Strengthening Exercises for Tennis Players

Introduction:

Physical fitness comprises health and skill-related components that correlate with the competitive ability among athletes. Competitive ability is strongly related to the positive or negative characteristics obtained through physical activity. Physical training for young athletes requires more attention as the adolescent stage is difficult for the development of physical fitness.

Tennis is the second largest sport played in one hundred and ninety-five countries worldwide. It evolved from a technical sport that requires sport-specific technical skills-serves and stroke skills. Physical fitness levels among tennis players are difficult to identify, especially among athletes with more competitive skills. The International Tennis Federation recommends that tennis players should undergo physical fitness training.

What Is Meant by Core Conditioning?

• Core stabilization exercises are the first and most important aspect of a conditioning program.

• The core is the body's foundation.

• The poorly conditioned core causes other parts of the body to do forces and movements that result in injuries.

• The key property of performing joints is stability.

• The core gives proximal stability to the body that provides stable anchors.

• For example, the power to serve the tennis ball starts with the leg and is transferred to the shoulder with the help of core muscles.

• In the case of poorly conditioned core muscles, the force from the legs cannot be transferred to the shoulders resulting in injuries.

What Are the Core Stabilization Exercises?

Superman:

• Should lie on the stomach with the arms outstretched overhead or kneel with hands and knees on the ground.

• Then should slowly raise one arm and the opposite leg.

• Relax and then bring back to normal position.

Plank:

• Should lie on one’s stomach and push the body off the floor.

• The body weight should be supported on the forearms, elbows, and toes.

• No other body parts should be in contact with the floor during the exercise.

• If one feels hard, then one can allow knees to touch the floor.

Side Plank:

• One should lie on one’s side.

• One should push the body weight off the floor with the help of the forearm and elbow on the side while lying.

• The side of the foot should rest on the floor while doing exercise.

• If this position is difficult, the person can keep the entire leg below the knee on the floor during the exercise.

What Is Meant by Shoulder Conditioning?

• The shoulder joints are more prone to injury among tennis players.

• It is because the shoulder does not handle overhead motions very well.

• At almost two feet, when the overhead motion combined with racquet holding extends the arm, it leads to injuries due to the torque and force that occurs during the swing and serve.

• In the case of strong and stable shoulders, there is less chance of injury occurrence.

• The shoulder scapula must be stable enough to provide support for the shoulder muscles.

• Lack of support from the scapula results in injury to the shoulder muscles.

What Are Shoulder Conditioning Exercises?

Pull Apart:

• Should stand and hold a piece of rubber tubing with appropriate tensile strength.

• The arms should be at shoulder level, and the elbows should be straight.

• The palms should be facing each other so that the thumb finger is pointed toward the ceiling.

• Then slowly pull the arms apart and stretch.

Y's:

• Should lie with the arms in front with the elbows straight.

• The arms should be close to the ears.

• Then slowly raise the arms to a maximum limit, and the palms should face the floor at all times.

• Relax and then bring it back to the original position.

T's:

• Should lie on the floor with the arms directed outwards at shoulder level.

• Then slowly raise the arms with the act of squeezing the shoulder muscles.

• The palm should always be facing the floor.

• Relax and then bring it back to the original position.

I's:

• Should lie on the floor, and the arms should be at the sides.

• The palm should face the ceiling.

• Then slowly retract the shoulders and raise the arms as high as possible.

• Relax and then slowly bring it back to its original position.

What Are the Elbow Conditioning Exercises?

Wrist Extension Stretch:

• Straighten the arm and bend the wrist as if signaling to someone.

• Use the opposite hand to apply gentle pressure across the palm and pull it towards it until a stretch is felt inside the forearm.

• Hold it for fifteen seconds and repeat it five times.

• Then perform with another arm.

Wrist Flexion Stretch:

• Straighten the arm with the palm facing downward and bend the wrist so the fingers face downward.

• With the opposite hand, gently pull the palm towards the body until a stretch is felt outside the forearm.

• Hold for fifteen seconds and repeat it five times.

• Then perform with another arm.

What Are the Lower Extremity Conditioning Exercises?

Squats:

• Should stand in front of the chair in a sitting position.

• The feet should be shoulder-width apart.

• Then slowly begin to sit such that the buttocks should not touch the chair.

• The head and chest should be held upward, and the kneecaps should not move forward or backward during the exercise.

• Then slowly return to the original position.

Lunges:

• Should stand with the feet shoulder-width apart.

• Should begin the exercise by striding one leg forward.

• Then slowly, one should go downward by bending the knees.

• The front knee should be bent at ninety degrees such that the body weight should be loaded on the front leg.

• Once the maximum limit is reached, then slowly come back to the original position.

• The back leg helps in stabilization.

Carioca Run:

• One should run sideways, cross legs, and twist from hips as legs cross.

• The arms should be straight while performing the above.

Defensive Slides:

• Should assume an athletic stance and move sideways.

• The lead foot is moved, and the following foot is moved to reach the lead foot.

Conclusion:

Top performance in tennis requires speed, strength, endurance, and agility. Effective tennis strength conditioning exercises help athletes to perform at the top of their game. From the review, it is established that exercise training among young athletes is beneficial.