[Special Discussion] Tennis Part 1: Tennis requires explosive power and endurance, so good conditioning is essential

[Interview]
Strength and conditioning coach Hirokazu Matsuda
Akiko Kamiki, Certified Sports Nutritionist

Tennis is an endurance sport that requires "stamina" and "power."

--Tennis is a sport that requires constant explosive movements. For example, if you are a high school girl tennis club member (158cm, 53kg, female), what do you think you should be aware of on a daily basis to maintain high performance?

Matsuda:Training, nutrition, and recovery are the three basics: exercise, eat well, and rest well. Of the 3 hours in a week, about 1 hours can be devoted to club activities. The remaining 168 hours must be spent on life, making various choices for oneself. How one spends time outside of competition is important, so I tell the players, "I want you to always be conscious of the choices that will help you become the person you want to be."

--What part of your body would you like to focus on training in particular to improve your tennis skills?

Matsuda:It's a bit of a pun, but they often say "te-nis (hands) are ashi-nis (feet)." Tennis is a sport played with the feet, not the hands. That's how important it is to strengthen the lower body. Although the upper body tends to be emphasized in tennis, training the lower body is the foundation. For high school girls, whether they do bodyweight training or weight training will depend on their rate of growth, but a menu focusing mainly on lunges and jumps is effective.

If you are unsteady under your own weight, you will hurt your knees easily when you perform the tennis movement of "running and stopping". On the other hand, if you train your lower body well, your physical strength will compensate for the elements that require technique. For example, by improving your jumping ability through training, you will be able to achieve a fast serve from a high hitting point. This will reduce the number of times you practice repeatedly to serve faster and hurt your shoulders.

--Nutrition is especially important for students, but are there any essential nutrients or things you should keep in mind to maintain your daily condition?

Ueki:Even though they are high school students, they are still in the growth phase and some parts of their bodies are not yet fully developed. As a base, I want them to practice with a good supply of energy. Many people want to know about the specific nutrients they need at this stage, but the first priority is to get enough energy. If you are lacking in energy, taking supplements such as protein will not be effective. Be aware of taking in enough energy by combining three meals a day with snacks. We advise them to take snacks at the right time according to the rules of each school.

--What is the ideal way to replenish your nutrients before, during and after practice?

Ueki:The main source of energy in sports is carbohydrates. For athletes who want to eat something they can chew, we recommend rice balls, and for athletes who find it hard to move after eating solid food, we recommend jelly drinks, sports drinks, or 100% fruit juice.

The timing of nutritional supplementation varies from player to player. If you are in a school club, you can just go to the court, but if you are in a club team, you should drink a jelly drink on the way there and then drink a sports drink when you arrive before practicing. Although situations vary, nutritional supplementation is absolutely necessary. It is important to determine how you can replenish your energy according to your lifestyle.

In order to prevent anemia, it is important to consume carbohydrates and proteins.

--Tennis matches can be long. It's hard to stay focused, but are there any foods that are good to consume in order to maintain high performance for a long time?

Ueki:For tennis players, endurance is key. It is important to continually replenish carbohydrates during a match so as not to run out of energy.
It's a good idea to prepare some energy jellies with carbohydrates on hand so you can quickly drink them when play stops.

In addition, red blood cells are easily broken down by the impact of landing after a jump, and tennis players can become anemic. Female players in particular tend to be anemic, and there are cases where simply improving this condition can lead to a performance improvement that makes them seem like a different person.
When we hear "anemia," we tend to think that it is caused by a lack of iron, but in the case of athletes, there are many cases where anemia is caused by a lack of energy or protein. It is important to ensure that both protein and iron are sufficient. If an athlete has a relationship with their coach or guardian that allows them to consult with them when they feel unwell, they can take action immediately.

--So the way you teach varies depending on each player.

Ueki:The textbook standards are the same, but because tennis is an individual sport, the way people teach varies greatly.

--As with anemia, there are also issues unique to female athletes, such as irregular menstruation. Is there anything you teach them about these issues?

Ueki:If you have irregular menstruation or anemia, it is often the case that you are not eating enough.
First, increase the amount of food you eat. Some athletes cannot eat a lot at once, so in some cases, they may use oil (edible oil made from only medium-chain fatty acids, such as MCT oil).
I feel that stabilizing the content and amount of my meals leads to stability not only in my body but also in my mental health.

Matsuda:I'm also concerned about female athletes who are concerned about gaining weight at this age and consciously refrain from eating. As they train and build muscle, it's only natural that their lean body mass will increase. If they reduce the amount they eat because they're concerned about the numbers, they'll also become deficient in iron, which can lead to anemia and irregular menstruation.

--How can we instruct female athletes to eat a balanced diet?

Ueki:When girls reach middle and high school age, their bodies change and they are more likely to gain body fat. This is natural as they are still growing. If they eat less rice because they are concerned about their figure, their metabolism will slow down and they will be more likely to gain weight. Furthermore, this vicious cycle of "eating snacks, then eating less rice" can lead to energy deficiencies.

For such players, we first check the balance between the amount of exercise and the amount of food they eat.
Then, make them understand that they won't gain weight if they eat the necessary amount, and increase the amount of staple food. If they resist, gradually increase the amount to 20g, 30g, etc. For athletes who exercise regularly, increasing the amount of staple food helps speed up their metabolism. It also stabilizes their mental state, allowing them to actively participate in practice. They also get less tired, are easier to move around in, and perform better. When they see these results, they realize that it's better for them to eat.
If you eat a diet that matches the amount of exercise you do, you will lose body fat and increase muscle mass, which will further improve your performance.

Mental endurance is also important in tennis, so coaching that doesn't encourage is also necessary

--Is there any mental training you receive to help you maintain concentration during long matches?

Matsuda:In tennis, there are many times when you can't win a point even after a long rally. At times like that, you may feel discouraged. But tennis is about continuing to play, saying "one more time, one more time." For this reason, it is important to practice silently and repeatedly without compromise, even during training.

Also, tennis is a sport where trainers cannot cheer during the match. In other sports, people around cheer, but in tennis, you can't cheer until a point is decided. That's why I tell the players, "It's up to you to encourage them during the match." It may seem cold, but I don't cheer during practice or training, and I only say "well done" after the game.

-- Tennis requires players to deal with the heat in the summer. What kind of guidance do you give in terms of heat countermeasures and hydration?

Ueki:This is not limited to tennis, but many high school athletes do not have the habit of drinking fluids and tend to become dehydrated. Especially in the summer, if you do not hydrate before, during, and after practice, you will quickly become dehydrated. I would like you to practice planned hydration by setting a daily quota for hydration and drinking a specific amount and for how long before practice.

Ideally, it would be good if players could adjust their fluid intake based on the amount of sweat they produce. Tennis is a sport that is directly affected by the heat. I would be happy if players paid more attention to hydration, such as by weighing themselves before and after practice to check the amount of sweat they produce.

In the first part, we introduced what you should be aware of in your regular training and daily meals, and the importance of staple foods and hydration. In the second part, we will introduce conditioning for a match, recovery methods for the day and the next day, and model meal menus that cover the energy and nutrients needed for the day.

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