There is a great classic song by Dionne Warwick, “Walk On By.”
“…I start to cry each time we meet…so I’ll, walk on by…walk on by…”
This seems to be the song playing in some of the boot camper’s heads when they see the agility ladders on the courts. I know I have twisted the lyrics around a bit to work with my message, but I know you get the point.
The RJ TENNIS BOOT CAMP® program is like no other program. I have worked to create an exciting and challenging program to help everyone who participates in the program to seriously improve their tennis games. The agility ladder is your free gym membership! The agility ladder is there to help make you a better tennis player. The bottom line is, you can’t hit great shots if you can’t get to the ball. You can’t consistently hit with pace if you don’t have the time to do the footwork to set up for your shots. And you can’t stay in the point if you’re too tired to even try. Snagging and dragging on the court just isn’t going to cut it.
Yesterday, Jahan coached the 4.0/4.5 RJT 10,000 STEPS! It was a sight to watch. Two of the women wore Fitbits, and both hit 10,000 steps in an hour and a half. I am certain the other two participants also hit 10,000 steps. Impressive. As Amy McMahon, a 4.5 player and one of the players who hit 10,000 steps, said to me, “you get out of the program what you put in.” Amy is all about hard work and giving it her all every time she’s at boot camp. She hit 10,000 steps yesterday, with time to spare. Her hard work shows itself in her strong and powerful game. I had a client share with me a story about how Amy and her tennis partner had beaten a couple of 5.0 players in a long, hard fought match. Upon the victory Amy yelled, “RJ TENNIS BOOT CAMP has changed my game! Without it, we wouldn’t have won this match!” Needless to say, I was humbled when I heard that. More importantly, she gets what RJ TENNIS BOOT CAMP is all about.
I have had people come up to me and ask, “I really want to improve my game. What is it that I can do to take my game to the next level?” I smile. Somehow they’re looking for a magic solution. There has never been a substitute for hard work. RJ TENNIS BOOT CAMP has always been about hard work. However, I try to make it fun so you don’t realize how hard you’re working. But, the bottom line is, if you want your tennis game to improve, you have to do the hard work. Don’t walk past the ladder, and wonder why you’re out of shape. Don’t walk by the agility ladder and wonder why you’re tired after one or two drills. Don’t walk by the agility ladder and then not run down a tennis ball because you think it’s too hard. Try! Your lungs are muscles. They have to be worked to build their endurance. If you put in the hard work, you will get the results. There is nothing magic about it.
When you’re participating in the RJT classes, don’t be the one who follows the other players who walk by the agility ladder. Come on. You’re better than that! Be the one who is there to improve and grow your tennis game. Do the agility ladder every single time! Remember in one of my recent emails I wrote, “Excellence inspires. Mediocrity doesn’t.” Kick yourself in the butt. Commit to excellence. Push yourself. The rewards won’t just be seen on the tennis court when you’re hitting winners past your opponents and when you’re running down those impossible to get shots! That mentality will spill over into everything else you do in life.
Rob the tennis coach, springboard dive coach and life coach
Director of Adult Tennis
@ The Four Seasons Tennis Club
