“If you show up with your tennis racket and enough water to last you 2 hours, that’ll do.”
For some, this statement might not seem too outrageous, and thats fine, but if you really want to make the most of an Active Away Tennis Holiday experience then here are 7 essentials you will want to bring with you on one of our holidays.
1. Correct Clothing
Whether it’s footwear, caps, or general sports clothing there is so much to choose from especially in this day and age! It can sometimes get a bit overwhelming.
There are a few specific things to think about when choosing out the clothing you want to be playing tennis in. For example I would look at the climate I’m playing tennis in and what kind of material is best for that. for example if I was to be playing tennis is 28 degrees which is often the case on an Active Away Tennis Holiday I would focus my search on polyester clothing in order to reduce the weight and thickness of the t-shirt as well as looking at how much moisture the t-shirt holds. The general consensus is that thick materials such as cotton hold a lot more moisture so therefore when sweating the shirt can become heavy and uncomfortable to play in and can dampen the experience on court. Comparatively, polyester holds a lot less moisture in and allows for much more breathability when it’s hot.
When it comes to tennis trainers there are an immense selection and sometimes its not always obvious what the differences are between them. When picking out tennis trainers focus on the court surface you will be playing on as well as comfort and the support the shoe offers.
2. Sun Protection
Active Away Tennis Holidays are all held in picturesque locations around Europe as well as Dubai. The climate in these countries is extremely different to what we are used to back here in the Uk. I often see a lot of clients underestimating the temperature and not bringing enough sun protection.
So what is sun protection? – Well as you can imagine it is items you can use/wear/apply which stops the sun damaging your skin or making you feel unable to play. In my experience to get the best protection you have to use multiple things. These things can vary from sun caps to sun cream, however it could be something like longer socks to protect your ankles or even a cap with a neck protector.
The main way to protect yourself from the sun is to use all of the above with each other and you will be good to play in the conditions. If you are planning to join us on a Tennis Holiday i would recommend factor 50 sun cream as this provides the most protection whilst also catching a tan. If you have very sensitive skin i would recommend sun block.
3. Rackets
Most would agree that it’s not ideal to start playing with a different racket which isn’t your own half way through a tennis match. It can really throw you off your game. Even when playing down at your local club it is always a good idea to carry a spare racket with you just in case the inevitable happens and your strings break on you midway through a match.
I would always recommend carrying a spare racket with you at all times when playing tennis. The ‘spare’ racket you carry should be the exact same as the racket you play with normally, this allows you to not have to switch to something completely different mid way through a game. As well as the racket being the same, the string tension and weight of the racket should also be kept the same for both rackets.
To follow on from bringing a spare racket, strings are just as important especially for those who often break their strings. For some tennis players, string tension and material is not a big deal and they will often play regardless of those factors, however for others it can be a deal breaker. For some, breaking their strings and having to play with a racket with different string tensions can be the end of their game and no one wants that.
Tennis Racket strings is such a huge area of the game and sometimes can be a bit confusing, understandably. Beneath is a short video going into detail about different types of strings and what string tension might suit your game.
4. Water Bottle
I would consider this to be one of the most important items you can bring with you on an Active Away Tennis Holiday and onto court. With many of our Tennis Holidays being held in the summer often it can get quite hot, sometimes reaching temperatures above 30 degrees especially in places like our Turkey resorts.
No one likes drinking heated up water, especially after you have made sure that the water was cooled before you left to play tennis. The perfect water bottle to bring with you is one that keeps the fluids inside cooled or warm, ideally filled with water or an electrolyte drink. Preferably you would like to bring a 1 litre bottle which is just enough however there are facilities at the hotels which allow you to fill your bottle up during sessions.
A big thing Active Away want to push this year when out on our Tennis Holidays is the reduction of use in plastic bottles and especially one time use plastic bottles/cups. We have seen over the last few years a huge number of people who come away with us without a bottle of their own and having to use either the plastic bottles from the hotels or cups at water machines. We do however understand that it is not always convenient to pack a water bottle in your luggage but not only does it allow you to drink more fluids throughout the day but also is better for the environment.
I would consider this to be one of the most important items you can bring with you on an Active Away Tennis Holiday and onto court. With many of our Tennis Holidays being held in the summer often it can get quite hot, sometimes reaching temperatures above 30 degrees especially in places like our Turkey resorts.
No one likes drinking heated up water, especially after you have made sure that the water was cooled before you left to play tennis. The perfect water bottle to bring with you is one that keeps the fluids inside cooled or warm, ideally filled with water or an electrolyte drink. Preferably you would like to bring a 1 litre bottle which is just enough however there are facilities at the hotels which allow you to fill your bottle up during sessions.
A big thing Active Away want to push this year when out on our Tennis Holidays is the reduction of use in plastic bottles and especially one time use plastic bottles/cups. We have seen over the last few years a huge number of people who come away with us without a bottle of their own and having to use either the plastic bottles from the hotels or cups at water machines. We do however understand that it is not always convenient to pack a water bottle in your luggage but not only does it allow you to drink more fluids throughout the day but also is better for the environment.
5. Towel/Sweat Bands
It is always a good idea to carry a towel with you on court if you tend to sweat heavily or out on an Active Away Tennis Holiday somewhere hot. There are many different variations of towels however the most common towel is a small, compact, cotton one. Cotton towels are great as they absorb a huge amount of moisture and can be used for the whole duration of the time you are playing tennis.
As well as a towel, sweatbands can be extremely useful when on court, especially if you have sweaty palms. One way we can reduce the amount of sweat and moisture getting onto your racket and making it uncomfortable to play with is to wear wrist sweatbands. Not only does this stop your palms from getting extra moisture on them from the sweat on your arm but also allows you to wipe away any excess sweat from other areas such as your face.
I would also recommend bringing more than one set of sweatbands as well as a few towels if they can fit in your luggage.
6. Plaster/Tape/First Aid
In my eyes getting either an injury on court or getting a blister can really spoil your tennis experience. This is why it’s important to keep the appropriate first aid equipment in your bag, such as plasters, tape or cleansing wipes for any cuts you may get.
The worst feeling when playing tennis is getting a blister and not being able to play for a few days whilst the blister heals. This is a common problem we see on our holidays. It is normally down to the amount your hands are sweating as well as the grip you are using.
There are some ways we can combat getting so many blisters on our hands and feet – Mainly by using correct sportswear. However sometimes blisters and small cuts are inevitable and will happen quite regularly. This is why plasters and especially tape for blisters are great to have on you when coming out on an Active Away Tennis Holiday. Not only to they allow the cut or blister to heal but also allow you to play on.
There are different types of plasters you can buy but i would recommend getting high quality, extra sticky ones as they are less likely to fall off whilst playing tennis.
7. Spare Overgrips
In conjunction with preventing blisters, grips can play a big part in that. Using an old grip can lead to more blisters and sores as the racket is moving around in your hand a lot more as a result of not enough grip which therefore causes blisters through the friction of the racket moving.
Before coming out on an Active Away Tennis Holiday i would recommend applying a new overgrip to both rackets. This should last you the whole week but in case it doesn’t bring a few spare. If you are unsure on how to apply a new overgrip onto your racket there is no need to worry, the coaches on your week will help you and show you the correct way to put an overgrip on.
It’s also important to keep a spare overgrip just incase of the unlikely event that it does rain whilst you are out on holiday. A slippery grip is as good as no grip at all and can be the difference between success when playing tennis or not enjoying your time on the court at all.
