Special Edition: A Trunk Full of Fuzzy Balls and Racquets

In today's #BWD: a tribute to my friend C and the sport she loves. Technically, I guess it's a tribute to her car.

She loves tennis. Her husband loves tennis. Her kids love tennis. When they built a new house, they left the living room unfinished, but they completed a tennis court out back. She makes her living teaching kids how to play tennis.Yeah, my friend is kind of nuts for the game.

I tried to learn to play when I was younger. Got to where I could hit it around with a partner who wasn't very good. I owned an aluminum racquet that came with Billie Jean King's picture on the label. I still remember how to keep score, I think.But my friend is such a devotee of the game that I wanted to do a little post to honor her. If you love to play tennis as much as she does, here are some articles that just might be useful to you. If you don't play, you might find some advice that applies to your own sport... or even you life. May it bless you.

Be well!
Bob

MIND

Tennis requires mental toughness, strategy, and the ability to cope, no matter what goes wrong. In this article from The Tennis Space, Anne Keothavong talks about how to keep your head on straight when frustration threatens to take away your best game.

BODY

Even though it isn't a contact sport, tennis is not a game for softies. It takes strength and endurance to play for hours in the sun against an opponent who is trying to run you ragged, wind that turns pop ups into home runs, and humidity that makes your shirt feel even heavier than your legs.

It all starts with conditioning. It doesn't matter how blazing your serve is or how much ground you can cover in the first set if you're dragging your tail by the middle of the third. Active.com has a suggestion for The Ultimate Conditioning Exercise for Tennis Players, It's an old favorite, and you just might hate the idea... but believe me, once you've knocked out a couple of dozen Burpees for a few weeks, you will find your muscular endurance and flexibility rising to a whole 'nother level.

Once your head has stopped spinning, it's time to think about dedicated strength training. 13 Strength Training Tips for Tennis Players contains good advice for anyone looking to build functional muscle power, but it is also packed with sport-specific details. One of my favorites: Don't let your strength training alter your form on the court.

If you work hard and play hard, soon or later, you're going to experience an injury. Tennis even has one named after it. That aching tendonitis on the outside of your elbow is a result of gripping for hours at a time, and when it strikes, it's best to deal with it early. WebMD tell you all you want to know and more about Lateral Epicondylitis (that's Tennis Elbow for those of us who didn't go to medical school), and Khushboo Mehta at Stylecraze.com offers some simple prevention and healing strategies with 10 Exercises to Take Care of Tennis Elbows.

SPIRIT

We know that Yoga is good for your mental health. It develops strength and flexibility, and encourage a mindful sense of focus on the present moment that is invaluable for a tennis player at any level. Here's one more link from Active.com with some classic poses in Yoga for Tennis Players that will be of particular value to you on the court.

And finally, a bit of wisdom from one of the sport's great players... and one of the best reasons to contact the Bluegrass Tennis Association and get your kids started playing this beautiful game... If you're lucky, my friend C might even let you borrow a racquet from her trunk.