6. Endurance - ITF Tennis - Coaching

LEVEL III COACHES COURSE 

ENDURANCE 

Machar Reid and 

Miguel Crespo

Endurance Definition - 


Practical 

�� Ability to sustain high levels of power 

output for a considerable period of time 

�� Ability to maintain a high level of power 

output repeatedly interspersed with 

recovery over a prolong period of time


Endurance Definition - 

Physiology 

�� Ability of working muscles to use high level of oxygen 

to produce energy to maintain the necessary power 

out over time 

�� Cardiac output = amount of blood deliver to the 

working muscles 

�� Arteriovenous oxygen differences = the amount of 

oxygen used by the working muscles


Tennis-specific endurance 

Semi-specific endurance 

Basic endurance 

ENDURANCE TRAINING GOALS

Training to Improve Endurance 

�� Increase rate of oxygen deliver or transport to the 

working muscles (CENTRAL adaptations) 

�� Increase rate of oxygen utilization by the working 

muscles (PERIPHERAL adaptations) 

�� Of course, there are other adaptations e.g., greater 

use of fats and sparing glycogen, lower lactate 

production and/or enhanced elimination of lactate, 

etc, etc. 

LEVEL III COACHES COURSE


�� Increase rate of oxygen deliver or transport to the working 

muscles (CENTRAL adaptations): 

- blood volume 

- size & contractility of heart 

- pulmonary diffusing capacity 

- concentration of hemoglobin 

- i.e. cardiac output 



�� Increase oxygen utilization by the working muscles 

(PERIPHERAL adaptations): 

- capillary density 

- number of myoglobin 

- size and number of mitochondria 

- oxidative enzymes 

- i.e. greater extraction of oxygen by working muscles 


Good level of basic endurance a must … 

�� Player with high aerobic endurance fitness possesses: 

�� greater concentration of aerobic enzymes, increase 

mitochondria numbers, size and volume, increase myoglobin 

= enhancing oxygen extraction 

�� Greater blood volume, enhanced blood flow via increased 

capillarisation and ability to vasodilate, and stronger, bigger 

heart; enhanced CO = enhancing oxygen delivery 


�� ** During recovery period, enhanced O2 processes help to 

quicker restore the depleted phosphagens, phosphagens, 

reducing the 

production of lactate 


** RESEARCH (Bogdanis Bogdanis et al., 1996) 

Athletes that are aerobically fitter 

improved PCr resynthesis 

better repeated sprint performance (power output)

PLAYER A 


HOWEVER … 

PLAYER B 

COMPARABLE LEVELS OF BASIC ENDURANCE 

METABOLIC RESPONSE TO TENNIS-SPECIFIC TENNIS SPECIFIC STIMULUS

Physiological profile of matchplay 

o Acyclic, short time intermittent workloads of the body's entire 

muscular system. 

o Points ≈ 3-10 10 seconds on a clay court (≈ ( half as long on grass). 

o Actual playing time ≈ 20-30% 20 30% on clay courts and to ≈ 10-15% 10 15% on fast 

court surfaces. 

o Average point duration between Kuerten and Ferrero, Ferrero, 

in the 2002 

French SF ≈ 7.3 seconds. 


Physiological profile of matchplay II 

Prevalence of short rallies (≈ ( 80% of points involve < 4 strokes/player) + 

Oxidation of CHO 

and lipids 

There is an overall low demand on anaerobic-lactacid 

anaerobic lactacid energy supply … 

THEREFORE blood lactates remain low: 2.3-3.8mmol/l. 

2.3 3.8mmol/l. 


few long rallies (≈ ( 3% > 8 strokes per player) + 

rest periods. 

Supply energy to 


+ 

High-energy High energy phosphates 

ATP and CP

HOW HIGH DO BLOOD LACTATE LEVELS RISE IN TENNIS?? 

LA of elite tennis players in practice matches to be around 2.1±1.0 2.1 1.0 mmol/L. mmol/L. 

In matchplay, matchplay, 

LA were slightly higher at 2.9±1.3 2.9 1.3 mmol/L. mmol/L. 

The highest lactate value found was 7.5 mmol/L. mmol/L. 

CONCLUSION: contribution of the anaerobic-lactic anaerobic lactic energy system to the total 

energy supply during practice matches is 10% and increases to 20% 20% 

during 

matchplay. 

matchplay 


BASIC ENDURANCE 

�� To improve the rate of delivery of oxygen (CO = HR x SV) 

�� To enhance SV, training should focus on enhancing the 

contractility of the heart muscle 

IMPROVED REGENERABILITY 

SHORT TERM – B/W RALLIES 

MEDIUM TERM – B/W 2 SAME-DAY SAME DAY TRG SESSIONS 

LONG-TERM 

LONG TERM – B/W 2 MATCHES 

PERFORMANCE-DETERMINING PERFORMANCE DETERMINING RELEVANCE 50-75% 50 75% 


Training to improve basic endurance 

METHOD 

EXTENSIVE 

CONTINUOUS 

INTENSIVE 

CONTINUOUS 


CHARACTERISTICS GOALS 

Forms the largest part of Basic 

Endurance Training. 

Duration: 30-60 30 60 minutes 

Intensity: exclusively aerobic (1.0- (1.0 

2.5 mmol/l) mmol/l 

Frequency: 1 to 3-4 3 4 sessions/week 

depending on training phase 

Duration: 20-30 20 30 minutes 

Intensity: 2.5-5.0 2.5 5.0 mmol/l 

Frequency: 2 sessions/week 

Increase stroke volume 

Expand capillary network 

Reduce CHO metabolism during 

submaximal exercise 

Improve maximum oxygen 

uptake (VO 2 max)

CONTROLS OF ENDURANCE TRAINING INTENSITY 

METHOD 

HEART RATE 

(HR) = 

TRAINING 

PULSE 

STEP-BREATH 

STEP BREATH- 

RHYTHM (SBR) 

RATING OF 

PERCEIVED 

EXERTION 

(RPE) 

CHARACTERISTICS HOW TO MEASURE 

Formulas: 

HRR = (Max HR [220(m)/226(f)] – age) – 

Resting HR 

Extensive – 70% heart rate reserve (HRR) 

Intensive – 80% HRR 

# of steps taken when breathing in and out: 

Extensive – 4/4 SBR 

Intensive – 3/3 SBR 

With sufficient body and metabolic 

awareness: 

Extensive – zones 11-13 11 13 

Intensive – zones 14-16 14 16 


Carotid or radial pulse 

Not applicable to on court. 

Through experience. 

Applicable to most forms of 

training.

Semi-specific Semi specific endurance 


training 

�� Extension of basic endurance training, simulating more specifically specifically 

tennis’ tennis work:recovery cycle. 

�� Metabolic demands alternate between 

�� anaerobic-alactic 

anaerobic alactic (ie ie. . 5-10m 5 10m sprints); 

�� anaerobic-lactic anaerobic lactic (ie ( ie. . over 20m or uphill sprints) and; 

�� aerobic (ie ( ie. . running slowly during active recovery). 

�� PROTOCOL: 

�� FORMAT – fartlek or interval type work 

�� INTENSITY – HR ≈ 160bpm; blood lactates between 3-6 3 6 mmol/l; mmol/l; 

RPE ≈ 15-16 15 16

EMPHASIS 

AEROBIC 

AEROBIC/ 

ANAEROBIC 

ANAEROBIC 

Tennis-specific Tennis specific endurance training 


CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLE 

High density work performed at a 

sub-maximal sub maximal intensity (in aerobic 

range) 

High density work at an elevated 

intensity 

Coach-centred 

Coach centred drill training with 

intermittent work. Maximum 

intensity. 

Big “X”: : One player playing cross, 

the other down the line. 

Ball in constant play. 

Points played out of the hand 

Patterned stroking (6-10) (6 10) with 

active recovery (30-45 (30 45 seconds)

�� HIGHLY INTENSIVE DRILLS 

�� produce high levels of blood lactate (8-10mmol/l); 

(8 10mmol/l); 

�� fatiguing leading to coordinative failures, compromised 

movement/stroke mechanics such as: 

�� Slower runs to the ball 

�� Strokes hit greater distances away from the body 

�� Reduced stroke velocity 

�� Failure to reach certain balls 


�� Adaptation EMPHASISES the promotion 

of oxygen extraction from the blood into 

the working muscles 

�� Exercise must either involve muscles used 

or movements specific to the game 


Additional guidelines for tennis-specific tennis specific endurance 

training 

�� Aerobic base to be established 

�� Progressively increase the intensity of 

intervals sessions – ideally via greater speed 

or effort. 

�� Accumulated session work = 10-30 10 30 minutes 

�� First few repeats may serve as warm-ups warm ups 

until higher O2 uptake elicited 



ASKING THE COACH… COACH 

IF TRAINING IS AFFECTED AND THEY DO NOT 

WHOLLY REFLECT MATCHPLAY DEMANDS, why are 

these drills used?

�� STAGED TRACK TEST 

�� MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE TEST 

�� TENNIS-SPECIFIC TENNIS SPECIFIC ENDURANCE TESTS 

�� COOPER TEST 

�� MULTI-STAGE MULTI STAGE FITNESS TEST 


ASSESSMENT

PERIODISATION OF ENDURANCE TRAINING 

�� Successive or temporal endurance development is the training ideal. ideal 

Time 

1-3 3 weeks 

4-6 6 weeks 

7-9 9 weeks 

Type 

Basic 

Semi-specific 

Semi specific 

Tennis-specific 

Tennis specific 


Method 

Extensive continuous 

Intensive continuous 

Fartlek 

Extensive run + sprints 

Baseline competitions 

Coach-centred 

Coach centred drills 

Frequency/Duration 

3/week for 45-60 45 60 minutes 


2/weeks for 45-60 45 60 minutes 

2/weeks for 45-60 45 60 minutes 



Training schedule for non-professional non professional tennis players to 

improve endurance in preparation for a season peak.

PCr regeneration during repeated 

sprint training (Dawson et al., 1997) 

�� 5 x 6 sec sprints (24 sec recovery) 

�� 27% of pre-exercise 

pre exercise PCr concentration 

after 5 th sprint 

�� ATP required to therefore be 

resynthesised by glyolytic and aerobic 

pathways 

�� 80% of PCr pre-ex pre ex levels recovered 

after 3 minutes 


Anaerobic training (AnT ( AnT) ) intensity 

as dictated by oxygen tension at 

�� 90 



90-100% 100% VO 2max (HR = 6-8bpm 6 8bpm within MaxHR) MaxHR) 

= is 

most effective stimulus in regards to optimizing 

oxygen tension (utilisation ( utilisation) ) at the working muscles 

�� > 100% VO 2max = stimulus is no greater but greater 

accumulation of lactic. Subsequent reduction of 

workout duration may not be sufficient to induce an 

adaptation

�� 90 

Determining AnT intensity? 

90-100% 100% VO 2max = is speed that can be 

sustained continuously for up to 10-12 10 12 min 

�� BUT with intervals workout intensity of 90- 90 

100% VO 2max 2-3 3 minutes with subsequent 

rest of 2-3 2 3 min, the duration of the entire 

stimulus can be extended for > 20-40 20 40 min 



What Intensity for 

Continuous? 

�� SV plateaus at 50%VO 2max – so to stress the 

heart work close or just below the anaerobic 

threshold point 

�� This is intensity that can be maintained for a 

prolonged period of time ~ 60 min 

�� Research also correlated an increase in 

ventilation to an increased VO 2max after 6 weeks 

of training – suggesting the importance of 

working at this anaerobic threshold level

6. Endurance - ITF Tennis - Coaching

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