Eternal Life Bacteria for improved health

Health is a big part of what tennis players find attractive about the sport.  Running parallel to that is the idea that you can give yourself an edge on the court with healthy habits.

New technology sometimes helps in this regard but old fashioned things like home remedies and simple use of basic foods and herbs.  Another concept is the use of a natural balance of bacteria in the digestive system and even on the skin that strengthens the immune system.

Here is a story of a scientist who took his experiment personally.  If successful he expects to gain better health and longer life.  I can't say I'd try this particular approach but the idea that in general there are many unknowns that can improve your health and this includes microorganisms.  Digestive bacteria is already one area that appears to improve a person's immune system that may have been damaged by antibiotic use or illness.

Proven foods that help in this may include any foods that introduce and replace gut bacteria.

Here is an interesting article on ways to introduce good bacteria into your digestive system.

Blood Type Info.

There are some diets out there that say your blood type can help you lose weight or control diseases.  I can't say what is right on this other than what mainstream medicine concludes which is that it won't help in dieting.

Here is some webmd information on blood types that it is probably worth knowing.  Since you are into sports any medical and health knowledge is a good thing.

Watch out for Diabetes

Signs of Type 2
Slideshow from WebMD

Benefits of a Fast Delivery Versus a Slow Delivery in Serving

This is a follow-on post to the one on hitting all tosses on your serve.
With that I don't mean hit a wildly errant toss that you can't reach without missing, but just don't get in the habit of doing the toss catch when it is slightly out of position.  Most servers have problems with their toss if they have the classic skyscraper toss that takes forever to fall back into position.  Meanwhile, wind can move the ball as you wait for it.

The Benefits of a fast serve delivery

The most important benefit of a faster delivery is that the toss height is minimal and therefore is less susceptible to wind and toss control issues.

Ideal Toss Height

The ideal toss height is one that you strike at full extension, but not hyper-extension,  and where the ball effectively sits still in the air as it transforms from a rising ball to a falling one.

Wind

When you have lots of wind or gusts of wind your benefit of having an abbreviated delivery with a just-high-enough-toss is a major advantage.  In really bad wind you can even shorten the toss to eye level with this practiced skill of a short and rapid delivery.    Those players with high tosses tend to have a miserable time on a windy day because their serve is grooved and timed for a ball that drops back into their strike zone.

Angle of Travel

Depending on how accurately you release the ball the angle of the travel is accentuated on a high toss where a low one that is hit not long after release simply has less time to travel out of position.

Timing

The need to time the drop on the serve toss is eliminated with a short delivery and toss.   A skyscraper toss on the other hand requires excellent timing of the fall of the ball relative to the backswing.  Examples of servers that had the high toss with timing problems are numerous.  The most memorable one for me is Sharapova though I do remember Ivanovic having problems.
Remember that once the ball begins to fall it is now a moving target and the speed of the drop limits the time it sits in the strike zone.  The higher the toss and the longer the drop the less time the ball will stay in the strike zone.  Lower tosses are easier to time and hit.

Conclusion

You'll find it easier to learn a serve if you focus on a short toss and when I say short I mean very close to your maximum extension and that can include your jump/hop up and into the court.  Depending on your jump height you'll need to increase the toss height to compensate for it.  In my case rather than increasing the height considerably I'd just put the ball further out in front which of course would pull me forward for a serve and volley play.

Dietary Fraud on a National Level: Guidelines Change Again and Again

New Study Says Fat is Good and No to Carbs
It would be nice if the experts would make up their minds.  This has changed repeatedly over the years but for at least the past 20 years the idea was that carbs are better for you than fats.  Now with the advent of massive health issues as a result of the bogus science new studies are challenging that long running trashing of the old food pyramid.  Now a new pyramid will probably come into use that puts fats above all sources of calories.

Guess what?  Now cheese, eggs, and butter are back on the dietary approved list according to newer studies after decades of ruining the party.

102 Year Old Woman in New Jersey says Eat Everything
Don't diet and enjoy life.

Cancer risk reduced by living in the Suburbs

New Study

It's hard to believe any of the new studies coming out when it comes to these type of casual influences.  One thing for sure is that for mental health it is better to be in natural settings rather than the city.  This may be the influence that improves health and resistance to cancers and other diseases.  Better air might help too fewer pollutants entering the lungs have to be a benefit.

Try playing tennis in natural environs for your health, happiness, and to build memories.  I can still imagine those soft summer sunsets surrounded by trees while hitting with friends.  The same goes for Fall when the leaves are turning and the temperatures are changing.

Hit all Tosses on the Serve if you have a great toss.

I don't teach this method and instead have told players over the years that unless they swing at it they can catch it and not count it as a fault.

Apparently that rule doesn't apply everywhere.

Here is an example of a lost match for not hitting the toss.  

This only confirms the need to perfect your toss.  Here is a gold standard rule that I have come to apply to myself.  You should be able to hit your serve however imperfectly with your eyes closed.  I learned that I could do that once when serving into the sun on a poorly designed tennis court that always had you either eyes in the sun or back to the sun depending on the time of day.

Try it.  Close your eyes after the toss and see if you can hit it.

Now here is my secret.  I have an abbreviated toss relative to the skyscraper tosses you see among many very good players.  Yet, you all can see that some of the best servers toss the ball to their max reach with a racket and then hit it.  If you can hit the ball at the apex you have a ball that is essentially stationary for a moment before it begins the downward drop.

Now for some terminology.

This is not used in tennis but rather in baseball and other sports.

Delivery - That is the time between the start and finish of the serve motion that is independent of the ball speed.  There are many servers that have a time delayed delivery that seems to go on forever yet others who seem to get the job done in the blink of an eye.

Dolgopolov is a great example of a fast delivery.    Roscoe Tanner is an earlier example.

Meanwhile, look at Federer facing Dolgopolov and how his midrange delivery speed dominates Dolgopolov with his supreme placement, spin, and deceptive speed.

It appears that the actual difference between the toss and the strike of the ball is not much different between the two players, but it is enough be visually apparent.  What does seem common is that the toss height is about the same but I suspect Dolgopolov might even catch the ball on the rise though his toss is very far forward so it may on balance be about the same as Federer.

I would suggest emulating the Federer serve for your most accurate and reliable serve versus some of the fastest motions.

Another example at the other end of the timeline for delivery is Pete Sampras.  His motion seems so delayed and so long that I wonder if it mesmerized his opponents.  He puts the ball up very high.

What is the common thread among the best servers?  I suggest the first thing is a very consistent toss.

Work on your toss by going to the fence and practicing your contact point.

Work on your toss by setting a target on the court where the toss should land if you toss it to the right place.  A racket on the court out in front is a good target.  Put the butt of the racket at the top of your front foot and send it out to 1 O'clock.  That should be approximately where the ball should land.

Tennis Player Feet: Double Socks To Save Your Feet, Wide Platform Shoes for Stability, and Gel Cushion Inserts for Shock

I got in the habit many years ago of wearing two pairs of socks for the long days of teaching or for matches.  Hard courts are hard on the feet and and joints so any cushioning your can add to your feet will help you in the long run.

The first step is the right shoes.  Get a good platform and in particular a wide platform.  If you have wide feet then take a look at some shoes that fit the bill.



Next is the insert.  As good as shoes might be the addition of get insoles is another add on I've found very useful.  I buy a shoe size larger so I can add these along with my two pairs of socks.


gel inserts for shoes


Finally, here  at the socks.  I use a black interior sock that is low cut so it doesn't reduce circulation on my legs but still gives me the cushioning,

Play Racket Sports - Live Longer

Tennis and Badminton at Top of Life Chart

It's nice to see this but I see it as a confirmation that mostly what happens is that active people choose sports that are conducive to long term participation.  I've known many players still on the court well into their 90's.

It seems the main benefit of Tennis is cardiovascular health so other risks may not be reduced.  Since cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer this study makes perfect sense.