How to Avoid a Burnout

February 3, 2012 | By Eric Faro
ballfire

Burnout in tennis is an everyday occurrence. The game can become such a physical and mental grind, and it can really take a toll on your mind and body. Players often push themselves to the point of exhaustion that they no longer enjoy playing the game. There are a few key things that you can do to avoid feeling this way.

1.When you start to feel like you need a break, get away.
Don’t force yourself to continue to play when you are totally burned out. Serious players often feel guilty when they take some time off so they don’t really get away from the game. They may only take a few days off and get back on the courts before they are really ready or study tapes and watch matches. This is not really clearing your mind because you are not really into what you are doing when you are on the court. My suggestion is to put your racquets in the closet, don’t turn on the Tennis Channel, and stay away from tennis magazines until you are ready. When you find yourself really missing the sport with a passion, it is time to return to the court.

2. Vary your practice sessions.
It can become very monotonous and boring to practice the same way every time you step on the court. Make sure you vary your drills. Give yourself goals when you are drilling and change up the length of your sessions. You don’t always have to spend the same amount of time on the court to be productive. With intensity, effort and concentration, you can get things done in a much shorter amount of time than simply going through the motions of a long, boring practice.

3. Practice with different partners and at different facilities.
It can be tedious to play with the same people all the time. In order to spice up your practice a little, play with different players who play different styles. This will also help your game rather than falling into the same tendencies of playing the same players all the time. It can also be a drag to always play at the same club. Every now and then, go play somewhere else. It would also be a good idea to play on different surfaces.

4. Listen to a different voice.
There may come a time when you are no longer totally connecting with your coach. It happens to coaches in all sports. It happened to Joe Torre. It happened to Bill Parcells. It happened to Pat Riley. After a period of time, you may drown out what your coach is telling you and it may make you feel like it is draining you mentally. You may lose your motivation to play. You may need to a hear a new voice. A new coach may tell you the same exact thing as your old coach, but the way they say it may click in your head. It could be their tone, their enthusiasm or their body language, but a different voice can sometimes do wonders for your game and make playing tennis fun once again.


Eric Faro
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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