Training block

28 July, 2009 | 21:07

Thanks to the Miami weather ( T storms today), we're sticking two days together here. At the time of writing, the team are having an afternoon nap as storms move through the Miami area.

Heavy rain aside, there's been plenty going on. Nico Lapentti is in town with his team, and a few calls later, they were out at UM too...

Tuesday morning was a tough session in the 33 degree heat and 80 per cent humidity.

In those conditions the players have to take regular water breaks. A bag of ice on the neck helps too...

Alex Corretja picked a bad day to wear a heat absorbing blue t-shirt.

They hit the track later in the afternoon: Andy doing 10 x 400m under 78 seconds, and with 78m seconds rest between. Tough session, especially when you're having to run through and around a load of Miami locals.

Onto Wednesday, and the morning involved more drills with Nico Lapentti at UM. Until the weather turned nasty...

Thunder storms are so common here that the University has a well recognised system to warm people of danger. If there's one within three miles, a klaxon sounds in three short bursts, and everyone gets off court. Fast.

No chance of any tennis for a few hours, so they headed to the UM gym, which remains open despite none of the students being here...

And before you lift, it pays to get come chalk on your hands...

Andy did some pretty big squatting today, watched - as ever - by strength and conditioning coach, Jez green.

It's not all hard work: Andy thought the little weights Alex Corretja was using were pretty funny.

And 'the worm' remains a team favourite. What started as a forfeit has turned into something they're all trying to nail.

More tomorrow....