There are a million different opinions on how one should train to be fit, well conditioned, fast, strong, flexible, core centered etc There are almost as many opinions on fitness as there are about ones diet. Our philosophy is more therapy based. Brenda and I both had back injuries that stopped both of our sports careers. The good news is we learned a lot since the experts told us our careers were over and that is where the information stopped. So we sought out solutions and implemented them into our training so we can lead a full athletic life free of pain. Understanding the physical side of things is complex. You have to look at ones strength, speed, power, explosiveness, quickness, agility, balance, endurance, joint and spine integrity, soft tissue issues, muscular alignment, mobility, flexibility, inflammation management and how fast you recover from training. If you are a professional you will have physical conditioning, speed and agility, Pilates, yoga and flexibility coaches or some variation of this list. The services of chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists and a long list of other gurus will be enlisted.

Having an understanding of the athletic position is where it all starts. If your body is in proper alignment by being strong, balanced, flexible and mobile great things can happen. I mention in my speeches that if you are a genetic freak the rules do not apply. But, if you are not you can work on each item required to be athletic. Some people have one limitation while others have multiple. But, with the proper information and focused effort even the most disconnected individual can move towards being connected athletically. Being connected is worth more than a big bench press, lightening fast forty yard dash time or huge squat numbers. If you are connected you can reach your full potential and will have much fewer injuries. We have players who have trained with is since they were fifteen and never had tennis related injuries into their twenties.

The following list of products are simple, inexpensive and can be done at home, on the road or at a local park. If you make these part of your daily rituals you will be connected and moving towards reaching your full potential while being injury free. We will be making periodic posts in the form of pictures and videos to enhance your training.

www.Lifeline.com-
Power Jumper, Ab Wheel, Eischens Yoga DVD and Jungle Gym XT

YRGWorkout- www.yrgfitness.com YRGWorkout DVD set

www.blissology.com Eoin Finn Happy Hips or any of his Yoga DVD’s

www.tptherapy.com Trigger Point Therapy Rolling System

If you implement these workouts and systems into your programs, achieving your goals will be that much closer.

Last year at the US Open I spent a long time with Martina Navratilova discussing a number of things in the tennis world. The one thing we discussed was strings. When I came back after my back injury I used traditional gut. That is what I used when I broke the serve record. Martina told me I was missing out not using a polyester with all the advantages it gave the player. She was using Black Code by Technifibre at the time. I experimented with it and a few different blends with natural gut along with other synthetic strings to find the right mix. The biggest thing I noticed was the string goes dead and feels like a board in a very short timeframe. I have worked with players mainly male college players who never cut out the strings unless they break. I just had a few campers at my camp who followed the same stringing regimen. The strings are awesome and there are many different types that have added benefits for your game. But, the type and quality is the first thing you need to be worried about. You get what you pay for and it is an investment. That was one of the first things Stan Franker told me who was the Dutch and Austrian head of coaching for professional tennis. You cannot leave these strings in for more than a few days or you will end up with an issue. If you cannot afford to pay for the strings and stringing fees you may want to find another alternative string. The guys who were stringing at camp used and loved the Solinco strings. They felt it gave the feeling of the higher end strings but was softer on their arms for a more reasonable price. In the last year my niece had a wrist injury, her boyfriend who plays Davis Cup for the Dutch Antilles has had a wrist injury, one of my coaches was using the string for feeding balls which led to pain from her neck to her fingertips and I know if you asked the trainers in the WTA or ATP locker rooms that the number of injuries has increased. My niece did not want to spend the money on a quality string or have her racquets strung as many times as needed. She paid the price with an injury. What costs more an injury or being professional about your strings? I know the top players have dropped the tension in the strings to make them softer on the arm. I spoke with Nate Ferguson who handled my racquets when he worked for Bosworth International before he branched off on his own working with players like Federer, Murray, Gonzales and Hewitt. He told me players use a variety of strings, mixes and tensions. But, they change their strings often and usually daily. If you string a racquet with polyester on Sunday and still are using it on Thursday it is too long. If you do not hit with a lot of spin and or hit a heavy ball you are not going to break the strings in the time frame that you should to manage your stringing appropriately. Find a stringer that knows stringing. I know people have their own stringing machines, use a friend or the cheapest stringer. But, your racquet and strings are your tool. An artist does not use cheap paint when doing a watercolor so a tennis player should not skimp when it comes to their strings.

Nutrition Made Easy:
1)Make Sure 80 % of you meal is plant based, free of refined/white/enriched flour, grains and rice. The other 20 % should consist of lean proteins and high quality fats. The 80 % can be vegetables, fruits and or high quality whole grains. High quality grains consist of wheat, barley, quinoa, rice (brown, black or red), wild rice, cornmeal, oats, buckwheat, couscous, bulgur, amaranth, kamut, spelt and millet.
2)No high fructose corn syrup, white sugar or brown sugar. No fake sweeteners. Use agave, raw honey, royal jelly, real maple syrup or stevia.
3)Meat and dairy should be grass fed and free of pesticides along with hormones.  Cows are meant to eat grass so even if they are organic it does not mean the milk or meat is the best choice.  Grass fed organic is best but grass fed is better than organic. Milk is best grass fed and organic but free of hormones along with antibiotics is a better choice than normal dairy products.
4)Chicken-fowl should be cage, hormone and antibiotic free. Eggs should be the same and are one of the fastest digesting animal proteins.
5)Fish should be wild caught not farm raised.
6)When possible eat organic peanut butter there is a lot of mold and fungus that has been shown to cause multiple health issues in normal peanut butter. Sunflower butter is a tasty alternative.
7)Look for produce from the Non-GMO project. www.nongmo.org
8)Eat organic when you can but at least stay away from the dirty dozen, http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214
9)Drink a minimum of half of your body weight in water per day. Fresh juice is phenomenal for your health, www.brevilleusa.com is a great place for a high quality juicer. Smoothies, soups and blended meals are a great way to get high fiber, delicious liquid nutrition. www.blendtec.com for an exceptional machine for smoothies, whole juice, nut butters, milled grains, enzyme rich soups and spreads. Coconut water is a great all natural electrolyte replacement beverage.
10)Stick to high quality plant based supplements. The  best brands are New Chapter and Garden of Life for multi-vitamins and fish oils. Amazing Grass, Vibrant Health, HealthForce Nutritional’s and Trace Minerals Research have great superfood concentrated powders to aid in recovery along with supplement ones diet. A serving of these powders is equal to eating 1-5 pounds of fruits and vegetables.
11)Don’t be afraid to add a few superfoods into your diet; Raw Cacao, Maca, Goji Berries, Acai, Golden Berries, Napol Cactus, Cinnamon, Chia Seeds, Hemp Nuts, Pumpkins Seeds, Tumeric, Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil, Ginger and Sacha Inchi Oil. www.renegadehealth.com is a great source for superfoods or your local health food store.
12)Great books for understanding sports nutrition and proper utilization of foods. “Warrior Diet” and anything written by Ori Hofmeckler, “The Thrive Diet” by Brendan Brazier, “The Three Season Diet;Body, Mind and Sport” by John Doulliard
13)Great sites for sourcing healthier alternatives to the mega brands for protein powders, bars, meal replacement shakes, sports drinks and more:
1)www.defensivenutrition.com
2)www.jayrobb.com
3)www.healthforcenutritionals.com
4)www.myvega.com
5)www.ebperformance.com
6)www.rwknudsenfamily.com – ReCharge
14)Learn how to be efficient burning different fuels. Try having low carb high fat days (mainly focus on vegetables and plant based fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds and olives), high protein low carb (lean meat, chicken, fish and eggs with vegetables), high carb low protein and fat (whole grains, rice, vegetables, fruits and beans with lean animal proteins such as fish, bison, chicken or turkey) and try to add a pure plant based day. Variety and food rotation is the key for optimal performance.
15)Make sure your prematch or practice meals are small, basic, full of all food groups and nutrient dense. Sugar and refined grains cause you to have a high and lows while on the court. They also cause inflammation. Dairy such as Greek Yogurt is great for after a match or practice but isn’t the best choice prior to competing.

Just remember a pit crew from a Formula One or Nascar team would never think about putting cheap fuel in their car so why should you think any differently.

We are all unique individuals so one diet does not fit all people. The key is to have high quality food. The mix can vary based on the time of year and your training level. The other thing is enjoy food when you have earned it reward yourself with something that you love and do not stress about it. The stress of worrying about the occasional cheat meal is worse for you than what is in your cheat meal.

I am spending a lot of time sitting on the couch watching the Tennis Channel. I am pregnant with our second child. So many hours of Fed Cup and Fed Cup reruns have been watched. My record in Fed Cup was 22 and 11. When playing Fed Cup you are playing for your country, your team, your fans and your individual success is the last thing on your mind. There is an immense pressure, responsibility and at times an obligation to win for your country. There are up and coming countries such as Serbia who capture Davis Cup and it is though they won the World Cup. As it should be they may not have the history of some great nations like the US or Australia but now they are a powerhouse in tennis with a population of less than 8 million people. The average fans thinks athletes have private jets, champagne and caviar all the time especially when the countries Federation is footing the bill. I know when i was playing I knew of a Fed Cup team who had to pay all of their own expenses to play and one of them paid their own coach to coach the team. The last year I played before my injury when we lost to France in the finals the whole teams bonus was less than I was paid to play a partial season of Team Tennis in the US. I know it is not all about the money it is for your country, it is an honor. Yes and NO! Andy Roddick had snot running out of his nose in the finals of Memphis because he was sick. He pulled out of Delray and made it to Davis Cup in Chile on clay at altitude. I know everyone wants to travel the world and be in a different city each week. You body has to adjust to different climates, different surfaces and you have to deliver whether you are 100 % or not. Then you jump back on a plane fly back to the US and play on another surface in another climate. Stress of all types takes a huge toll on your body. There is a science to dealing with it but you can only handle so much. But, it is all for your country and it is an honor. The typical tennis player has contracts that are tied to performance. So if participation in Fed Cup or Davis Cup on the way to the finals adds extra stress on the player which leads to an injury or illness it could cost them a lot of money. I know it is for the honor of your country. If I won it would propel my ranking forward which would trigger large bonuses. So, when we made it to the final which we lost because I lost to former top ten player Sandrine Testud. We played three rounds that year beating the US and the Czech Republic. Our compensation was very nominal and we sold out indoor arenas. I was on billboards, the side of buses, you name it and we played the US in my hometown. Yes it is for your country but sports is a business whether you are a team owner, team captain or coach, agent, sponsor wanting the most exposure for your advertising dollars, a player or a fan wanting a good game since they paid hard earned money for the tickets. I know in the old days people played for the love of the game. They also worked second jobs because they could barley support themselves being professionals. The year we made it to the finals I ended up loosing to Martina Hingis in the year end Championships. I can’t blame my big toe nail falling off during the match on Fed Cup. Nor could I blame my locked ankle that was caused me to play less than 100 % in Chicago and Philadelphia prior to the Championships. But, three less weeks of tennis probably would have made a huge impact on my mind and body that year. The year before I pulled out of Fed Cup when I had a bronchial infection I contracted during Wimbledon. I was on antibiotics and inhalers after multiple visits to Drs after I returned from Europe to Florida. I know my teammates were mad at me and felt I bailed on the team. I am sure the bus loads of fans who traveled through Europe to support the team were angry. The sponsors weren’t happy since they ran an advertising promotion around this Fed Cup match. We lost so i am sure all of the fans in Holland were not happy. I had bad dreams for weeks since I felt so guilty for not playing. I told my husband Sean who insisted I not play since I was sick that I would have been better off just playing. So in the end it will always be a constant battle about should top players compete for their country. I believe the men are now getting points for playing. That would make sense. John McEnroe always talks about making it every two years that you have Davis and Fed Cup. There is nothing like playing for your country. There is nothing like seeing an arena full of Orange for me when playing. When I came back after my injury it was a pure joy playing Fed Cup. I played twice in Bulgaria and Turkey in the Euro-African qualification rounds. The girls were young and hungry. They were trying to get back to the top level of Fed Cup play. This was a new level for me and brought a new level of excitement since I was trying to comeback. I was more of a player coach and mentor than anything else. I was able to win my doubles matches. I had more fun playing with these young girls than when I played in the finals. It had nothing to do with the players it had to do with the pressure of being the top player along with all of the expectations. There is always drama, egos and personalities that make any team event interesting. I had an issue with something that happened when I played in Turkey. So the next year when I was trying to get my ranking to a certain level to achieve my goals I chose myself over the team. If I look back I would not have done anything differently. But, just writing this blog brings back memories and feelings that are hard to be replicate. Playing for your country is an honor but all parties just need to realize it is a business. This means fans should get the best play possible for their tickets, sponsors should get the biggest bang for their advertising dollars, federations should capitalize in every way possible when their country succeeds and players should play when they can give it 100% so all parties benefit fully. When I played against the US in Haarlem my hometown we played against Gigi Fernandez and Kim Po in doubles with Mary Joe Fernandez and Chanda Rubin playing singles. The singles players were both top ten as were the doubles players. But, it was not their starting lineup. Monica Seles and Lindsey Davenport had reasons for not playing. I was lucky to have Miriam Oremans on my side since she almost always won in Fed Cup play. We always had great doubles players so it didn’t really matter how we made the lineup. But, the point is while watching recently Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, The Williams sisters, a host of Russian players and the top Italian players were not playing. I don’t think it was because they did not want to play for the love of their country. It was injuries, timing and maybe too much tennis since they are chasing goals, meeting sponsorship requirements and a host of other real reasons. So the next time you are watching Fed Cup or Davis Cup realize there is more to playing for your country than showing up or not.

It was not always peaches and cream. She lost in the pre-qualification for the Sony-Ericsson a few years back. On her way driving home with one of our coaches she told him she didn’t like playing matches anymore. Sean is not the only one who is old school. The coach was headed home to Holland for ten days. I told Sean his job was to make her quit by pushing her to the limit every morning in physical training. It wouldn’t take long for her again to like playing matches. Sean pleasantly obliged. Sean’s workouts seem like madness but there is a method to his madness. When Sean asked Alex how she was feeling after a few workouts she told him “I have never been shot in the gut before but it probably feels the way I feel right now”. In the coming weeks she went to Mexico on her own for a string of small tournaments. Once again she came home with some hardware and found out why you don’t drink the water in Mexico.

Let’s fast forward. She had a good year her first year at Georgia Tech. She went into her second year with some clear goals and made some changes which are not easy when you are in college. There is more to college than books and the courts. But, she blasted through the competition. She was honored as the player of the year in college tennis at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. But, she didn’t win the NCAA tournament loosing to a tough player Chelsey Gullickson. However, she did qualify for the US and Australian Open soon after turning pro.

She hit with my niece Jainy over Christmas break. Alex was calm and relaxed as usual. She told me she loved to fish and listen to country music with her coach Jeff. Sean told her he would buy her an iPad if she qualified for the Australian Open. Alex with her typical confident smile told him it will be nice to have you buy me an iPad.

The reason for this post is to let people know that it is always great to see the six foot something player come on to one of the tours and dominate or the flashy charismatic player who dazzles the crowd. But, there are a number of players that go to work everyday enjoy it and deliver without fanfare. That describes Alex. It is not that she doesn’t still have the same great hands, anticipation and determination that I saw when she was 14. It is her path has not been typical. If she read through the lines you’ll see; she rode her bike, she truly paid the price breaking through barriers with intense physical training, at times she got it done on her own, she adjusted her plan when needed attending college when she wasn’t sure about the tour and she became clear about what she wanted in her second year. I can tell you honestly if I still had my academy program today and I requested what I requested of Alex I don’t think one player would stay in my program. If you ever have the opportunity to meet Alex you will know she learned much more than how to play tennis being part of our program. We were always teaching our players life skills that they could take on or off of the court. Alex also excelled at this part of our training. Her assignments were always in first. She always wanted to know more and she was always willing to listen. So as Alex quietly goes into the qualifying of next week’s tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida whether she qualifies or not she will be moving closer to her goals. She knows that if she shows up everyday and does her job all of her hard work from the past will payoff. She is also not afraid to work on something that may hinder her current results to meet her ultimate goals. We all seem to focus on the holding of the trophy and being a champion. The real art of a champion is what Alex did which was getting good at being uncomfortable so she could be comfortable winning matches. It may not be next week but in the coming months and years you’ll see why I say “The Best Things Come in Small Packages”.

-Brenda Schultz-McCarthy and her professional staff run a Tennis and Adventure Camp every summer at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.  Brenda also runs an Adults Clinic in Jupiter, Fl with Juan Nunez.  See http://brendaschultztennis.com for more info.

It isn’t very often you have the two fastest servers in the world on the court unless Venus is playing Serena. People often say it is our height that allows us to hit our serves so big. Venus is almost as tall as I am and has a fast arm but when she is at her best her whole motion is extremely relaxed. It appears effortless.  My father taught me when I was 8 years old that a serve was as simple as one, two, three. For me that rhythm is extremely important when I am serving big. I am sure genetics has a lot to do with it but these few things can help you improve the speed of your serve even if you are not over 6‘ tall:

1. Use your legs! Create momentum with a good knee bend and put your hip into it.
2. Make sure your toss is inside of the baseline.
3. If you imagine a clock when you are using your toss as a weapon make sure for more speed it is at 1 O’Clock.

This weekend I will be with the great “Dual Hand” Luke Jensen for the Virginia USTA’s Tennis Across America events, http://www.virginiatennis.com/. Luke has the amazing ability to serve with either arm. I had the pleasure of being his mixed doubles partner at a number Grand Slams. He new when and how to use the serve to win games and matches.

I have extended discounts until April 15th for early registrations for my junior tennis camp at Hollins University. USTA Virginia members sign-up now for the scholarship programs by clicking on this link, http://www.usta-va.com/Virginia%20Tennis%20Foundation/2011%20Summer%20Camps/Camp%20Matching%20Scholarship%20Application%202011.pdf