Sucking air in your latest tennis match? Try this.

There's no mistaking the fact that when we're winded during a match our opponents have a slight advantage for the next 2-3 points at least.

And if they notice we're winded, chances are they may try to run us even more as soon as the ball is back in play.

That is, if they're smart.

But what can we do?

As my friend over at http://FatsosTennis.com suggests, there are a few immediate actions we can take to slow
down the pace:

1. Slow our pace between points (Walk, don't run or jog, and take your time getting ready for the next point)

2. Don't CHASE after balls. If a ball wanders into another court, don't "run" to get it. Just take your time walking
over. And even if you have 2 balls in your pocket, if you're out of breath, take advantage and meander over to the ball immediately (allowing you to catch your breath).

3. If your opponent is serving and faults, don't hit the ball directly back to him/her - slap it where they have to walk or run to get it once the point is over. This will free up a little more time for you to stop sucking wind.

4. You have 90 seconds to change sides. Take every second you need to catch your breath.

And here's one I like a lot. When you're gathering balls between points and it's your opponent's serve, rather than feed the ball directly to them where they can catch it... gently hit the ball at their feet, or awkwardly (but intentionally) hit it to them without a bounce. Chances are that they may bobble it, giving us a few more precious seconds to catch our breath.

NOW... if you find yourself sucking wind during a match, and you want to continue to win, it may be a good idea to take care of it OFF the Court with some sort of conditioning drills or exercises.

It really doesn't have to be time consuming either. You can do it in just a few minutes a day, 2-3 days per week, and without any equipment at all.

So, if you don't have any equipment, here is an example of a KILLER conditioning workout for tennis that you can actually do in the privacy of your own back yard:

Exercises: Pushups, Jump Squats, & Burpees.

We're going to combine these 3 exercises into 1 set, and complete each exercise back to back without rest.

Here's how to do it:

A1 Jumpsquat X 8 Reps
A2 Pushup X 12 Reps
A3 Burpee X 15 Reps


Once you complete the reps for each exercise, that's 1 set. Rest 30-60
seconds and repeat for a total of 4 to 5 sets.

You can perform this workout 3 times per week or every other day, and you should be able to tell a difference on the courts within a matter of weeks (most times sooner).

Here's a video of exactly how to perform a Tennis Matrix Workout with just a pair of dumbbells and our own bodyweight:

Tennis Conditioning Video <-- Click Here to Watch How to Do an Actual Set

These type of workouts shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes tops. Remember, it's best to do these 2-3 times per week. As the workouts become easier and easier, increase the intensity.