Tennis players need both high levels of cardiovascular fitness and strength in order to compete and play an entire match without fatiguing or obtaining an injury. Tennis demands short, explosive spurts of energy repeated over and over again throughout a match or training, and exertion is only punctuated by short breaks. This, combined with the fact that tennis is one of the few sports that does not have a time limit (the game is finished when a certain number of sets are won), competitive players need a mixture of both strong anaerobic skills, such as speed, agility and power, plus high aerobic capabilities. Visit your local David Lloyd Club for both your tennis and fitness training.
Tennis players should train to develop the following:
SPEED & AGILITY
Tennis is entirely unpredictable: when waiting for a shot, you have no set idea as to what will be coming over the net in terms of velocity, spin, or court placement. This means that players need to have very fast reaction times and a strong ‘first step’, with high levels of acceleration in order to position themselves quickly.
STRENGTH
Tennis players need to develop strength in the muscles and joints to be able to hit the ball with power and speed. A strong body also reduces the risk of injuries, protecting the joints, ligaments and tendons.Tennis players should focus on strengthening their wrists, shoulders and lower body in particular as these areas take the most strain.
Wrists
To best execute a stroke and prevent the racket head from being pushed off course, players need a strong grip. This is possible only through building up a firm wrist.
Shoulders
The shoulders are absolutely key in every tennis stroke, so it goes without saying that they need to be strong. Good strength and a strong range of motion in the rotator cuff muscles are also necessary in preventing overuse injuries.
Lower body
While many players focus singularly on strengthening their upper bodies, the fact is that most tennis injuries occur in the lower body. Avoid neglecting this area of the body by trying out the following strengthening exercises:
FLEXIBILITY
Good flexibility is essential in preventing injuries in tennis players.
Back and Hamstrings
Lower back pain and injury are common among tennis players. This is usually due to poor lower back and hamstring range of motion caused by constantly being in the ‘ready position’ where the hamstring is in a shortened contracted position for long periods.
Shoulders
Due to the repetitive nature of the sport, tennis players tend to develop shoulder imbalance and increase their chances of muscle and joint damage.
Follow a training programme with all of these exercises, and you’ll be fit and ready for a competitive match of tennis in no time. If you need any help with your training, David Lloyd Clubs has brilliant tennis coaches, and Personal Trainers who can help you on your journey. Visit your local David Lloyd Club for both your tennis and fitness training.
Comments by Lauren