Published on July 18, 2012
Sports writers across the globe state that tennis is in its “Golden Era” with the likes of Federer, The Williams Sisters, Nadal, Sharpova, Djokovic, and Roddick all dominating the sport with their athleticism and strong personalities. There has been an increase in the popularity of tennis. The sport is easily accessible. You only need a racquet and a few tennis balls. Every city has public courts available where kids, teenagers, and adults can play for free. Tennis is also a very social sport like golf which furthers its popularity. It has similar features to golf due to the fact that it is a rotational sport. Tennis is also extremely repetitive in nature and consists of a lot of lateral movement that our bodies were not meant to be faced with. For these reasons, tennis back injuries are fairly common. Therefore, it is essential to do some tennis exercises in order to prevent injury when playing the game.
Exercises Such as Leg Squats Can Help Prevent Tennis Injuries
Repetitively swinging a tennis racket can create muscle imbalances from rotations towards our dominant sides when swinging and returning the ball. It is very important to assess participants for muscle imbalances from left to right, from the back down to the hips and legs. The lower body provides the power for the tennis swing and if there is a muscle imbalance between the two sides then pain and dysfunction can be the result. A simple exercise you can do at home is called single leg squats where you can step up onto a stair and slower lower yourself not allowing your leg to touch the floor. Do as many repetitions as possible and then switch legs. You should be able to do the same number of repetitions per leg maintaining balance throughout. Single leg step ups with dumbbells is a great way to rectify any imbalance that may be present. Single leg and single arm training is imperative when training to improve tennis performance as not only do the exercises strengthen the global muscles but target the stabilizing muscles that support our spines.
Tennis is also a sport that requires multi-directional core power, stability and endurance. It is imperative to train the body to react to complex movements. This will teach the body to transition power from the legs and hips to the arms while stabilizing the core to prevent loss of power as it transferred from the ground up. Tennis exercises such as a lunges to a press with dumbbells in many different planes (reverse, laterally, forward and diagonally), wood chops from high to low and low to high, and lunges with single arm pulls and rotations will help to develop stronger legs and core strength.
Cardio Exercises are a Vital Part of Tennis Fitness
Cardiovascular conditioning is also an important component to prevent fatigue from a tennis match. Interval training is a great cardiovascular technique that has been proven to increase one’s oxygen capacity. Try something different to work on your cardio! Pretend you are back in grade school and do some shuttle runs the length of the tennis court for approximately 10 to 20 minutes after warming up for 5 to 10 minutes. Then your body will be activated and ready to play.
As you can see, tennis is a game that requires a multitude of athletic strengths that is why it is phenomenal to watch the stars play as they excel in all facets of the game. Make some time for some tennis exercises and you too will notice your athleticism and tennis game improve while staying injury free!