Moving ON!

Once again, Bend and tennis rejoice. Nate Bonetto and the Florida Gators collected some more hardware over the weekend, winning the NCAA Men’s SEC Tennis Championship tournament, in Athens Georgia.  Nate, one of the two Freshman team members, helped his team win its sixth team tournament title since 1994. (CLICK HERE)

Going back to the beginning, Nate grew up right here in Bend. As we all know, Bend is not known for being a tennis powerhouse. Our competitive player pool is limited and Bend hosts zero competitive tournaments. Obviously, Bend’s climate doesn’t really lend itself to year round outdoor tennis. Still, Nate developed his early game here and focused on his fitness and building athletic skill. 

Central to his physical development, working on building strength, core and endurance using the TRX Suspension Trainer and TRX Rip Trainer became the priority. These tools, lend themselves to rotary athletes. Sports, including baseball, golf, lacrosse, tennis and even fishing are perfect matches. Asymmetrical loading with additional focus on training the kinetic chain map to sequencing and activating the needed muscles and tennis specific movement patterns.  Additionally, variable heart-rate training at Bend’s altitude contribute to stronger cardio vascular strength, which is paramount for tennis. 

Back to process. Nate had the belief and desire to continue his tennis journey. Trust in the process, despite occasional set-backs, remained a constant.  As I write this, I took an hour to FaceTime with Nate for his first post tournament training session. Consistency with routine is built-in. Competing at this level as a student athlete is no joke and one of the hardest dual task efforts one can take on. 

Onward we march! Next up are the NCAA Regionals, May 6th-7th, followed by Super Regionals, May 13th-14th and ultimately Nationals, May 19th-28th. I have little doubt the Gators won’t notch back to back National Titles, which will force me to write yet another story. Let’s all congratulate Nate and the Gators for a remarkable season, thus far!

Regardless of what sport you play, remember to trust the process and embrace the journey. Do not discount the physical demands needed to progress as you mature and make your way to Embark Fitness for a training plan. We are passionaiate about training and will help you perform at your best!