17/04

Kcal: 2249
Protein: 137g

Perfect pressups: 18 * 3
Squat: 72.5KG * 5 * 3

Pressups - changeup from bench press.
Squat - much preferable to sets of 12.

Diet a bit iffy the last couple of days although likely still slightly below maintenance? 275g of dry roasted peanuts in two days isn't great - lesson don't buy a bunch of peanuts even if a recipe calls for it. Outside of calories & protein want to up vegetable/fruit intake.

Tennis tomorrow v. Professor. I think I've improved my game in the past month - every area but specifically my fitness & backhand. Serve more reliable too at the expense of speed. Setting myself up here but only right to put it out there:
I'm well rested, playing in the afternoon in ideal weather conditions - I want to put in a good performance & will be sorely frustrated to play like crap & get double bagelled. Also keep the calories down since I'm coming up to the 2 year anniversary of this log & want to make progress and get close to NDW. Looking plump but plenty of room for improvement in six weeks.

Tennis v. Professor

0-6 4-6

- Recorded from 0-6 0-1 to ~ 0-6 3-3. Improvement in play perhaps because I focused on small stuff to look good on camera?

- Second time winning 4 games in a set v. The Professor. Last time out he played bad, this time was different - he made a couple of mistakes but I put him under a lot of pressure. I think that was the best set I've played in this log.

- Had 40-0 to make it 5-5 & it definitely affected my play. Particularly the point at 40-15 but I netted at 40-30 on a shot I didn't commit to. That's my main disappointment.

- Not sure if it's good to have recorded games when I played well. More to learn from when I played badly? I still fully expect to look at the video & see glaring technical errors which will help me improve.

- Need to get more storage to record longer. To get more study video + I missed out on recording some really nice points!

- I'm more and more convinced I have some sort of asthma which is likely triggered by time of day and/or weather. I felt totally different from Friday during and now after tennis. Fitness was an issue (I was not playing a 3rd set regardless), but it is a different type of tiredness.

- Played this these:



Springy, but they lose their bounce too quickly for me.

- Happy with my play in the second set but 4-12 in games + lack of fitness is disappointing. Medium term goal is to play three competitive sets, before that play two competitive sets!

- Excited to check out video. Am sure I'll pick up errors. In particular my footwork isn't good. That can be improved but might have to wait until my fitness improves to get my footwork close to something I'm happy with.

18/04

Kcal: 2411
Protein: 166g

Unclear how much exercise I will do tomorrow + I might not log (will try).

Pg,

1) send me the video!

2) stop worrying about **** like what kind of balls you're playing with (standard Penn Championship ftw tho)

3) more than anything else re: your strokes/strategy/grip/etc, my guess (without seeing anything yet) is the biggest improvement to your game would come from just concentrating on HAPPY FEET!!!

1) Maybe.

2) I don't care but I like to play with pretty fresh balls. Professor has a travel bag full of tennis balls that seem to last him for a year & I don't want to run around and bend down any more than I need to!

3) Having briefly looked at the videos on my phone (taking ages to back up to Google Photos :/ ) my guess is you're basically right. My stroke technique didn't look consistent. Stuff like moving to the ball ASAP, rotating the body ("unit turn" whatever), getting the racket in the right pre-swing position & right grip - I suspect for a player like you that's pretty automatic?

None of that stuff is super complicated & I basically know how to do it but often I won't turn my body right away so I'll have to rush the shot ... or my footwork is lazy & I'll take the backhand too close to my body (ends up looking like I'm swatting a fly in a phonebooth). All that stuff ... it seems minor but IME it probably makes a big difference. Is that what you meant by "happy feet"?

PG,

So weird, you have guys who insist on playing sets but also play from a bag of old balls? That just strikes me as odd.

I'm a simple man when it comes to tennis balls, one can of 3 new Penn Championship balls each time I play. Unless I run out of balls and am playing at a club where all they sell is some bull**** $10/can US Open Supreme Pro balls or some ****.

OK, maybe happy feet isn't a thing if you learn tennis outside the US. That's something they hammered in when I was playing tennis as a kid. Much simpler than what you wrote, basically just keep your feet moving, lots of small steps, etc.

My guess is you're running to the ball, hitting, stopping, waiting to see what happens, running to the ball, etc.

Do you get caught flat footed a lot? Have trouble changing direction quickly?

That definitely *was* a problem (absolutely glaring when I filmed myself 18 months ago - like you wouldn't believe) but I'm a lot better now. Room for improvement but my default is to hit the shot then run back to the centre of the baseline & I think I'm pretty good at it (brief look at video confirms this).

Re.

I find it odd than you find this odd. What you typed describes almost everyone I've ever played with. They want to play sets rather than hit because sets are fun (and "normal") & they don't want to buy new balls because new balls are a nuisance to get and they're kind of used to playing with old balls. Most guys will buy new balls more than The Professor but it's incredibly rare IME to find someone who will play with a new can every time.

BTW why do tennis balls go old much quicker than squash balls?



Look at how many of the comments are "Everyone I play with wants to play sets". Who do you play with? I almost exclusively play with self described 3.5-4.0s I've found online. They like playing sets. People go to restaurants to eat food. They go to brothels to get laid. They go to a tennis courts to play sets. That is my experience.

Pg,

I just don't know any 4.0 players who like to play sets with old balls, that's all. But I think "self described 4.0 players from online" probably explains that.

When I play against players who are about the same level as me, we often play sets.

When I play against players significantly better or worse than me, we rarely play sets.

I know lots of people who prefer playing sets to hitting. I don't know any people who prefer playing non-competitive 6-0 sets over hitting. That's rarely fun for either player in my experience.

Tennis v. Terrible Tim

4-6

- Nice to squeeze in ~45 minutes exercise (+ warmup) on a v. busy day
- My legs could feel yesterday's tennis but managing to get in a set of semi-competent tennis the day after ~80 minutes tennis is progress.
- Moving Terrible Tim into the net is wise.

Spirometry test was shorter than expected. Breathe in and take a long slow exhale into this tube * 3. Breathe in and take a rapid exhale into this tube * 3. Peak flow was 630, down from 680 last time. I could feel the difference (at least, I said it felt lower than last time before I saw results). Not sure why it's more more sometimes than others, doctor's appointment tomorrow to discuss spirometry results and other stuff. Nothing asthma like during today's tennis (hit of Ventolin beforehand) more evidence it has something to do with weather/time of day.

Weight on doctor's scale was different from weight on home scale & not in the right direction. Doctor's scale more likely accurate... frustrating but I'm going to use it as diet motivation.

19/04

Kcal: 1638
Protein: 143g

Expect to be very hungry in the morning. Friend WhatsApped me about an amazing Indian meal he had & now I want a couple of poppadoms, some mango chutney, garlic naan and lamb saag washed down with a couple of Kingfishers. I'll think of a fitness goal with a nice Ruby Murray as a reward. As tired today as I was yesterday, hopeful of a lifting session tomorrow.

20/04

Kcal: 2209
Protein: 115

New battery in scale, morning weight ~ 106KG. Planning to post weight more often, at least weekly.

Today

Squat: 75KG * 5 * 3
Chest Press: 145lb * 12, 9, 9

Chest Press underwhelming, may supplement tomorrow with press ups/bench press.

May tennis on Sunday, otherwise mostly indoor exercise for the next week, have to think beyond squat and bench press. My gym offers a few classes I might do, spinning, 45 minute ab workout etc.

Pg,

Where's my video!?!!!?

21/04

Kcal: 2079
Protein: 128g

22/04

Kcal: 2200
Protein: 125g

Too much oil today but look at those round numbers!!

Bench Press: 65KG * 12 * 3

Stationary bike: 20 mins @ 15.79 MPH, pulse 138, pulse @1 min of warmdown 131, @4 min 121.

Stationary bike was deliberately leisurely - hoping to play tennis tomorrow (weather says Mon-Wed no go & I may have to pass on tomorrow if it's overcast). Pulse reduced slower than expected :/

I actually felt like I could have easily done my 77.5KG * 5 * 3 squat progression (two days in a row!) but again, potential tennis. I'll find some exercise to do regardless tomorrow, too bad my gym doesn't have a swimming pool since I'm seriously in the mood.

Diablo - patience!

Tennis v. Terrible Tim

4-6 3-6

- Recorded the entire match, this time no low sun to interfere with the picture (as happened last time), video should yield good insights.

- Without looking at the video, biggest two weaknesses were my footwork (unhappy feet) and my backhand which was very poor.

- Crappy backhand is linked to crappy footwork - I can hit a passable forehand regardless but my topspin backhand works best by far when contacting the ball in front of me, with my arm fully extended and at waist high. Deviate from that...

- Stuff like my crappy backhand would probably get fixed pretty quick if we were just hitting but I wanted to see how I'd do v. Terrible Tim on Ventolin. I felt well rested, the weather was good & I had no asthma type symptoms. Thought I'd win under such circumstances but alas....

- Fitness was a boon. I'm tired, but felt like I could have played longer. Weather permitting I'll play tennis v. Professor on Tuesday but I should have enough energy to at least squat tomorrow - want to maintain my good progress. May supplement squat with biceps, lateral raises, 20 minute gentle stationary bike - something like that. I feel good post 90 minutes tennis which is great.

23/04

Kcal: 2970
Protein: 220g

Allowed myself an unusual amount of treats today. 2 biscuits, 250ml lemon sorbet & half of one of these:



Verdict: thumbs down. Saccharine - Kopparberg offer a superior strawberry & lime cider with less calories.

Glad I didn't play more tennis - right on the borderline of 'I'm going to sleep well' and 'I'm going to feel like **** in the morning'.

Exercise plan!

Monday: 77.5KG * 5 * 3 squat. Spend twenty minutes reviewing video of today's match. Identify five leaks. Note: this will be easy.

Tuesday: Tennis v. Professor. Work specifically on at most two identified leaks.

Wednesday: Bench Press

Thursday. Tennis v. Terrible Tim. 45 minute general hit (more strutured than last time) + one set.

Medium term goals (three months today):

- At or below 100KG
- Bench Press 70KG * 12 * 3
- Squat 100KG * 5 * 3
- Win the clear majority of sets v. Terrible Tim

Pg,


Ship it to me!

I won't send you the match (too embarrassing!) but very first point & with no practice I hit a first serve I'd estimate in the 80-85 MPH range, immediately smiled & thought I'd send the video to you which I will, tomorrow. (n.b haven't watched the video).

Pg,

Send the whole match!

24/04

Kcal: 2195
Protein: 142g

Squat: 77.5KG * 5 * 3
Bicep Curls: 12KG * 15 * 2

Felt a little tired, better to play ten minutes less tennis & feel fresher the next day.

Tennis review

- Terrible Tim isn't good. He makes lots of unforced errors - solid consistent groundstrokes beats him.

5 leaks

- Footwork isn't awful - I'm generally good at getting back to the centre of the baseline & "happy feet" but I also lapse in to static feet & am sometimes too slow to react - adding a consistent slip-step so I react ASAP once I know the direction of the ball will be difficult but worth it.

- My non hitting hand hangs by my side on forehands way too much. It looks really ugly & it is bad tennis.

- Preparation for my one handed backhand is bad. I need to turn sideways & move where I can contact the ball waist height in front of my body. This is related to footwork.

- My non hitting hand on my one backhand needs to go behind my body to get a good consistent topspin.

- My serve sucks. Need to look at some serves at 1/4 speed to work out how best to improve but my technique is far from perfect.

Wish The Professor was willing to free hit but alas. Perhaps I'll ask him to start with a a baseline match to 11. The one thing I'll focus on is my non hitting hand on forehands.
First, use it to take my racket to the side, up and away from my body in semi-western grip. Then rotate it with my body & try to 'catch' the racket on follow through. It's a simple enough concept but I'm used to playing a certain way & it's easy to revert especially when tired. I'll try to work on the other leaks too but there's a lot to remember & I'm not going to focus on anything else.

Tennis v. Professor

3-6 2-6

- Forehand was better but I found even something as 'simple' as consistently correct non-dominant hand forehand technique difficult. I'd hit some forehands way long & invariably looked down and saw I was holding the racket in eastern rather than semi western grip - can't expect to hit consistent strokes when grip varies from forehand to forehand.

- Reasonably happy with my play. I want to do better & my fitness sucks but I am playing much better than a few weeks ago. Multiple fun rallies & a few points I played nicely - hitting a winner is fun but something really enjoyable about a well constructed point.

- Second serve much better than normal, all other weaknesses present. I'm going to focus on my forehand for ~ three more sessions & assuming it improves I'll work on something else.


Weather may preclude tennis for a few days in which case I'll continue lifting, dieting & probably take some sort of exercise class.

25/04

Kcal: 2277
Protein: 141g

Tomorrow = bench press & stretching.

26/04

Kcal: 2439
Protein: 99g

Tennis v. Terrible Tim

5-7

- We had a long warm up/free hitting session & did some hitting post set.

- He played really badly, especially at the beginning. Embarrassing to lose to someone who makes that many errors. It was a low skill set of tennis.

- Not fun to play someone who hits lots of double faults & unforced errors. Winning a point is satisfying if you earn it, when your opponent hits his first groundstroke into the net for not reason not so much.

- I recorded the set, good chance to see myself play awful and learn.

- 10/11 yr girl hitting with her mum had much better technique than me. Grr. I'd beat the girl ... pretty sure ... but I'll have to up my game to beat her once she goes through puberty.

- The most disappointing aspect of the set was my fitness. I shouldn't get tired quickly when the rallies are so short. Unclear if I'm just horribly out of shape or there's something else to it.

Squat: 80KG * 5 * 3
Bench Press: 65KG, 67.5KG, 67.5KG * 12

Squat felt good, easier than Monday's 77.5KG sets.
Good to bench press 67.5KG * 12 again.

Do you ever win at tennis?