Fitness Training
Fitness is a top priority at Advantage Tennis Academy (ATA) because if you want to be a serious tennis player, you have to be seriously fit. After going through our intensive, research-based fitness program, players achieve greater strength, power, speed, quickness, flexibility and endurance. Our fitness staff understands the muscles, movements and technique involved in tennis and they design every workout to help our players become better athletes on the court. Our Core Fitness Program includes:
- Medicine ball training – replicating on-court movement and implementing a load to allow players to generate more force from the ground
- Resistance band strengthening – upper body conditioning, hip, glute and knee strength, muscle mobility and endurance
- Plyometrics – to develop power, speed, improve reaction time, and develop strength in hips, ankles and feet
- Agility Training – to work on balance, stability and isometric training (balance of strength/mobility on right and left side of your body)
- Speed, Reaction and Quickness Training – to improve reaction, footwork on the court, and first step speed
- Endurance Training – hill sprints, stair sessions, long distance running, beach/sand training
For our older athletes (16 years and older), a closely monitored, tennis focused, strength-training program is implemented that involves weights, corrective exercise, and injury prevention. ATA is committed to developing each player’s athletic base and fundamentals to maximize their physical potential and limit the risk of injury. In addition to developing their speed, power, balance, flexibility, and strength, players will also be educated on pre-habilitation exercises designed to limit injury and maximize athletic performance prior to competition.
Pre-Hab Sessions
Every week ATA athletes will participate in two sessions of Pre-Hab training (pre-habilitation). These sessions will be led by Diana Karim. Diana was a former Division 1 college tennis player and has extensive knowledge in tennis performance training, corrective exercise, sports injury prevention and rehabilitation.
During these sessions players will be educated and partake in exercises to help keep their bodies balanced, flexible, and prepared to compete at the highest level. These sessions will focus on:
- Foam rolling
- Upper body mobility and flexibility
- Core conditioning and mobility
- Hip / leg / glute / ankle / foot flexibility and mobility
- Injury protocols
- Proper warm-up / cool-down
- Relaxation / breathing rituals
- Whole-body flexibility
ATA athletes are encourage to develop winning habits and routines… as all great athletes have these. It's these small things that are the BIG things in the end. This is why we are serious about players being prepared for every practice and accountable for their actions.
Players will be required to bring the following items to each Pre-Hab session:
- Foam Roller
- Light resistance bands
- Jump rope
Higher Training
ATA also offers additional fitness programming to assist those athletes that need something beyond what our core program has to offer. This includes:
- Private fitness training available to players that want one-on-one strengthening programs, need additional footwork/quickness training, or need rehabilitative programming
- Functional Movement Screening available for athletes to test athletes for mobility asymmetries and imbalances. After completing an FMS, players will be provided with a detailed, individualized Corrective Program to that will address their weakest links and help to correct their movement dysfunctions, asymmetries and weaknesses so as to allow them to be more mobile and less injury prone.
- Massage Therapy set up off site with a therapist that specializes in sports massage therapy
PPM: Our Player Performance Management system ensures that students are mentored on an individual level. Players meet weekly with coaches on a weekly basis to set performance goals and evaluate progress and development.
Player Performance Management
Being a serious athlete is taxing on the body. In order for a player’s body to function optimally, proper nutrition is CRITICAL. This is why at ATA we make sure to educate and monitor each athlete’s diet. Athletes should be fueling their bodies with the right foods at the right time. Besides our nutrition mentoring sessions, Advantage will provide snacks and hydration stations during and between training sessions.
Other Fitness Expectations
Our mentality is that it is easy to be average… but if you want to achieve great things in your life, you have to do the hard things that make you uncomfortable. With that said, players are expected to have full attendance and participation in all scheduled fitness activities. In addition, ATA partners with Wardance Training Center under the supervision of Matty Orlando. Players are expected to uphold the same levels of conduct at Wardance facilities as they would in the classroom or on court. Several fitness sessions will take place off site including: Wardance Training Center, Costa Mesa, Beach at Corona Del Mar, Stairs at Turtle Ridge, French Hill in Turtle Ridge. Students will be transported and supervised by ATA staff and coaches at all off site locations. Players will be periodically tested throughout the semester to monitor their progress in various areas such as agility, speed, strength, power and flexibility