Thiem performance diagnostician Dr. Michael Reinprecht - "An important piece of the mosaic for Dominic's success"
Dr. Michael Reinprecht has been accompanying Dominic Thiem on the ATP tour for a few years. In an interview with tennisnet, the Styrian explains what is important in the training work.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Sep 26, 2020, 08:52 pm
tennisnet : Dr. Speak in. How did your contact with Dominic Thiem look like after his victory at the US Open?
Dr. Michael Reinprecht : I only had a casual conversation with Dominic after the US Open, the focus was on regeneration. As a rule, one always only thinks in terms of the body category. But the critical point is much deeper. You have to imagine what a two-week competition will do to you. Then you want to have peace and quiet, you have to regain joy. I hope the time has been long enough for Dominic to be ready for the French Open on all levels.
tennisnet : Dominic had to do a lot of appointments. What would the days after the victory in New York have looked like ideally?
Dr. Reinprecht : As a trainer, you naturally want as few appointments as possible, ideally no appointments at all. But one point is crucial: There are appointments that are positive, they inspire you. And there are tedious appointments. This story is also a matter of the head and depends to a large extent on your own attitude. It is always a challenge to deal with these things in a helpful manner.
tennisnet : Is there a difference whether I prepare for New York with over 30 degrees or Paris with just over ten degrees?
Dr. Reinprecht : In preparation, there are rather small things that you have to take into account. At the US Open you could see: the athletes sweated a lot, so you have to be very careful that the electrolyte supply is good. Alex Stober did a very good job there. At lower temperatures you have to warm up a little longer. But for Dominic it's not that much of a challenge to deal with it now. It is important that the athlete is in top shape.
# IMG2 #
tennisnet : What is the collaboration with Alex Stober, Dominic Thiem's physiotherapist, like?
Dr. Reinprecht : We have a great basis for cooperation. We get on very, very well. The main thing is that Alex takes care of the physiotherapy and regenerative areas. He's doing a world class job there. My job is athletics, physical fitness, performance diagnostics. Because I'm more at home during tournaments. Our activities complement each other perfectly.
tennisnet : You recently brought Dominic to training in Styria. Why?
Dr. Reinprecht : Fitness training should generally be exciting and varied. It should be fun. Changing locations is one of the possibilities. I live in these vineyards. We came to St. Nikolai in my homeland, there I know everyone, there I have perfect support from the community. We trained really well. And that was another, very important piece of the mosaic for Dominic's performance in New York.
"Dominic feels good on the tartan track"
tennisnet : What are the logistical prerequisites for successful fitness training? You prepared yourself with Dominic in the USA.
Dr. Reinprecht : Athletic training in tennis has changed massively over the last few decades. The training is very complex. You always have various instruments with you, such as a speed ladder. Of course, you also need gyms for muscular development in between. In Miami we found everything on a super level and also in Los Angeles. Everything was there - right down to the ambience. A tartan track is also very important. Dominic usually feels comfortable there too.
tennisnet : Keywords variety, changing training partners : who does Dominic train his fitness with?
Dr. Reinprecht : Different. Mostly his brother Moritz has been there recently, also in southern Styria. In Tenerife, on the other hand, there were five to ten colleagues. this usually has a very positive effect. It's not just about the training alone, but also about the guys having a good humiliation among each other. And it makes a huge difference whether an athlete enjoys training. Or whether he just unwinds it. Or, in the worst case, reluctantly. One does not want to believe the increase is possible if the athlete loves training.
tennisnet : Dominic gained a lot of muscle mass in the summer. Why?
Dr. Reinprecht: The basic idea is that I become more explosive and faster with increased muscle mass. But I can overdo it if I build up too much mass. I think we've found a very good balance here. In between we checked how the sprint speed developed, like the jumping power. But we also did maximum strength or endurance training. There is a lot of experience and know-how in our training.
# IMG3 #