from photo: Theresa Smith

 

Nassau Tennis Club’s 3.0 Women’s Tennis Team won the USTA Middle States sectional tournament held on August 16-18 at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton NJ.

“Nassau Net Assets” participated in a weekend long round robin tournament against teams from Delaware, Philadelphia, West Chester, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Reading.   The team advances to the 2013 National USTA Tennis Tournament in Tucson, Arizona in September.

“This is an amazing accomplishment for these women who have been training at the Nassau Tennis Club as a team for the last three years,” says Gino Carosella, Coach and Adult Program Director at the Nassau Tennis Club.  “It came down to the very last match on the last day of the tournament with three teams in contention to win the tournament.  Nassau Net Assets won by 1 individual court – it was very exciting,” says Gino.

The team is captained by Linda Haderer, a resident of Belle Mead.  Team members reside in Montgomery, Princeton and Hillsborough.

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History Made at the 2013 Championships at Wimbledon

Andy Murray wins 2013 Championships at Wimbledon ending the 77 year drought for British male player. In a hard fought 4 set match, Murray beats Novak Djokovic.

In a straight set victory, Marion Bartoli beat Sabine Lisicki of Germany in the Women’s singles final.  Sabine Lisicki was expected to win after taking out big seeds on her way to the final including Samantha Stosur, Serena Williams and Agnieszka Radwanska.

The Bryan brothers win at Wimbledon making them the first men’s doubles team in the history of Open-era tennis to hold all four major titles at the same time

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Top 10 Ways to Lose Body Fat

Check out these 10 ways to lose body fat. I put together to help you on your fitness journey. Please pass this along to those you think it will help.

1. Drink water when you wake up.
Our metabolisms are one of our most important friends in our mission to fight fat. By drinking 2 big glasses of cold water upon rising, we’re getting the calorie burning process started without actually consuming any calories. We’re also rehydrating our bodies after a 6-8 hour span with full body function that uses a lot of water, but has no hydration.
2. Fat cells are more receptive during the morning.
High carb breakfasts can be great for giving us energy and a solid start to a day. They’re also great for adding fat around the mid-section. It’s a relatively recent finding in the health & fitness world, but our fat cells have been shown to be at their most active in the morning, especially to carbs.
Our fat cells absorb carbs and store them as fat for future us due to the spike in insulin (a hormone that effects the way we absorb and process calories).
3. Shorter, more intense workouts have a longer lasting effect.
I’ve talked about it with regards to building muscle, but with fat loss we desperately want to hold on to and build muscle as well. So by keeping our workouts to around the 45-minute mark, but making them insanely intense, we aren’t going to be releasing cortisol (muscle-burning hormone). A hormone that is released at around the 60-minute mark of an intense workout. But we’re also going to boost our metabolism for up to 24 hours after our workout has finished.
4. Eating fat won’t make you fat.
High fat, low carb diets are actually great for fat loss. As long as that fat isn’t trans fats. High fat content in the form of saturated and monounsaturated fats keep our insulin levels low, but they also give our bodies something to burn.
If we have a high protein, lower carb, and low fat diet, our bodies will need something to use as energy. Our bodies end up converting muscle into sugar to be used as fuel so we can function normally. Muscle being burned for fuel is the last thing we want when we’re building our ideal bodies.
So don’t look at these fats as the enemy. But also don’t go out and pair them with a trans fat or a lot of carbs. The resulting spike in insulin (an absorption hormone) will result in these fats being stored and not burned. I don’t think there’s only one way to eat. High fat, high protein diets are great, as are well-balanced diets.
5. Build muscle to burn fat.
The more muscle we have, the higher our metabolisms are going to be. That’s why you see these massive strong men eating crappy foods, yet still remaining relatively lean. This doesn’t mean that you have to get huge. But even if your focus is to get lean, your workouts should still focus on muscle-building. Your diet should focus on losing fat while building and maintaining muscle.
6. Sprints are better for fat loss than long runs.
Long runs burn muscle. I go for long runs, so I’m not saying don’t do them. They’re great for your lungs and cardiovascular system. But so are sprints.
Sprints result in growth hormone being released which helps build muscle and burn fat. They also spike our heart rates to very high levels. It’s been shown that as our heart rates come back down to our resting heart rate, we burn a ton of fat.
Incorporate sprints into your training and see how you feel. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Trust me.
7. Testosterone helps burn fat.
Guys, having higher testosterone levels helps us burn more fat. Here are a couple strategies that’ll help you get and maintain high levels of this powerful hormone:
3 Brazil nuts + 3,000 IU of D3 + 1-2 hard build eggs before bed.
Cold shower upon rising and before bed (also helps with sleep).
Heavy lower body lifts like squats and deadlifts.
Naps are great for releasing growth hormone – another very powerful hormone.
8. 2 cups of coffee before a workout speeds up the lipid-burning process.
Having 2 cups of coffee before a workout has been shown to get our lipids into our bloodstream where they are more easily used for fuel. Thus, coffee before a workout helps us burn more fat.
9. Eating ice cream will help you lose fat.
If you go on a very low carb/low calorie diet, having ice-cream once a week is actually a good thing as it will give your leptin levels a boost.
Leptin is a hormone that we need in our mission to burn fat. Low calorie and low carb diets (with high fats) are awesome for fat loss, but they need a boost. More specifically a sugar boost. So ice-cream once a week on a fat loss diet can be a very helpful thing.
10. Add cinnamon to everything.
Cinnamon inhibits the formation of visceral fat – which is the fat between organs. But it also breaks down belly fat. It does so by changing the way we process sugars. Instead of storing them for future use (as fat), cinnamon helps us use them as fuel. If you want to burn fat, add cinnamon whenever you can. I add it to my coffee and my oatmeal.

About PRINCETON ADVENTURE BOOTCAMP -A personal trainer, Dave Knapp, launched Princeton Adventure Boot Camp in February of 2007 and specializes in weight loss for women and men. Schedules and client testimonials are available at www.PrincetonBootCamps.com. Dave a certified fitness boot camp instructor with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, can be reached at Princetonbootcamps@yahoo. Or 888-402-2267

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