CHOOSING THE RIGHT TENNIS RACQUET

Sportsmart Tennis Manager and tennis coach, Ray James

Q. Are there many different kinds of tennis racquet?

There are three major categories of tennis racquets:

  1. Recreational/game-improver range
  2. Intermediate/club competition range
  3. Player performance range

Q. What are some of the main things to think about when selecting a tennis racquet?

The key points to consider are:

–       Which category of player am I?
–       Do I want more power in my game?
–       Do I want more control in my game?
–       Do I want a lighter or heavier racquet, and which is going to suit my style of game?

To get more power, choose a tennis racquet with an oversized head or one with a larger ‘sweet spot’.

To gain more control, a smaller mid-sized head and a thinner beam or profile will be helpful.

The swing weight of the tennis racquet, rather than the overall weight, is the more important factor to consider for your requirements. A more ‘head heavy’ swing weight will suit the more competent player, whereas a lighter head or a more evenly balanced racquet will suit the recreational/game-improver player.

I hope these basic tips will assist you in making the right choice when selecting your next tennis racquet. Our friendly and professional staff at Sportsmart are always happy to answer any other questions you may have.

HOW TO: MASTER THE ART OF BUNKERS

Most golfers fall into the trap of trying to scoop the golf ball out of the bunker, with a common result – the golfer will skinny the golf ball in to the face of the bunker or over the other side of the green.

Here is an easy practise drill to help the common golfer find bunkers easier: 

1. Place a $5 note on the sand facing the target

2. Put the ball in the centre of the $5 note

3. Place the face of the club at the back of the $5 note

4. Your stance must be open to the target

5. Your takeaway will follow your feel line (outside to inside), taking out the $5 note at impact

6. Always hit down on the golf ball.

Happy golfing.

Sportsmart Golf Manager and golfing professional, Ashley Grant

MAXFLI REVOLUTION V90 GOLF BALL

Maxfli V90 RevolutionSportsmart Golf Manager and golfing professional,
Ashley Grant

Q. What type of player is this new golf ball designed for?

It has been designed for serious players who want great performance.

Q. What are the main features?

Some of the V90 features include:

• A 392-dimple pattern for proven performance in all conditions
• All-new thin super soft blend Thermoplastic Ionomer cover for exceptional feel and control
• HPF 2000 fast mantle to reduce driver spin giving a longer and straighter ball flight
• A soft yet durable core for higher ball speed

Q. What else is special about this ball?

It stays in the air longer than all other MAXFLI balls with your driver and long irons, while giving exceptional feel and green grabbing performance with your shorter clubs.

BASKETBALL & NETBALL TRAINING TIP: AGILITY

To be competitive when playing, the ability to quickly change direction is important. During a game, players need the skill to be able to accelerate and decelerate, create short, sharp movements by working through tight spaces and accelerate towards the ball – all while using speed and quick footwork to create space to set up play. Achieving this gives players an advantage over less agile opponents. Try the following exercises to help improve your agility:

• Double feet jumps over mini hurdles

• Ladder drills (using an agility ladder, available at Sportsmart):
–       Running with high knees (one foot in each square)
–       Single/double jumps and side-to-side jumps along the ladder
–       Run-throughs (one foot in each square, then try variation of two feet in each square)

• Short sprints (20–50m) and running on the spot as fast as possible, then sprinting to a point and back at maximum pace.

• Cone sprints: Set up cones diagonally over a distance of 20–30m. Sprint to one cone then change direction and sprint to another cone etc as fast as possible. Repeat this process.

• Cross sprinting (sprinting with change of direction): Start at the middle point of an area then sprint to the top point, then straight back to the middle. Repeat this process by running to either side as well as up and down.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

SOCCER TRAINING TIP: ENDURANCE

Soccer is played in short bursts separated by rest/walking periods. Endurance training is a vital component of soccer training as players cover a lot of ground – some elite players can cover up to 12km during one game! Here are two training exercises players can try to help improve endurance:

Interval training

This involves covering a certain distance with rest periods in between. For example, 4 x 400m sprints with one-minute rests, or 5 x 100m sprints with 10-second rests. You can vary both the distance and the rest period (the longer the distance the greater the rest period).

Fartlek (speed play) training

This consists of running, jogging and walking stairs and hills intermittently, and should be carried out for 20–30 minutes. This form of training improves overall aerobic fitness while also adding variety to the training program. Find a route that includes all these variations before beginning the session.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

GOLF TRAINING TIP: STRETCHING

Doing stretching exercises before you play is important as it helps increase flexibility, range of motion and power. Also, warming up helps to reduce injury risk and the risk of a flare-up of a niggling muscle or joint. Follow this sequence of dynamic stretches 15–20 minutes before teeing off to help improve your game:

• Walking or jogging warm-up – 3–5 minutes

• Supported single leg squats – 10 on each leg

• Arm swings – swing arms back and forth across the body for 30 seconds

• Trunk rotations – stand with feet shoulder-width apart and slowly rotate upper body from one side to the other x 15–20

• Standing shoulder stretch – stand up straight, holding golf club in front with one hand holding each end in an overhand grip. Lift club up over your head, keeping elbows straight. Slowly stretch shoulders and move hands as far back as possible. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat x 3

• Leg swings – 10 on each side

• Alternating toe touches – complete 30

• Practice swings

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

AFL TRAINING TIP: STRENGTH

Aussie Rules is a contact sport, so players require a huge amount of strength so they can stand their ground, take marks, tackle and also gain greater resilience to injury. Players need to have a strong overall body, which can be achieved through strength training. This should consist of whole body strengthening (not just one specific area). A good way to achieve this is through a circuit, which could include the following exercises:

• Legs: Squats, lunges, step-ups and box bounds
• Chest: Push-ups, dumbbells and chest press
• Shoulders and arms: Dumbbell shoulder press and dips
• Back: Seated row

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

CRICKET TRAINING TIP: FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility can improve performance and reduce injury risk by helping movement of joints and surrounding muscles through a full range of motion. Flexibility is important for batting, bowling, catching and throwing as well as sprinting, running and all other movements carried out on the field. Lack of flexibility can lead to injury as well as a poorer performance of skills such as speed, agility, strength and overall endurance. Doing these exercises before a game will help improve flexibility and therefore range of movement:

• Adductor kneeling – kneel with one foot on floor, position torso to inside of upper thigh with hands on the floor, then lower torso and hold stretch.

• Wall push, to stretch calf muscles

• Glute stretch – lie on back with one ankle on opposite knee. Reach in behind hamstring and pull towards chest.

• Hamstring stretch

• Hip flexor stretch

• Lower-back stretch – lying on back, pull one knee in towards your chest and then across the body (push knee down towards to ground).

• Arm rotations, forward and back

• Posterior shoulder stretch – crossing one arm across your body and holding in position with the other arm, then repeating on the other side.

Make sure you are warmed up prior to stretching and don’t allow stretches to become too painful or uncomfortable.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

TRAINING TIP: VARIETY

Many people find everyday fitness – in particular running – tedious and boring. The best way to make fitness enjoyable and rewarding is to do a variety of activities. For overall fitness, mix it up with swimming, cycling, walking and running, as well as group activities where you can involve friends and family – try tennis, soccer in the park, rollerblading or volleyball. Basically, anything that you’ll enjoy and will keep you motivated while also helping your overall fitness.

Many people find running a real chore and therefore might choose to avoid it. To combat this, it’s important to keep your running sessions exciting and interesting. Make sure you run in an area you like; for example, use the beach path and parks. Incorporate circuits (squats, lunges, dips, push-ups and step-ups) in between bouts of running, and use ramps, hills and stairs to vary it and get your heart rate up higher. Take a different route each session and mix it up as much as possible, and you will find it easier to achieve your fitness goals.

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler 
(0433 826 944)

Puma King XL

All football players will be familiar with this iconic boot from Puma. The Puma King range has been around for 40 years, with minimal changes due to its popularity. This boot has super soft leather for an extremely comfortable fit as well as having a traditional conical stud pattern. Available in 2 colours as well as a soft ground option, the legend that is the Puma King XL lives on.  

Sportsmart Footwear Manager, Ryan Meggs