November - December 1998 | Vol. 9, No. 6

Question: I am tired of losing matches because I am not warmed up ... help me please!!! How do I properly warm up for a match so I am good and ready to kick butt?

Answer: I can’t tell you how many people tell me at my camps that they use the first game to warm up — a mentality that usually costs them match after match! They inevitably wind up losing the first game ... then find themselves in a catch-up situation. Think about it ... if you lose the first game of a match, you now have to win 100% of the remaining games while your opponent only has to win 50% of the remaining games. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the odds.

Here are a variety of great warm-ups that the pros and elite athletes like Cliff, Sudsy and Michelle use prior to their matches:

1. They might take a hot shower, sit a few minutes in the jacuzzi, or hop in the steam or sauna.
2. They then go to the cardio area and use one of their favorite pieces of equipment — like the bike, stairmaster, treadmill, elliptical or rower — and break a sweat for anywhere up to 15 minutes ... but a light 15 minutes.
3. Now that their muscles are nice and warm, they stretch for 10-15 minutes.
4. Next it’s court time ... they go onto a court and hit an array of shots at 50% to ease into the movements...as their muscles become totally warm they eventually hit at 80-85% to “groove” their shots and serves for their match.
5. They stretch again slightly so they are totally loose and mobile.
6. They are now good and ready to kick butt.

I’m sure you’re saying to yourselves...”Yeah right. Who has time to do all that?” If that’s the case, just do a shortened version. Something is better than nothing. Remember, if you want to be competitive — and even win the first game — your body has to be warmed up and ready to do the job and go the distance.

If you’re tired of losing matches because you’re not properly warmed up, try this six-step approach ... either the long or short version. It’s a winning formula ... just ask the pros!