If you have never visited Barcelona, you’re missing a city that breathes art, sports and culture in all its forms: it is a city that has something to offer for everyone. Barcelona is cosmopolitan, but still retains its Mediterranean feel; a place where innovative and traditional mingle offering a festival of colors, flavors and cultures that few cities can claim to possess.

Cradle of many quality and popular athletes, this city inspires you to be the best version of yourself, always challenging you to push a little harder, to run a little longer and, of course, to train some more. The competition is tough, but it makes you keep your feet on the ground and fight to achieve your goals.

And it’s because of that sporting environment that Barcelona becomes the perfect city for your tennis training since not only the weather id good for outdoor activities in any season, but the simple fact of being surrounded by so many great athletes, professional and amateur, is enough inspiration to put the batteries on and take the racket with strength.

And what about the wonderful streets full of art? From Gràcia and Eixample to Born, the Gothic and Raval; many corners full of modernist and medieval architecture, street art and international environment, where finding food from all over the world is as easy as crossing the street.

And in summer, nothing better than jogging in the evening along the Mediterranean Sea that bathes the entire coast of Barcelona and makes the area of the Barceloneta and the Olympic Village an urban oasis for those who enjoy the sun rays more than the air itself.

A city that has hosted the Olympic Games, home of countless athletes and artists, and a place of admiration for anyone lucky enough to have walked its streets and squares. Yes, Pam Shot believe that Barcelona is the ideal city to receive tennis lessons, and if you want to check for yourself, ask information about our weekly program without any compromise. Our tennis academy in Barcelona is at your service.

Athletes can bring positive or negative influence depending on their behavior or expressions shown in public. Many athletes work hard to become positive role models and often engage in activities for charity, acting as mentors and speaking to groups of students. In contrast, athletes can be negative models through inappropriate actions both on and off the track.

When it comes to choosing a role model, most of us have always been taught to look among the “good guys”, who put kindness over cruelty, displaying their great heart more than the strength of their arms… these are the men and women we should get inspired by.

But, what about the people who are so efficient, so cruel in their pursuit of perfection, that the mere process becomes an art? Should people who crave success over anything else, but also respect the rules – the ones who play hard but fairly – be set aside as unworthy of admiration from the common man?

One of the first steps that a coach can take to show their students how to behave is to remind them how the players they admire behave, especially when faced with adversity. But is it better to have as reference the “good guys” or those who play mercilessly while respecting the rules?

We believe that if the tennis pros – and coaches – preach about representing themselves in the tennis court, they must also ensure not to fall short of that ideal of themselves.  They can’t be talking about sportsmanship and then angrily berating against referees or disrespect opponents. What we mean is that it’s important to choose someone coherent with their behavior as a role model.

Regarding the type of game, that is very personal. It is good to admire someone full of passion and with their eye on the goal, someone who works hard to win, to get to the top; but without forgetting that we must respect the rules and not let the passion take control of our actions. Likewise, someone calmer, softer, can be a good role model too, as long as the player  knows when not to have mercy on the court; patronizing is not an option when you want to win.

Ultimately, our role models are good reminders of how to behave and often give us that little push we need to achieve excellence. We don’t need to focus on just one person, perhaps a combination of type of game and lifestyle of many professionals it is what on our best interest. In our tennis academy in Barcelona not only we give you the best training, but we help you keep an eye on your goals. Role models are just one of the tools to help you move on and challenge yourself!

What makes a great tennis player?

A good player is capable of organizing, strive, suffer and sacrifice, in order to contribute, and give the maximum in tennis.

Where are your goals?

My goals are those that I reach giving everything I have, that is, try to reach the maximum I can.

What is your favorite part about playing tennis?

My favorite part is being able to do what I like and enjoy doing.

Who do you admire and why?

I admire those who are able to make an effort and outdo themselves.

Why Pam Shot?

Pam Shot is the new tennis academy formed by the coaches I trust the most and I think they can help me improve tennis wise.

Would you recommend Barcelona? Why.

I recommend Barcelona for its beauty and because it is my city, and the place where I’ve grown up.

Something that encourages you in difficult times.

Isolate myself and think about my surroundings encourages me, or listening to music.

We hope you enjoyed this little interview. If you want information about our tennis lessons or our preparation programs, please contact us. Remember that our high competition tennis academy is here to make you a great player.

1. How reliable is my first serve?

A major first serve that doesn’t achieve its goal it’s not useful as a weapon. To make you first serve more accurate, divide the service square into three zones of same size from the service line to the net. Serve first to the forehand area, then the center and then to the line. You must successfully serve in each area before moving to the next, once you can complete a series of two consecutives success in every area you will have reached your goal.

2. How much pace can I generate?

If your serve lands in the service square but the ball doesn’t reach the fence behind, you need to increase your racket head speed. One trick is to bounce the ball hard into the ground using your racket and see how high it goes. Pronate your forearm as fast as you can, if the ball is in the air for at least three seconds before hitting the ground, your speed is acceptable.

3. How effective is my kick serve?

Check if the ball in your kick serve can fall near the singles line on the left side and bounce to fall out of the doubles line. If the ball doesn’t go as far, put your racket upward and sideways beyond the right upper quarter of the ball. This will give it more of a wide kick.

4. How effective is my slice serve?

If your serve doesn’t reach the doubles line widely on the deuce side after hitting the singles side line, you aren’t getting enough side effect. Hit the ball in the mark of 3 o´clock and prone your forearm strongly through the blow. That way you should be able to take your opponent off the court.

5. How effective is the depth consistency of my serve?

If your serve varies greatly in depth, it’s most likely that your toss is not consistent enough. Try to raise the ball in the air with almost no rotation. It is also possible to experiment with the abbreviated backswing technique popularized by Patrick Rafter. The abbreviated backswing technique simplifies the preparation of the racket and ball toss because the hands stay together at the beginning of the serve and then rise at the same time. The only drawback is when you don’t rotate your right shoulder at the end of the racket preparation because you put stress on your rotator cuff.

6. How effective am I at hiding the direction of my service?

If your opponent seems to read your serve like an open book, you are probably revealing the intention of direction of your toss. A good way to solve this problem is to use a semicircular toss. That way it will be much harder for your opponent to find out if you’ll hit a flat, slice or kick serve.

7. How is my serve after pressure?

Many players serve well until the score gets critical and they fall apart. They get so nervous that their serve, usually reliable, looses all directional control. To prevent this from occurring, clear your mind, Stop thinking about the point and rather focus all your attention only in performing the desired serve.

As a tennis academy expert in high competition tennis, in Pam Shot we care for our students to receive the best training and their performance raise to their maximum. For more information about our programs and tennis lessons do not hesitate to visit our website and stay tuned to our blog for more tips on technique and lifestyle of a professional tennis player.

Carbohydrates – turbo power!

Carbohydrates are the main fuel when playing tennis. Carbohydrates, once digested, are absorbed by the blood and used by the muscles or stored in them or the liver. The body can store only a limited amount of carbohydrates, so it’s important that the player meets the requirements of hydrates that a match or training requires.

The main carbohydrate-rich foods are cereals, bread (preferably whole wheat), rice, pasta, potatoes, fruits and some sport drinks. It is important to include some portion of these foods about two hours before your practice sp that your body has the energy it needs to work. The amount will depend on each player.

Protein – to keep the engine!

Proteins are an integral part of the body structure and are essential for life. There is a constant turnover of protein in the body and it’s stored mainly in the muscles and organs. Animal proteins usually contain all the essential ingredients and are known as complete proteins.

Meat, fish and eggs are the main sources of protein, but there are lots of high protein foods such as milk, tofu, peanuts and almonds, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas or white beans. Try to include these foods in your diet, because the body needs them to function.

Fats – are also important!

Fat provides a concentrated form of energy. It is important in the diet to provide fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. Tennis players need to optimize the fat intake to ensure a lean physique that can perform at its maximum. Ideally for health, a diet should contain more olive and flax oil and fewer animal fats.

Since the body can’t produce essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) it is important getting them through foods. Salmon, sardines, mackerel, broccoli, kale, spinach, olive and flax oil, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and nuts are the foods rich in essential fatty acids. While talking about fats, balance is the key!

A balanced and varied diet should provide all the nutrients needed to adequately support growth and development, regulate the metabolism and body functions, and provide adequate energy during training and competition.  Pam Shot doesn’t only offer high-competition tennis lessons, but we also take care that your lifestyle helps your performance as a tennis player.

The control of the emotional aspect during a tennis match is important for both optimal performance and to enjoy the game. There are several terms that relate to the maintenance of emotional balance; excitement, anxiety and stress.

The excitement is a state of the organism that varies continuously from apathy to intense excitement. The importance of controlling the excitation is directly related to performance, as we seek to achieve maximum performance, a player must be physically and mentally active/excited, but we must find the right point of excitation, allowing us to remain calm in the competitive environment.

When we are too excited muscles become too rigid, our heart rate increases and we have difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly and precisely. It’s also likely to experience fear and fatigue more quickly. But when we are in an apathetic state we feel slow, uncoordinated and lacking enthusiasm.

Another problem to be controlled during the game is anxiety. It is a negative emotional state in which the excitation is cause by fear or perception of danger. It may be cognitive (worry or nervousness), somadic (degree of perceived physical activation) or a state of anxiety (temporary change in the mood and feeling of tension.

Stress is caused by an imbalance between demand and responsiveness. The demands are seen as threats, producing a negative physical and psychological reaction, and can be caused due to inadequate training, fear of failure, focus on the results rather than the performance and not be able to block outside distractions.

Players need specific techniques to handle those situations that may endanger our performance. The question is not whether we will enter a state of stress or anxiety, but what to do to stay calm when this happens. Part of being a champion means being able to deal with these emotional imbalances more effectively than the others.

Trust in your coach and a rigorous training program is essential to stay calm during matches; it will make you feel confident about yourself and what you are capable of. Besides, not only the physical training is important, but mental preparation is necessary to be very aware of what aspects of being in a competition we can control and how.

In our high competition tennis academy in Barcelona we will not only offer individualized physical training but we will mentally prepare you for the competition, helping you learn to control your emotions and responses to internal and external agents. Visit our website for details of our training programs.

Nutrition is the process by which the chemicals in the environment are taken by the body to make energy and nutrients needed to keep us alive and healthy. It helps to achieve high performance, recover more efficiently and have better health. To get all the nutrients we need, a varied and balanced diet is necessary. There are six classes of nutrients: water, vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, fiber and carbohydrates.

Each nutrient is equally important, and remove any them from the food we intake could have negative effects on our performance and health. Energy can be obtained from foods containing carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Vitamins and minerals do not provide a source of energy, but are required to derive the energy from the rest of nutrients we consume.

Furthermore, water leads the other nutrients to the tissues where they are used and then removes any byproducts caused by the use of the tissue, in other words, it removes toxins. Water is also crucial to maintain body temperature during the intense games.

For most players, the intake of about 2.500 calories per day is recommended, although some players may require more than 3.000 calories. Professional players need between 3.500 to 5.000 calories a day. Beyond trying to eat a healthy, balanced and varied diet regularly, players should focus their efforts particularly in the proper consume of all the category nutrients – liquids, minerals, carbohydrates, fat, fiber and protein.

These nutrients have an immediate effect on performance, delay the feeling of fatigue and reduce the propensity of a player to get injured and sick. That is why the diet is an essential part of a tennis player’s training and in Pam Shot, tennis academy in Barcelona, we give it the importance it deserves and help you program a diet based on your needs as a tennis player. If you are interested in our tennis lessons do not hesitate to contact us, our team will be happy to help you meet your goals.

The search of a successful training means to us a continuous formation and experimentation of the new trends in the tennis world. This means that during the time that you spend at out tennis academy, we will offer specific trainings to the demands that you have or the deficits we could find, both at technical and tactical or mental or physical level.

For a tennis player to perform at their best, we must take into consideration a number of parameters and know what the dynamics of the sports are. In tennis, the majority of the shares are relatively short – currently the average duration of the points is less than 10 seconds – being different depending on the surface of the court. The rest time between points, games and sets is set by regulation (25 sec between points and 90 sec for field changes), this determines that the effective playing time in a tennis match is reduced (>30%) and the ratio between playing and resting time is clearly favorable to rest.

Also, we should keep in mind that the duration of a tennis match can range from 1 to 5 hours and although the anaerobic lactic pathway has a significant role in the energy supply, the re-synthesis of ATP and phosphocreatine in trained players is mainly done by aerobic mechanisms. Consequently, we may think that the ATP and phospocreatine re-synthesis is performed without resorting to the lactic anaerobic pathway.

In this line and making mention of the concentration of lactate in the blood during a match, it has been found low concentrations of lactate during tennis matches: 1,24± 0, 37mmol/L¯¹ Ferrauti in al. (2001) and 2,3± 1, 2mmol/L¯¹Bergeron in al. (1991). This indicates a poor involvement of the glycolytic metabolism and that the fatigue in this sport is not induced essentially for the concentration of lactate.

Taking all this into account, the training of the resistance will be focused from an intervallic work that, depending on the phase that we are on, it will have greater or lesser degree of specificity.

Regarding the strength training is necessary to know the speed and power of the upper limbs for the implementation of the various beatings, and legs speed will depend on the explosive force (RFD) and its ability to resist (resistance to RFD) for as long as required in the match.  To monitor these manifestations of force, and achieve optimal training, we use speed and power meters and jumping ability meters.

Finally note that, to avoid typical tennis injuries (spondylolysis, spondylolistheses, impingement syndrome, tennis elbow, etc) we will focus on the proper biomechanics of the tennis player. We will ensure optimal communication afferent-efferent of the CNS muscles and, that way, achieve an appropriate range of motion in order to have the most stable joints possible.

In short, a successful training for players must be complete and meet certain specific needs for each player. In Pam Shot, tennis academy in Barcelona, we create training programs for each player, given their strengths and weaknesses. Find out about our programs and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any doubt; we will be here to answer any questions.

The team behind PAM SHOT is composed by athletes, all them familiar with the demanding world of professional tennis and sport.

The technical team of the tennis academy is made up from Francisco Ferrer, Alejandro Bragado and Joaquin Monso, as well as Joseto Valverde, tennis trainer. All of them have worked in the professional tennis circuit, both as players and as coaches. However, the most important is that they know each other for many years, building a friendship that years later pays off with PAM SHOT Tennis Academy.

Those who are fortunate and meet these four tennis professionals know well that they made an unbeatable team together, complementing each other and achieving a work environment which makes each player feel at home, getting the best out of each selves.

The new academy for tennis lessons aims to teach young tennis players all the techniques they need to become professional players. Our unique teaching method consists of customized tennis lessons made by multilingual teachers.

Learn the best tennis techniques in the beautiful city of Barcelona, one of the most modern sports cities in Europe.

If you are interested in our tennis lessons, visit our website or send us a message for further information.