Senior Tennis and Fitness

I just returned from seeing an orthopedic sports medicine doctor up at Dartmouth about my ailing shoulder. What she said has me feeling better about my pain/problem and gave some insights that might be useful. (Continue reading…)

These exercises are designed to work the wrists, forearms, shoulders, and legs. I have broken them down into three different groups of six exercises in each session; and I try to do each session on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. It doesn’t always work out that way; but at least that is the goal. (Continue reading…)

A critical phase of getting the body ready for tennis camp, tournaments, or just to excel on the tennis court is building strength — to improve the power in the muscles, but to also strengthen the “housing” around the key tennis joints. Several years ago, I had a physical trainer develop a series of weight training exercises to do specifically for tennis. (Continue reading…)

It is difficult to believe today is FIVE years since the passing of someone who was such a great friend to so many Florida tennis players. I don’t know about the rest of you who knew him, but I think of “Dex” all the time – especially every time I enjoy my huge TV that he characteristically encouraged me to buy. There will never be another like him.

Years ago, while commuting to and from my Hartford (Connecticut) based insurance job with a good friend, we talked about “why some people seem happy and others don’t.” We developed The Five W’s of Happiness: (Continue reading…)

Most players have Tennis Tendencies — “predictable patterns of behavior” – that if you become aware of, you can use to your advantage in critical situations. (Continue reading…)

When can you check a mark and call the shot OUT? There is a fine line between what is appropriate and what is not. A friend was playing a tournament match; and in the first game he was serving had an instance, which clearly raises this question again. (Continue reading…)

With my shoulder problem, I have been taking daily doses of Aleve. But what should you do on a regular basis? (Continue reading…)

Do you have any idea what your strokes LOOK like? For years, a critical component to ALL pro

athlete training/improvement has been the use of video to help the individual “see” what needs to be corrected. (Continue reading…)

If you ever studied Philosophy, you may recognize the headline coming from French philosopher Rene Descartes. Let’s change that classic quote to: “I think, therefore I am a better tennis player.” (Continue reading…)

For me, watching tennis on TV can be “interesting”; but is only occasionally “compelling.” Other TV sports, like football, can carry excitement throughout a game; so when watching tennis on TV, there are some techniques that can make it more effective for me… (Continue reading…)

During the Atlanta tournament TV coverage this past weekend, it came out that Big John Isner drinks coconut water during hot weather to replenish electrolytes and prevent cramping. I had never heard of this; and did some research. (Continue reading…)

Do you and your doubles partner talk during a point? There are two opposing schools of

thought on this subject. New Hampshire tennis friend and talented singer/songwriter, Pete Merrigan writes: Hey George- I had a discussion with a doubles partner who says “yours!” (you take it) a lot and expects me to do the same. I told him that I try to never (or very rarely) say “yours” …although I will say “mine” or “I’ve got it” when appropriate. What is your take on “yours”? Pete (Continue reading…)

This weekend, I tested both the new gut strings and my injured shoulder at the annual doubles tournament in New London, New Hampshire. B. Manning and I teamed up in the very tough 4.0-5.0 (any age) division; while I played in the over 60, 4.0-5.0 with Bob Wilkie (who bought in Pelican Bay last winter). (Continue reading…)

For the first time in my tennis life, I will be playing with gut strings! A couple of my Florida and New Hampshire friends

(Bob Dilworth and B. Manning) have been recommending that I switch; so with my shoulder starting to feel the same bicep tendonitis that made me miss Newk’s camp two years ago, I cut out the Luxilon/Technofibre combo in both my racquets and put in 16 gauge gut. (Continue reading…)