One of the most difficult states to overcome is fatigue. It has been said that
fatigue makes cowards of us all. This is not true for everyone. Following a
33-hour solo flight, Charles Lindberg landed safely in France. Give in to
fatigue and you are cooked. Fight through it properly and you gain a huge
advantage! Let's take a closer look.
No matter how fit you are you have undoubtedly experienced the ravages of
being exhausted during a match. Fatigue should always be considered from both
a psychological and physiological perspective.
Safety First
It's essential to know your body and physical condition well before undergoing
any rigorous activity. Always have a medical exam and ask your physician
before attempting to withstand 3 to 5 sets of hard core tennis, especially in
heat conditions. Look at the recent number of deaths due to heat stroke. If
you experience severe pain, headaches, vomiting, inability to sweat, or other
common danger signs, always stop playing immediately.
Assuming that you are able to play tennis and not in significant danger,
fatigue usually presents itself in a variety of ways. Physical signs that
your body is tiring include greater difficulty breathing, slower movements,
aching muscles, reduced vision and slower reaction times to name just a few.
Lost Focus
Perhaps the riskiest thing to your tennis game, and eventual ego, is the focus
you often lose when you are tired. The mind has a way of wandering all over
the place when the body signals exhaustion. This is partly due to the
relationship between arousal and attention (Optimizing Arousal in
Tennis) whereby narrow attention allows many distractions to
intrude. It is also true that when you become tired, your focus has a tendency
to turn inward and dwell on your condition. Again, focus is lost because it
could be much better spent attending to more relevant performance cues.
What can be done to battle this robber of attention and energy? If you are
seeking a crucial edge for your game, let's take a look at my ten tips to
battle fatigue:
- First and foremost, make sure that you get plenty of sleep prior to the big
match. Nothing prepares your mind and body better to fight fatigue than
recharging the batteries the conventional way.
- Eat small balanced meals throughout the day and never consume a large meal
before the match. Eat light a few hours before the match, but make sure to get
some good complex carbohydrates in your body the day before the match too. For
more details, consult with a nutritionist. Everyone's body and performance
demands are different.
- Drink plenty of water mixed with Gatorade or fruit juice prior to and
throughout the match. Start hydrating at least two hours before the match.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Pace yourself throughout the match. Anticipate your opponent's style in
advance and know what will be needed to win in the final set if necessary. If
needed, take a little longer before serving and setting for the return.
Control the pace of the match and you save valuable energy for later.
- Wear a hat and light-colored clothing in the sun. These minor measures mean
a lot when battling outdoors. Protecting the head is especially important.
White reflects sun.
- Lose weight. Carrying an extra load around makes everything more
difficult. Like a hot air balloon, throwing off some of the excessive baggage
helps you soar higher for much longer.
- Visualize yourself as a powerful force. When you become tired, an energy
jolt is often helpful. See yourself as a space shuttle taking off rather than
as a donkey bogged down in the sand.
- In an emergency, end points sooner. If you are hopelessly outclassed by a
more consistent player and realize that your energy reserves will not last,
find another way to win. Thinking of two and three point combinations to end the
rally sooner will sometimes do the trick. Don't get wild, just bring the point
to a close sooner and conserve energy.
- Never let your opponent know how tired you really are. Psychological
warfare often involves deception. Show how tired you are and your opponent
gains both a tactical and emotional boost. Disguise your fatigue by turning
toward the fence to catch your breath and your energy.
- Breathe continuously and steadily through the match. Players sometimes
hold their breath under stress. Just like a world-champion weight lifter,
oxygen is essential. Breath in and out with your strokes. Use deep slow
breathing during changeovers.
I hope this article has rejuvenated your energy and given you another weapon
to unfurl on the court. Like many other distraction, fatigue should be managed
wisely to your advantage.
Keep your comments, suggestions and feedback flowing. This is truly an
international tennis forum and I love hearing from you, wherever on the globe
you type. I'm in Munich for the next couple weeks and can be contacted using this form. See you next month ...
