Bigger Better Tennis - Paul Dale

Tennis Match Preparation:  The 4:1 Rule for Peak Performance By Paul Dale | The 3AM Method Your match tomorrow is expected to last approximately two hours. During the last few weeks, how much time did you spend preparing for it? An hour or two each day? You may have hit 4 times this week. But here's the ratio that separates those who complain about their results from those who consistently perform: 4:1. Four hours of preparation for every hour you'll be on court. Minimum. That two-hour match needs eight hours of preparation. Most players invert this completely. They spend 45 minutes, four times a week, getting ready for a 2-3 hour battle and wonder why they begin to struggle in long matches, or why things that were working in practice start to fall apart. The four corners Think of match preparation as a table with four legs. Remove any one leg, and the whole thing collapses when it is first used. Physical Sleep. Nutrition. Conditioning.  This is the leg everyone sees,...

Many coaches believe that all points are the same, but in reality, there are normal and "Big" points. Your ability to distinguish normal points from the big points and take the necessary steps to win the big points more often than your opponent makes you much tougher to beat. The significance of a point can vary depending on the context of the game, match or set. For example, a point at 40-15 in a game may be less crucial than a deuce point, which can determine the outcome of a game. This ability to understand what is "normal" and what are Big points is called good Game Management. A player who understands Game management constantly adapts their shot selection choices throughout the match. Game Management has nothing to do with age, but everything to do with maturity Game Management also involves the score, match stage and a point's psychological impact on the opponent. If you're facing a Break Point near the end of a set, serving an ace to bring the score b...