TENNIS

In the last issue of UltraFitt, I wrote about how strength training and conditioning can greatly benefit anyone’s golf game. Another sport for summer that is gaining popularity among recreational players and, who we as trainers call "weekend warriors" is tennis.

According to Randy Gibson, a sports conditioning trainer at Rolling Hills Club in California, there are several reasons why thorough physical training can enhance your performance on the court:

1) Physical training increases confidence...being prepared physically for a match helps you become prepared mentally

2) A consistent training program improves technique and power...strength and finesse are extremely important in tennis. This is evident when you compare the musculature and agility of today’s proffessional tennis players with the pros of eight to ten years ago.

3) Comprehensive training reduces the number and severity of injuries by supplying a solid base and strength and flexibility foundation

4) Strength and aerobic conditioning delay fatigue by being able to participate longer and at higher levels of intensities.

5) Increased fitness promotes fast recovery with improved muscular endurance and less impact and exertion on the body

6) Physical training reduces the number of "tired hours" after training without feeling "wiped out"

7) Comprehensive training helps one to become a much better athlete in all areas.

Obviously a training program for tennis will be quite different than that of golf. Two demanding components of tennis are a) to be able to reach the four corners of the court by covering a lot of that ground in just a few steps and b) to demonstrate great velocity when serving to or returning shots from your opponent.

For the endurance and stamina to last throughout a match, aerobic exercise should be performed consistently 3 to 5 times a week. Cross training on different machines inside (treadmill—bicycle—stairmaster) or terraines outside for 30 minutes each segment would be very beneficial.

Anaerobic exercises and drills at high intensity for no more than one minute intervals will help you make those fast dashes laterally and diagonally across the court In other words, anaerobic conditioning improves your quickness which converts to that on-the-court responsiveness that get you to the ball faster.

Examples of exercises for lower body, faster power, and quickness:

10 single leg hops on and off a bench or step side to side

10 double leg hops over the bench and dash right and left

10 jump and lunges in place switching feet

Lateral Cariocca (extended grapevines)

Sideways shuffles

Plyometric leaps and skips

Suicide Drills (sprinting)

If you have access to a slide , put your booties on and slide to enhance your lateral agility

Strength training is a must! When training my clients, I separate programs into two phases of which to focus on:

PHASE I: Base strength...Selectorized machines are great for general strength, but free weights such as dumbbells, elastic tubing, medicine ball, and body weighted exercises aid in the functional strength in your stabilizer muscles which are essential for sports! Your best bet is to load an action involved in the actual game when training. Muscle groups that need that extra special attention and are prone to injuries and soreness are the rotator cuffs at the shoulder joint, low back and obliques, and leg muscles around the knee.

Exercises:

Squats Diagnonal (wide) lunges

Dead lifts

Bench press

Lat pull down

Dumbbell Pullovers

Seated/Bent Row Overhead press

PHASE II: Goal is to add powerful movements to all actions by incorporating the stabilizing stronger muscles in the actual tennis stroke. Power equals force times velocity. So, power determines how rapidly an athlete can contract specific muscles to effect movements. Muscle groups and exercises include: Internal/External Rotation Wrist flexors & extensors

Superman/low back Oblique twists