How to Get the Most Out of Your Tennis Conditioning
Proper tennis conditioning can mean the difference between a good player and a tennis powerhouse. Despite what some people think, there is a lot more to tennis conditioning and training than just running around a clay court and hitting balls back and forth. If you or someone you know is looking to improve their game or get into the physically demanding sport of tennis, read further for information regarding tennis conditioning and what you should look for in a program.
Facets to Incorporate
A good tennis conditioning program will increase your endurance, strength, agility, speed, and reduce your likelihood for injuries such as sprains and tennis elbow. Endurance is important because tennis matches can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several grueling hours with minimal breaks in between points.
Strength training is important because with the rate of speed tennis balls travel at you need to be able to counteract the ball’s inertia and return it several times without losing power. Strength can also help you reduce the risk of injuries to your wrist and elbow.
Agility is one of the most important aspects of a good tennis player. There is frequent side stepping in a match, and quick directional changes can send a player hurtling if their body is not agile enough to handle them. You need to be able to anticipate these changes and react accordingly when you see your opponent taking their swing.
Speed is another important training focus. Tennis balls travel at incredible rates of speed and you need to be able to get to various areas of the court in as little time as possible in order to return serves and volleys.
Athletes, no matter what sport they participate in, are always at higher risk for injuries, and tennis players are no exception to this rule. Hamstring pulls, tears to the quadriceps, strained rotator cuffs, and tennis elbow are all common injuries that delay or even put an end to a promising tennis career. Proper training and conditioning can decrease this risk by properly stretching the muscles and strengthening them as well.
Places to Train
Luckily, conditioning and training can for the most part be done right there on the court. Much of your training will involve agility and speed, easily accommodated on an empty court. Stretches can also be done here (and should before any exercise anyways) off to the side, as well as proper cool down exercises to help protect your muscles from overuse and strains.
A decent gym is also a good place to do some training, particularly strength training and resistance exercises. Gym membership prices have reduced lately, and you can usually find a special membership package that includes one or two sessions with a personal trainer. An added bonus to gyms is that they often host aerobic, yoga, and toning classes that can keep your body in overall good shape and help with keeping your training regimen interesting.
Motivation
Tennis is an individual sport, but people often train better with a partner than by themselves. If you are friendly with another tennis enthusiast, you can both benefit from this. A training partner can help motivate you to work at peak performance for the simple fact that many people want to outperform the other person. Company also helps keep things interesting and you will be less likely to skip a scheduled workout if you are accountable to another person.
Music is another great source of motivation for tennis conditioning. Running and sidestepping can prove to be very monotonous at times. Consider investing in a person music player and be sure to load it up with adrenaline pumping songs as well as relaxing instrumentals for cool down stretches.