|
|
 |
|
|
 HOME | MEMBERS | JOIN US | ABOUT CINDY | EXERCISES | ARTICLES | MOVIES | Q&A | LINKS | CONTACT US | SHOPPING |
Tennis Tune-up | by Mindi Boysen
A sport for summer that is gaining popularity among recreational players 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 todays professional 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 (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 gets 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:
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; Diagonals (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
Last but not least, is the issue of flexibility. More injuries and unnecessary soreness occur in the absence of a simple stretching program before and after a match or lesson. The whole body should be stretched with a particular focus on the calves (from being on your toes so much), quadriceps, hip flexors and hamstrings (your source of power), trunk and pelvis (much twisting in low back area), shoulder girdle (impact from the ball, up your arm, to your shoulder), arm flexors and extensors (intense shock of grip).
Hey! Win or lose, tennis is just a game. But you can enjoy winning and improving your chances of emerging victorious rewards of health and fitness by realizing tangible results through preparation for the game.Contact a Tennis Pro in your area to fine tune your "on the court" skills and a knowledgeable sports conditioning trainer can help you prepare to perform better before your lesson. •
The author, Mindi Boysen is a certified Lifestyle/Weight Management Consultant and Personal Trainer endorsed by The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club in Fishers. She is on the faculty of the Physical Education Department at IUPUI. Her fitness background has recently gained her the sponsorship and an athlete of Power Bar Team Elite. She is available for Private or Group sports conditioning training as well as seminars and nutritional consultations. Contact her at (317)507-5400VM or her e-mail address is boysen@sprintmail.com
Join the FREE Fitness Club Now for Weight loss, Strength and Fat Burning Workouts!
BACK TO ARTICLES
A sport for summer that is gaining popularity among recreational players 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 todays professional 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 (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 gets 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:
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; Diagonals (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
Last but not least, is the issue of flexibility. More injuries and unnecessary soreness occur in the absence of a simple stretching program before and after a match or lesson. The whole body should be stretched with a particular focus on the calves (from being on your toes so much), quadriceps, hip flexors and hamstrings (your source of power), trunk and pelvis (much twisting in low back area), shoulder girdle (impact from the ball, up your arm, to your shoulder), arm flexors and extensors (intense shock of grip).
Hey! Win or lose, tennis is just a game. But you can enjoy winning and improving your chances of emerging victorious rewards of health and fitness by realizing tangible results through preparation for the game.Contact a Tennis Pro in your area to fine tune your "on the court" skills and a knowledgeable sports conditioning trainer can help you prepare to perform better before your lesson. •
The author, Mindi Boysen is a certified Lifestyle/Weight Management Consultant and Personal Trainer endorsed by The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club in Fishers. She is on the faculty of the Physical Education Department at IUPUI. Her fitness background has recently gained her the sponsorship and an athlete of Power Bar Team Elite. She is available for Private or Group sports conditioning training as well as seminars and nutritional consultations. Contact her at (317)507-5400VM or her e-mail address is boysen@sprintmail.com
Join the FREE Fitness Club Now for Weight loss, Strength and Fat Burning Workouts!
BACK TO ARTICLES