Layering & Hydrating in the Winter

It's getting cold outside and Winter is here!  I see my students come out to the courts in shorts and smaller bottles of water based on the misconception that because it's colder they don't have to drink as much water.  "Oh Contraire Monfraire!"

Now that is cold your body is working twice as hard to keep warm!  You must hydrate just as much in the cold season as you do the warm season. So students please break out your larger water containers, unfortunately you do not retire those as you do your summer clothes!  You must stay hydrated just as much.

Layering clothing is essential. I would advise you start with an undershirt (possibly with wicking material to suck out moisture as you work out in clinic) as your first layer, then put on another thin shirt for your second layer on top of that and the third layer can be a pullover (fleece) or your school team hoodie.  Your fourth and last layer, which will peel first, is your jacket.  Yes!  You need all of these on very cold days when it drops below 50 and the sun goes down.

We will keep you moving but please stretch before and after clinic. Just because your young doesn't mean your not a candidate for muscle strain or pulls.  It takes your muscles longer to get warmed up in cold weather, so warm up slowly and stretch your body before and after your tennis lessons.