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Insider's Playbook: Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Mike Rogers - Founder of Senior Tennis Unpacked
If you’re over 50 and still driven by competition, Insider’s Playbook is built for you. This podcast goes beyond generic tennis advice and into the strategic, physical, and mental edge senior players need to compete longer and win more matches.Hosted by senior tennis tournament competitor Mike Rogers, and founder os SeniorTennisUnpacked.com, each episode features elite coaches, national champions, and performance experts sharing real strategies to help you move smarter, train efficiently, stay injury-resistant, and out-think opponents who rely on youth alone.Subscribe now and step inside the playbook that top senior players use to keep raising their game.
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- Today24 min
Why 'Watch the Ball' Is the Worst Advice in Senior Tennis I Richard Brice
7 Day Free Trail - https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/aboutSenior Tennis Unpacked Community You've spent years fixing your forehand, tweaking your footwork, and drilling your backhand — and you're still making the same mistakes. Richard Brice, vision and brain-based training specialist, makes an uncomfortable case: the problem was never your strokes. The problem is your visual system is declining, you're "hit and admiring" instead of recovering, and you're wiring your brain to look at bright screens four to five hours a day — then wondering why you can't judge a 60-mph ball. We get into why watching the ball at contact is the last thing you should worry about, why your T-Rex forehand is a spacing problem not a technique problem, and what a string with a few beads on it can do for your game that no amount of drilling ever will. Key Takeaways: · Recovery beats vision every time. "Hit and admire" — watching your ball instead of resetting — is the #1 performance killer, and it throws everything that comes after it off.· Late prep, bad spacing, and mis-timed swings are all vision problems. Those aren't technique issues — they're almost entirely driven by how well your visual system is functioning.· Watching the ball at contact is the icing, not the cake. Djokovic has won more than anyone alive while already looking down the other end on half his forehands — fix the underlying problems first.· Screen time is wrecking your visual system. Four to five hours a day on phones and TVs trains your eyes for up-close bright screens, not for reading a tennis ball — ten minutes of distance gazing a day is the counter.· The Brock String is the one tool worth owning. A string with a few beads on it tests and trains whether your brain is fusing both eyes together — the foundation of depth perception and distance judgment on court.· Vision training structurally rewires your brain in 8–10 weeks. An hour a week is enough to produce measurable changes that stick for months — three 20-minute sessions a week gets you there."So many of the best players in the world don't watch the ball at contact." — Richard Brice "The number one problem for most players is not recovering after the previous shot." — Richard Brice Richard Brice – TennisHacker.netYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TennisHacker ⏱️ Chapters: 0:00 — Introduction1:32 — What "using your eyes well" really means in senior tennis3:02 — The #1 mistake players over 50 make (it's NOT watching the ball)5:43 — How to tell if your vision is holding you back7:06 — The truth about watching the ball through to contact9:21 — Vision, spacing, and why your T-Rex forehand is a spacing problem15:27 — Screen time is wrecking your game — here's the fix16:44 — The Brock String explained — and how to use it18:47 — How long does vision training take?22:50 — Connect with Richard Brice / Show Wrap Up#SeniorTennis #TennisTips #TennisVision #Over50Tennis #TennisTraining #MastersTennis #TennisPerformance
- 1 weeks ago21 min
Anticipation Beats Speed After 50 — Here's Why I Nathan Martin
7 Day Free Trail - https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/aboutSenior Tennis Unpacked Community Your reaction time is only declining 2–6 milliseconds per decade — and that decline is trainable. The real reason you feel slow on court isn't age. It's anticipation. Tennis Fitness Coach Nathan Martin joins the Insider's Playbook to break down the science of reaction time and tennis agility after 50 — including the specific drills that can produce measurable improvement in as little as six to eight weeks.Key Takeaways: · Reaction time declines 2–6 milliseconds per decade and power output drops 3–5% per decade after 50 — but both are trainable· Anticipation beats raw speed because it covers for physical decline — Martina Hingis was living proof at the highest level· Neural gains (hand-eye coordination, reaction) can show up in as little as 2–4 weeks; movement and change-of-direction gains take 6–8 weeks· Agility training needs to be done at — or above — the intensity you want to compete at, or the body won't adapt· Combine non-reactive drills (cones, set patterns) with reactive drills (unpredictable ball release) in every session for the most bang for buck· The hunter mindset isn't motivational fluff — Nathan trained Lleyton Hewitt on it, and it's what drives anticipation up and self-doubt out· One strength session plus two agility sessions per week is Nathan's 90-day prescription for moving better on court Nathan Martin – TennisFitness.com: www.tennisfitness.com Over 40’s Strength, Movement and Mobility Programhttps://www.memberstennisfitness.com/over-40-strength-movement-mobility ⏱️ Chapters:0:00 Coming Up - Show Introduction2:14 How Much Do Speed & Reaction Time Decline After 50?7:01 Anticipation vs. Raw Speed — Which Matters More?9:24 Can You Actually Train Anticipation?10:28 The Urgency Mindset That Unlocks Anticipation11:37 The Lleyton Hewitt Hunter Mindset13:10 The Most Effective Agility Drills for Match Play15:01 Reactive vs. Non-Reactive Drills — The Key Difference16:49 Can You Train Anticipation Solo?17:36 The 90-Day Plan to Move Better on Court20:10 Show Wrap Up #TennisFitness #SeniorTennis #TennisTraining #Over50Fitness #TennisLife #AgilityTraining #SeniorAthletes #TennisTips #FitOver50 #MastersTennis
- 2 weeks ago19 min
Miss Less, Win More: Consistency for Senior Players I Jonathan Stokke
7 Day Free Trail - https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/aboutSenior Tennis Unpacked Community Episode DescriptionJonathan Stokke is back for his third appearance, and this time we're getting into the one thing that beats pace, power, and fancy shot-making at every recreational level — consistency. Not the "just keep it in play" advice you've heard a hundred times. Jonathan breaks down exactly why senior players give away points they should be winning, what speed you should be hitting at on any given day, and why your ego is probably your worst opponent on the court.Key TakeawaysWinners don't happen on command — your opponents will miss for free if you stop helping themYour job number one from the baseline in doubles is simply to make the ball — everything else is job two and threeThe driving analogy: your shot speed needs to match conditions, not your egoYou don't hit where you aim — and that's actually an argument for aiming middle, not against itThe Stokke Six: the six most common ways recreational players give points away, and the three that show up most in doublesHit as fast as you can and as close to the lines as you can — knowing you can still make the ballThe 2% principle: you don't jump a level by thinking harder, you get there by earning slightly better reps Jonathan Stokke:www.stokketenniscoaching.comStokke Doubles Academy:https://www.skool.com/stokke-doubles-academy/about⏱️ Chapters:00:00 — Coming Up - Show Introduction01:42 — Winners Don't Happen on Command02:46 — Help Them Miss: The Real Strategy03:57 — Job One from the Baseline: Make the Ball05:26 — Match Your Speed to Conditions08:24 — Shot Selection: Do Less, Win More11:36 — The Stokke Six: Where Points Go to Die14:43 — The Ego Check: What It Really Takes to Level Up15:50 — Hit As Fast as You Can — Knowing You Can Make It17:49 — Show Wrap Up#SeniorTennis #TennisTips #ConsistencyWins #DoublesTennis #TennisStrategy #RecreationalTennis #JonathanStokke #InsidersPlaybook 🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — 7 DAY FREE TRIAL Every match teaches you something. Senior Tennis Unpacked is where competitive 50+ players break down what went wrong and learn together what it takes to compete better and win more matches.👉 https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/about
- 3 weeks ago20 min
Stop Playing Old, Weak Tennis - This Is All It Takes I Nathan Martin
7 Day Free Trail - https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/aboutSenior Tennis Unpacked Community If you're over 50 and skipping the weight room because you think it'll wreck your joints or wear you out before match day — this episode is going to change your mind. Nathan Martin from Tennis Fitness breaks down exactly why strength training isn't optional anymore at our age, why the light-weight-high-rep approach most of us default to is keeping us on the decline, and how just two focused sessions a week can stop the muscle loss, improve your balance, and actually make you a more powerful player on the court. No bro-science, no six-day splits — just what works for competitive senior players who want to stay in the game.Key Takeaways: You're losing up to 3% of your muscle mass every decade after 50 — and most of what we do in the gym isn't enough to stop itLight weight, high reps is a maintenance myth — if you're not fatiguing by rep 8-10, you're still on the decline trainTwo strength sessions a week is the target — done right, that's enough to build muscle, improve balance, and boost on-court powerFree weights and bodyweight beat pin-loaded machines — machines reduce the joint stability work your tennis game actually depends onTaper into tournaments, don't stop lifting — shift to unilateral, rotation-based work as match day approachesSix to eight weeks to start seeing real gains — but only if you're progressively overloading, not just going through the motions Nathan Martin – TennisFitness.com: www.tennisfitness.com Over 40’s Strength, Movement and Mobility Programhttps://www.memberstennisfitness.com/over-40-strength-movement-mobility #tennistips #tennistrategy #seniortennis #seniorfitness #tennisstrengthtraining #over50fitness #tennisfitness #tennisworkout #tennisover50 ⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Show Introduction01:52 Why Strength Training Is Non-Negotiable After 5003:03 How Strength Training Fixes Your Balance05:20 The Muscle Groups That Matter Most for Senior Tennis06:32 How Often Should You Actually Be Lifting08:51 Free Weights vs. Machines vs. Bodyweight10:01 The Mistakes Senior Players Make in the Gym11:25 Coming Back From Injury — Where to Start12:31 How to Balance Lifting With Match Play and Tournaments14:55 How Long Until You See Real Gains18:04 Show Wrap Up 🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — 7 DAY FREE TRIAL Every match teaches you something. Senior Tennis Unpacked is where competitive 50+ players break down what went wrong and learn together what it actually takes to compete better and win more matches.👉https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/about
- 4 weeks ago18 min
Fix Your Overhead: Neutralize the Most Annoying Shot I Jonathan Stokke
7 Day Free Trail - https://bit.ly/stu-skool Senior Tennis Unpacked Community 📄 Episode DescriptionWe all know the feeling: you're at the net, feeling like a pro, until that high, slow ball goes up and suddenly you're backpedaling like a panicked crab. Most of us hate lobs because we're terrified of our own overheads, but the truth is, we're making it way harder than it needs to be by taking dangerous technical shortcuts. In this episode, Jonathan Stokke breaks down why the "lobber" isn't actually your enemy — your overhead is — and shares a simple spacing rule that allows even players with limited mobility to turn that "annoying" shot into a point-ending smash. ✅ Key Takeaways· The "Secret" Source of Hate: Why your frustration with lobbers is actually a "bad overhead" problem in disguise.· The Shortcut Trap: Why backpedaling is the "number one" technical mistake that ruins your balance and your overhead.· The Serve Hack: A simple visualization to turn your overhead from a "swat" into a controlled, abbreviated serve.· The One-Yard Rule: How getting just one yard behind the service line allows you to cover 90% of lobs without ever needing to jump.· Predicting the Future: How to "read the mail" and know a lob is coming before your opponent even hits it. Jonathan Stokke:www.stokketenniscoaching.comStokke Doubles Academy:https://www.skool.com/stokke-doubles-academy/about⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Coming Up / Introduction01:52 The "Secret" Source of Hate: It's Really a Bad Overhead Problem05:12 The One-Yard Rule: Cover 90% of Lobs Without Jumping06:29 The Shortcut Trap: Why Backpedaling Destroys Your Balance07:31 The Serve Hack: Turn Your Overhead Into an Abbreviated Serve13:47 Key Takeaways: Lob Strategy + Predicting the Future16:11 Show Wrap-Up 🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — 7 DAY FREE TRIAL Senior Tennis Unpacked on Skool is where serious 50+ players break down matches, swap strategies, and get better together. Post a match story. Ask a hard question.👉 https://bit.ly/stu-skool
- May 12, 202619 min
The Tennis Footwork Myth Killing Senior Players (Do This Instead) I John Craig
📋 Episode DescriptionMost senior players think they move badly because they're slow. John Craig says that's the wrong diagnosis entirely. In this episode, John — whose "Footplay" system has transformed movement for players well into their 70s — reveals why chasing speed is a trap, and why the real unlock is rhythm, continuous motion, and learning to touch the court instead of hit it. Whether you're stuck flat-footed at the baseline or losing the net battle in doubles, this conversation will completely reframe how you think about your feet — and why your strokes have been suffering for it. 🎯 Key Takeaways"Footwork" is the wrong word. It implies effort and strain. John calls it "footplay" — and that mindset shift alone changes how your body moves on court.Your strokes follow your feet, not the other way around. If your groundstrokes are breaking down, the problem probably isn't your swing.The #1 mistake senior players make: Standing still. Movement isn't about speed — it's about staying in motion. The moment you stop, your athletic switch turns off.Learn to "touch" the court, not "hit" it. Soft knees, soft ankles, springboard feel — this is what keeps you light, balanced, and injury-resistant as you age.The split step doesn't have to leave the ground. A small weight shift on opponent contact is enough to keep your athletic switch on and your reaction time sharp. Contact John Craig:https://performanceplustennis.com/john-craig-director/http://www.youtube.com/@PerformancePlusTennis ⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Coming Up - Introduction02:14 Why "Footwork" Is the Wrong Word04:09 It's Not About Speed — It's About Rhythm05:34 Mastering the Up-and-Back Game08:13 How to Train Movement Without Getting Hurt13:10 Transition Shots: The Approach and Mid-Court Ball14:41 Off-Court Training and the Float Like Ali Mindset17:15 Show Wrap-Up 🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — FREE Senior Tennis Unpacked on Skool is where serious 50+ players break down matches, swap strategies, and get better together. Post a match story. Ask a hard question.Find your people. 👉 https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/about🎾 ABOUT SENIOR TENNIS UNPACKED The go-to resource for competitive tennis players over 50 who want to win smarter and compete longer.🌐 Explore everything: https://SeniorTennisUnpacked.com
- May 5, 202622 min
Your Net Position Is Wrong — The Real Reason Your Doubles Poaches Fail I Jonathan Stokke
📄 Episode DescriptionMost doubles players think poaching is a gamble — a wing-and-a-prayer lunge you attempt when you "feel it." Jonathan Stokke says that's exactly backwards. In this episode of Insider's Playbook, Stokke breaks down why 99% of his poaches are pre-planned before the ball is struck, why standing near the singles sideline is quietly killing your net game, and why the real default at the net isn't "hold your position" — it's move. If you've ever gotten burned down the line and retreated to your corner, this conversation will rewire how you think about your entire role as a net player. ✅ Key Takeaways· Poaching is a decision, not a reaction — Stokke commits to the cross-court before his opponent swings. If you're waiting to "read" the ball, you're already late.· The math is on your side — 75–90% of returns go cross-court at every level. You don't need to be a mind reader. You need to trust the percentage.· Your starting position is probably wrong — Standing close to the singles sideline forces you to run to the poach. Move your inside foot 5–6 feet from the center service line and suddenly it's a step and a half, not a sprint.· Flip the default — Poaching should be your go-to; staying is the mix-up. Most rec players have this exactly reversed, and it's why they never build real poaching confidence.· Getting burned is part of the deal — Every bad rep is a rep off your learning curve. Stokke's mindset: five missed poaches means five fewer standing between you and doing it well.· with the wrong pattern just grooves the wrong pattern 250 times. Jonathan Stokke:www.stokketenniscoaching.comStokke Doubles Academy:https://www.skool.com/stokke-doubles-academy/about#TennisTips #DoublesStrategy #SeniorTennis #TennisCoaching #USTATennis #TennisLife #NetPlay #RecreationalTennis⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Intro: Reactor or Decider01:58 What a True Poach Actually Is03:50 The 75-90% Rule: Why Math Favors You07:06 Your Real Job at the Net09:53 Where to Stand: The Position Most Players Get Wrong12:45 When to Poach During a Live Rally14:42 How to Start Adding This to Your Game17:59 The 4.5 Move Any 3.5 Can Use19:53 Find Stokke online20:52 Show Wrap Up & Key Takeaways🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — FREE Senior Tennis Unpacked on Skool is where serious 50+ players break down matches, swap strategies, and get better together. Post a match story. Ask a hard question.Find your people. 👉 https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/about🎾 ABOUT SENIOR TENNIS UNPACKED The go-to resource for competitive tennis players over 50 who want to win smarter and compete longer.🌐 Explore everything: https://SeniorTennisUnpacked.com
- Apr 28, 202622 min
Why Your Serve Is Getting Worse — And It Has Nothing to Do With Your Arm I John Craig
If your serve has quietly gotten shorter, slower, and less reliable over the last few years, you've probably blamed your shoulder, your elbow, or just "getting older." John Craig has coached hundreds of senior players over 40 years and says the real culprit is almost never what you think — and the fixes most players are chasing are making it worse. In this episode, we get into what breaks down first as we age, why stability beats jumping every time, how grip tension is silently killing your racket head speed, and why hunting serve tips on YouTube is basically building a jalopy out of junkyard parts. Key Takeaways:Stability over jumping — You lose almost no power by keeping your feet on the ground. What you lose is control when you don't.Tension is the silent killer — The death grip doesn't just hurt your speed, it masks every other problem in your serve. Fix this first.The racket drop isn't a move — it's a byproduct — Stop trying to manufacture it. Relax, sequence correctly, and it happens on its own.The frying pan grip has a ceiling — If you're still serving Eastern forehand, John explains exactly why your serve will never get where you want it — and how to test whether your mobility even allows the transition.Quality over buckets — Shadow your serve before you touch a ball, and separate technical work from target practice. Hitting 250 balls with the wrong pattern just grooves the wrong pattern 250 times. Contact John Craig:https://performanceplustennis.com/john-craig-director/http://www.youtube.com/@PerformancePlusTennis #tennistips #tennistrategy #seniortennis #tennisserve #tennisover50 ⏱️ Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:17 What Actually Breaks Down as We Age03:14 Control Over Power: The Senior Serve Mindset05:49 Grip Tension: The Silent Serve Killer07:12 Trophy Position, Racket Drop & Toss Mechanics11:27 How to Practice Your Serve the Right Way13:14 The Frying Pan Grip: Can You Actually Make the Switch?17:20 Fitness, Patience & Stop Building a Jalopy19:13 What John Is Working On + How to Find Him21:21 Show Wrap up & Key Takeaways🤝 JOIN THE COMMUNITY — FREE Senior Tennis Unpacked on Skool is where serious 50+ players break down matches, swap strategies, and get better together. Post a match story. Ask a hard question.JOIN FREE 👉 https://www.skool.com/senior-tennis-unpacked-8081/about🎾 ABOUT SENIOR TENNIS UNPACKED The go-to resource for competitive tennis players over 50 who want to win smarter and compete longer.🌐 Explore everything: https://SeniorTennisUnpacked.com
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About Insider's Playbook: Smart Strategies for Competitive Senior Tennis Players Over 50
If you’re over 50 and still driven by competition, Insider’s Playbook is built for you. This podcast goes beyond generic tennis advice and into the strategic, physical, and mental edge senior players need to compete longer and win more matches.Hosted by senior tennis tournament competitor Mike Rogers, and founder os SeniorTennisUnpacked.com, each episode features elite coaches, national champions, and performance experts sharing real strategies to help you move smarter, train efficiently, stay injury-resistant, and out-think opponents who rely on youth alone.Subscribe now and step inside the playbook that top senior players use to keep raising their game.
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