Benedikt Dorsch, a 27-year-old German native who won the tennis 2005 NCAA Singles Championship for Baylor University in 2005, says he learned to travel healthfully when he was an undergraduate at Baylor from 2002 to 2005. At Baylor, a trainer taught him what to do, and a teammate once showed him what not to do by eating a sandwich with mayonnaise that was left for hours in a hot bus. The teammate missed an important match.
Those lessons have helped Mr. Dorsch stay healthy. The professional tennis player traveled about 320 days last year. We caught up with him in February at the AT&T Challenger of Dallas tournament at T Bar M Racquet Club, where he and his partner, Bjorn Phau, won the doubles prize.
"The most demanding, energy-draining thing for an athlete is traveling," he says, describing a schedule that takes him around the world.
MR. DORSCH'S TOP TIPS:
Allow time: Plan to arrive a day or two before activities begin.
Exercise: On arrival, do light stretches, take a sauna, go outside and walk or run.
Adjust your clock: If you will experience a time zone change, gradually adjust your eating and sleeping times days before you leave.
Get comfortable: Request a pass to an airline lounge.
Drink: Flying dehydrates you. Drink plenty of water.
Bring your own food: Pack an orange or an apple. Avoid greasy food in favor of a low-fat sandwich.
Keep clean: Wash your hands.
Be prepared: Pack supplies you may need for changes in humidity and temperature.
Rest: Napping reduces stress and helps you feel better mentally and physically.
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