“Fixation Friday” For March!

By Kselz @TennisFixation

It’s time for another Fixation Friday!  On the last Friday of each month, I list all kinds of things that I got obsessed with or fixated on during the month.  In March, I got very stressed about my returns (and remained stressed about my serves), wasted A LOT of time watching tennis videos on YouTube, and tried out many healthy smoothie recipes (because I’m kicking off a nutritious challenge next month and I’ll post details on April 1 so check back then).  Below is my list of links that preoccupied me this month.  If you see something you’re interested in, just click on the title to be whisked over to the website, video, post, etc.  So get fixated with me with my Fixation Friday list for March 2013!

TENNIS STUFF:

How Can I Angle My Tennis Slices Better? – This is an easy to understand, step-by-step explanation of how to get better slice on both your serve and your ground strokes. Because when you can’t overpower someone, you can hopefully outspin them.

Roger Federer Forehand in Super Slow Motion – BNP Paribas 2013 – This video clip was shot by Ian Westermann of Essential Tennis a few weeks ago at the BNP Paribas Open.  It shows Roger on a practice court hitting several forehands that look so perfect and effortless.  The most interesting thing, to me, is his eye contact with the ball – he continues to look at where the ball was after hitting it.  He doesn’t immediately look up to see where the ball is going.  So his body, including his head, is very relaxed.  Ian has plenty of other great slow motion videos from this tournament on his YouTube channel that are all worth checking out.

The Secret To Returning Lobs – Finally, someone who recognizes that we non-ATP or WTA players may not be able to rip a winner off a lob.  Instead, here’s a strategy we might actually be able to use – return a lob with an (offensive) lob!  This article explains how.

NON-TENNIS STUFF:

Chocolate Breakfast Shake Recipe – I’m always on the lookout for a good pre-match breakfast smoothie and here’s a super delicious one from Minimalist Baker.  It’s easy to make, tastes very chocolate-y, and – bonus! – is super healthy.

The 30 Minute No-Gym Body-Weight Workout – I’ve been trying a lot of at-home-no-equipment-required workouts lately and this one is fantastic. It’s easy to understand (an infographic is included), quick to do and leaves you feeling like you’ve really worked your body.

Bono: The good news on poverty (Yes, there’s good news) -  U2′s Bono gives an inspiring TED talk full of statistics and data on how close we could be to bringing an end to poverty in the world.  I love TED talks.