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Be Ready to Enjoy
Tennis With Friends
By Wayne L. Westcott |
 Quincy
- Because the varied movement patterns and swinging
actions involved in tennis play use all of the major muscle
groups, I recommend a total-body strength training program.
An age-appropriate program to enhance tennis performance
should include three groups of resistance exercises.
• The first group should address the large leg muscles
that generate power for all locomotor movements and swinging
actions (power-producing muscles).
• The second group should target the midsection (core)
muscles that transfer the power generated by the larger leg
muscles to the smaller muscles of the upper body and arms
(power-transferring muscles).
• The third group should work the upper body and arm muscles
that impart force to the tennis racquet for powerful serves
and ground strokes (powerdelivering muscles).
The following resistance machine exercises are highly
effective in strengthening the body’s power-producing,
power-transferring and power-delivering muscles.
Legs
The large muscles of the legs generate the force for
powerful forehand and backhand strokes, as well as quick
movements across the court. The leg press exercise works the
front thigh, rear thigh and hip muscles at the same time.
Equally important for shifting body weight and moving
laterally are the outer thigh and inner thigh muscles, which
are best addressed by the hip adduction and hip abduction
machines. Finally, strong calf muscles produce force for and
absorb shock from the repeated stop-and-go actions inherent
in tennis play. Full-range heel raises, performed from a
standing position, are effective for strengthening the calf
muscles.
Midsection
The power produced by the large leg muscles is transferred
to the upper body through the core muscles of the
midsection. These include the lower back, front
midsection and side midsection muscles. The low back machine
(trunk extension) targets the lower back muscles, while the
abdominal machine (trunk flexion) addresses the front
midsection muscles. The dual-action torso rotation machine
(trunk rotation) strengthens the side midsection muscles,
which are directly involved in racquet swinging movements.
Clockwise movements condition both the right side internal
and left side external muscles whereas counterclockwise
movements condition the left side internal and right side
external muscles.
Upper body
The major muscles used to produce striking movements,
whether for serving the ball or hitting ground strokes, are
the chest, upper back, shoulders, front arm and rear arm
muscles of the upper body. A basic combination of upper-body
pushing and pulling exercises can address these muscles.
For example:
1. Begin with machine chest presses (pushing
movement) for the chest and rear arm muscles.
2. Follow this exercise with machine seated rows
(pulling movement) for the upper back and front arm muscles.
3. Perform machine shoulder presses (pushing movement)
next for the shoulder and rear arm muscles.
4. Finish with machine pull downs for the upper back
and front arm muscles.
Although skill training is the most important factor for
improving tennis performance, appropriate strength training
can enhance tennis-playing efforts and outcomes in active
older adults. The cornerstone of physical conditioning is
muscular strength and a stronger tennis player should always
be a better tennis player.
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About The Author
Wayne L.
Westcott, Ph.D., is fitness research director at the South
Shore YMCA in Quincy, and author of the new book Strength
Training Past 50, 2nd Edition.
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