Lethargy, heavy legs

[eaglesburg]

Sometimes when I play, especially at the beginning, my legs will just feel like they don't want to move and I get tired and out of breath really quick. I know it's not fatigue because most of the time as the match goes on into the second set it seems to go away. It's as if they need time to wake up.

How do I get rid of that heavy leg and tired feeling earlier though? I just don't feel like moving around on the court. Before my match I feel fine, it's just when I start hitting that it starts. I don't want to move, and when I do it is slow and I get tired fast.

Thanks!

[stotty]

Sometimes when I play, especially at the beginning, my legs will just feel like they don't want to move and I get tired and out of breath really quick. I know it's not fatigue because most of the time as the match goes on into the second set it seems to go away. It's as if they need time to wake up.

How do I get rid of that heavy leg and tired feeling earlier though? I just don't feel like moving around on the court. Before my match I feel fine, it's just when I start hitting that it starts. I don't want to move, and when I do it is slow and I get tired fast.

Thanks!

This is a bit unusual for a youngster like yourself. What kind of diet do you have? Eating plenty of carbs the night before a match is the best way to store up the energy you will need. DON'T eat too much protein before a match as this slow you down considerably and make you slow and sluggish.

In short:

1 Carbs the night before a match to store up slow release energy
2 Sugar during the match to keep your energy topped up
3 Protein after a match to help the body repair

[eaglesburg]

This is a bit unusual for a youngster like yourself. What kind of diet do you have? Eating plenty of carbs the night before a match is the best way to store up the energy you will need. DON'T eat too much protein before a match as this slow you down considerably and make you slow and sluggish.

In short:

1 Carbs the night before a match to store up slow release energy
2 Sugar during the match to keep your energy topped up
3 Protein after a match to help the body repair

Today it happened...before I played I ate a lot of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans). I also started eating a banana and slowly ate it thru the match along with water and Gatorade. I had cereal (special K protein) for breakfast about 3 hours before playing.
So I can see how the protein could have caused this.

[hockeyscout]

This is a bit unusual for a youngster like yourself. What kind of diet do you have? Eating plenty of carbs the night before a match is the best way to store up the energy you will need. DON'T eat too much protein before a match as this slow you down considerably and make you slow and sluggish.

In short:

1 Carbs the night before a match to store up slow release energy
2 Sugar during the match to keep your energy topped up
3 Protein after a match to help the body repair

Wow, sugar.

[eaglesburg]

Wow, sugar.

How else do you meet short term energy needs?

[hockeyscout]

This is a bit unusual for a youngster like yourself. What kind of diet do you have? Eating plenty of carbs the night before a match is the best way to store up the energy you will need. DON'T eat too much protein before a match as this slow you down considerably and make you slow and sluggish.

In short:

1 Carbs the night before a match to store up slow release energy
2 Sugar during the match to keep your energy topped up
3 Protein after a match to help the body repair

This is an athlete from Africa I worked with for four years. He just showed up in the Ukraine, and was willing to do whatever it took to make it. We have a lack of world class MMA coaching in Ukraine, but, it did not matter much with Donald as we nailed it in areas like nutrition, quickness, movement, foot placement, continuity of momentum, neurological skill set ups, control of center of gravity and all the rest. 23. MMA champion of Russia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKuvLo8luQ

1-2-3, I'd never tried it (what you mentioned above). Interesting. Tell me licensedcoach, what protein source are you using that makes you slow and sluggish? I never knew protein slowed you down? Thats all new to me. Whats the origin of your protein?

[hockeyscout]

How else do you meet short term energy needs?

My athletes NEVER think short term, especially when it comes to energy needs. Sugar would be the last thing we'd ever do. Again, I'd love to hear more theory from licensedcoach to get an idea on where he is coming from with his thoughts on protein. I cannot say I have ever heard anyone say what he has said before in the circles I am involved in. Its has me intrigued.

[eaglesburg]

My athletes NEVER think short term, especially when it comes to energy needs. Sugar would be the last thing we'd ever do. Again, I'd love to hear more theory from licensedcoach to get an idea on where he is coming from with his thoughts on protein. I cannot say I have ever heard anyone say what he has said before in the circles I am involved in. Its has me intrigued.

Even if it's a big match like a final? What else do you suggest as fuel?

[hockeyscout]

I am waiting for licensedcoach to respond. Its interesting his 1-2-3 proposal. Never heard things like he is discussing before and its interesting. Lets give him a chance to elaborate.

[don_budge]

Cut to the quick...

I am waiting for licensedcoach to respond. Its interesting his 1-2-3 proposal. Never heard things like he is discussing before and its interesting. Lets give him a chance to elaborate.

Come on hockeyscout…we are all waiting. Why persist in personal agendas? I am curious as to what you have to offer…I have some questions regarding diet as well. If something Stotty has said is not correct I can assure you it wasn't done with ill intentions. If you somehow plan on making him look or sound foolish…those are ill intentions. Keep it simple now…just give us the lowdown. He obviously is not taking the bait.

Question for hockeyscout…what is your approach to diet for your athlete? Stotty suggested three points…can you recommend three? Same time frames?

I was wondering if eagle scout's problems might be one of nerves. If he is heavy in the legs might he not be light in the head? Perhaps a good solid warmup…before the warm up of the match might help. Jump some rope…hit enthusiastically on the wall for 15 minutes. Get enough work in so that you feel like you are in the middle of the match once you begin.

I remember that I used to work before my match to get my level of effort to the point where I was in the middle of the first set when I began the match. Lethargy going into a match? Man…you should have yourself worked up into a regular lather before the match begins. In this way the Big Time Wrestling or whatever that is that hockeyscout posted is a good example. You have to be ready to answer the bell…when the bell tolls for thee!

[hockeyscout]

Come on hockeyscout…we are all waiting. Why persist in personal agendas? I am curious as to what you have to offer…I have some questions regarding diet as well. If something Stotty has said is not correct I can assure you it wasn't done with ill intentions. If you somehow plan on making him look or sound foolish…those are ill intentions. Keep it simple now…just give us the lowdown. He obviously is not taking the bait.

Question for hockeyscout…what is your approach to diet for your athlete? Stotty suggested three points…can you recommend three? Same time frames?

I was wondering if eagle scout's problems might be one of nerves. If he is heavy in the legs might he not be light in the head? Perhaps a good solid warmup…before the warm up of the match might help. Jump some rope…hit enthusiastically on the wall for 15 minutes. Get enough work in so that you feel like you are in the middle of the match once you begin.

I remember that I used to work before my match to get my level of effort to the point where I was in the middle of the first set when I began the match. Lethargy going into a match? Man…you should have yourself worked up into a regular lather before the match begins. In this way the Big Time Wrestling or whatever that is that hockeyscout posted is a good example. You have to be ready to answer the bell…when the bell tolls for thee!

I am VERY interested in hearing SLOTTY out, and seeing what he has to say in more detail. I'd like to grasp what he's conveying.

This issue is extremely important to a tennis player (or athletes, students or business persons) development, and its a science.

Please don't eat nuts the way you are eating them as they are toxic.

Now, with nuts, food preperation is so important. Digestion is the biggest issue high level coaches need to deal with when working with their athletes, as it effects performance.

I won't get to complex here - but this is it in a nutshell (no pun intended) - lets look for instance at something called phytic acid, if you do not soak the nuts properly in salt (you need a special kind of salt BTW, I found something in China that is specially formulated for this task) then you will not digest, acid will bind to your tract and nothing will be properly absorbed in the intestine. This all leads to what you don't want, mineral deficiencies. Nuts also have inhibitors, so if they are not soaked they become hard to absorb due to the above mentioned enzyme issues. So, soak the nuts, and you break down the acid so everything can be absorbed properly.

Obviously every nut and grain needs to be handled in a special way. Food prep is so important. I have a full time cook, and we do not miss a beat. Nutrition is complex, and a major investment in time, money and resources but well worth it. Soaking nuts is a very complex deal. My cook is real careful here as you can get yourself sick if you do not know what you are doing. We've got a special dehydration protocal for this specifically to ensure mold isn't brought into the equation.

What happens when you food is not properly prepared?

The heavy legs, lacksidastical effort and low energy by the title match.

I would never touch Special K with a ten foot pool or sugar and I would not skimp on the protein. And, you NEED to take protein 15 minutes BEFORE you play. And, if its sourced properly, it won't cause bloating or heaviness. That was an issue for coaches 10 to 15 years ago, but, no longer a problem today!

Your body is a temple, and your stomach uses its own enzymes and acid (which is set by a long term plan) to break everything down into its inherant amino acid building blocks. When you eat protein, your stomach uses its acid and enzymes to break it down into its building blocks, amino acids. Your cells (especially in the small intestine) deliver all important molecules. Every person only has so many transporter cells, and as a result of this everyone differs in amounts of quality amino acids which infuse your blood stream every minute of every day. Elite level athletes will of course know all about maintaining these constant levels, so nothings at a standstill (as that effects nuerology, so, its an easy way of saying that prevents skill-sets from being uploaded and downloaded which you do not want).

So, this is why I want to know what types of protein licensedcoach Slotty is refering to above.

Next ...

Food needs to be stored, cooked, prepared and combined in a certain way for each athlete, and their individual body type.

Protein is absorbed into the body at radically differing rates depending on the person. So, for example with my three athletes, we know they are absorbing a certain amount of protein per hour (somewhat) based on a ton of factors (which are complex) with a specifically tailored program.

LOOK, Eagle, this may not be the answer you are looking for right now. Its a complex science, and its changing by the day. But, for athletes like Novak, its paid off in a big way. EVERYONE does the things we do. Its basic.

Now, you do get some people with what I call "miracle one in a billion" systems who can eat garbage and perform (Agassi was an example).

But, sport is more competitive now and I am not sure if anyone can reach the top anymore in a real sport (MMA, NHL, NFL, NBA and Olympic Track - Field) without sofisticated coaching (a) and (b) proper hydration (never even got into that one, and its big) and (c) nutrition and (d) insane level of natural competitiveness and (e) unrivaled passion internally, and externally in their community.

I will come back tomorrow and give you two short term suggestions which will assist you Eagle (TEAS), which are coming mainstream now (but, are in fact about ten years outdated).

John Yandell may be very interested in one of them as it origionated in the Silicon Valley (close to his neck of the woods) and was specifically designed to get computer coders working in an optimal mental state (and yes, its a special drink you can make that worked very well back in the day).

Unfortunately, it got leaked!!!!!! That's the good thing about tennis, you can keep a lot of things internal unlike team sports and companies.

And no, its not Red Bull, that is garbage that will inhibit your nuerology.

[hockeyscout]

1.

First off, god, no sugar please.

2.

The two drinks ... BulletProof coffee. It was popular with trainers like me about 10 years ago. Now, its on market and everyone is cashing in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YjLMdx3YZY

The BulletProof company is solid, but, its outdated. A guy is making a fortune on people who just don't know any better. When good atheletes find something its usually ten years before it gets released in mainstream circles. By then everyone has moved onto the next. This is old school stuff. But, you will get some mileage out of it EAGLE.

WARNING -- I am not a major fan of this BulletProof coffee now, and I won't let my athletes take it. I know Olympic level coaches who loves it, but, personally I have moved onto new things which I view are better. I don't care a lot for the diuretic issues it causes when I place a major premium on hydrating my athletes. I never want to raise blood pressure in an athlete as that leads to issues I don't necessarily want. Withdrawl issues, palpitations and anxiety, generally, not to interested in these issues, so, I just don't want to go in this direction. Now, the formula is actually solid for BulletProof coffee, and it reduces those side effects, but still I am not as big on this as I was ten years ago. And, please, stay away from Energy Drinks. Why they are not banned from the marketplace I don't know.

So, that is the good and bad on that drink.

3.

I recommend you start drinking yerba mate. Its old school and it works. So, I have the tea, and I mix in one juiced (non - radiated) pomegrante (I have a company in California FedEx them to me, and they are certified). Its an amazing compound Mate, and accomplishes what I want which is to get oxygen into the heart during excercise and to keep the digestive tracts optimal. Its compound are superb - potassium, pantothenic acid, and 15 types of amino acids, ect. This mixture is rather sweet source of polyphenols, and has kick ass properties of antioxidant.

You never also fall off the cliff with yerba mate like you do with the dreaded caffeine crash, although, BulletProof coffee helps in that area and isn't bad for sustained energy if you have a good intake protocal and measure everything out like a scientific hound.

What is nice about the Mate is it gives energy (without a lot of caffeine), but its also an enzyme enhancement, and it feeds muscles enabling quicker recovery. Its important to understand the importance of detoxifying an athlete, and I like the Mate because it is a good antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals. I do like the binding caffeine (its small BTW) in Yerba Mate, and its a great tool for tennis players who need to endure long matches.

I've tested this Yerba Mate for about seven years now, and have really played around with it. Its a bit tricky to take to get optimal results, but the one thing I can share with you is take it with the pomogranate juice, and not a lot of water. Its worked well for us.

4.

There are a lot of "trends" I see popping up, and most are old, outdated and obsolete. Gluten free flour for instance, it became a trend with tennis players recently. I took that when I was 10 (33 years ago). Mom was 30 years ahead, and also had me on a special sushi salad (which strangely does not exhist bu should), combined with a seaweed salad and raw fish. As well, no milk, and that was good (never a broken bone in my life), and that was beneficial. Harvard did studies in 2013 on it and proved her right (these were supressed of course by the industry). Interestingly enough she understood its effects and how I could get "better" calcium from other sources.

Basically what was written in the Canada food rules was incorrect. And, in fact, dangerous to your health. Back then they recommended low fat, yikes!

But, I still very interested in hearing LicensedCoaches Slotty's theories on diet, so if he can expand on his thoughts it would be facinating.

Don_Budge, can't give you a lot, sorry. But, I can give you what I did ten years ago, no problem.

I laugh at Djokovic's diet book, and special glutum free diet. What a crock of shit. Its really a joke. He's doing stuff trainers won't know about until 2025. He's using resources like the Cyclic Variations Adapte Conditioner machine (which should be banned IMO), and I am sure he is on top of his diet at a level that would make the Chinese Olympic scientists blush.

Anyways, he shares what he wants to share, as does everyone.

But Eagle, Mate will work nice for you, and try to follow the few tidbits guys like me are willing to throw your way as it will make enough of a difference for you at this stage to help get you over that hump.

Nutrition programs cost a TON of money - you need to research what you buy, find proper sources to buy (for instance, I order in food from five countries and use a specialized farm for chicken and eggs ect), check certifications, know how to get it shipped, stored and have a professional in place who can cook it, and see the whole picture of what needs to be achieved for optimal performance.

For me, I don't mess around with my food, as that is a persons lifeblood. You're nothing without the right diet. You want to be the best, you need to eat like your # 1 and invest you last dollar in the right food.

[dipperhitter]

Getting back to the heavy legs. Could just be too much tennis practice prior to matches combined with nerves. Dynamic warmup and stretching does it for me. I know how I want my legs to feel and sometimes that takes a little stretching and sometimes it's more.

[hockeyscout]

Getting back to the heavy legs. Could just be too much tennis practice prior to matches combined with nerves. Dynamic warmup and stretching does it for me. I know how I want my legs to feel and sometimes that takes a little stretching and sometimes it's more.

Knowing how to prepare you body and peak for match day is a science in itself.

Sleep, nutrition, small muscle work, skill setsups, assesments, finding imbalances, food, schedule, preperation, tactics, planning and organization - all major factors.

It takes a great deal of time and setup to get your legs in proper order.

And, a lot more to maintain them.

Opponents wil see your strengths, and the bar will be raised and if you are not respectful of the process you will get left behind even if you were once ahead.

The MMA athlete I worked with would be up at 4:00 am, and focused on food, excercise, small naps, gym, video, dialogue, classroom work and study for at least twelve hours a day. He could not have a woman sleep over because in his sleep he'd be swinging with combinations, and dreaming he was fighting. That guy worked night and day on getting his hips to the right place, at the right time with maximum speed, power and balance. You can have the greatest legs in the world, but if you do not know how and when to arrive to the point of contact forget it. Everything that happens in sports, and tennis especially is before you hit the ball.

I've seen a few athletes with tremendous quick twitch small muscle fibers who can adapt last micro-second compensations, but overall that will not lead to great consistency and efficiency, which is what you need to win.

The day and age of a talented athlete winning is over.

So many more variables in the eqaution today.

If you have heavy legs, you've missed a lot in the equation, and their are no easy answers like streching your legs or skipping a rope.

Its much more complex!

We all want a simple answer, and a magic bullet, but it does not exhist.

Even something as simple as digestability of nuts, or what specifically you need to do in terms of temperature for tea leaves to be optinal - its all a BIG deal and you cannot skip steps in protocal.

[dipperhitter]

To Eaglesburg,

I'd still try the stretching while you are detoxing nuts and seeds.