Practical On Court Applications For Sports Science by PTR

Practical On Court Applications for
SPORT SCIENCE
a PTR Publication
2012 Professional Tennis Registry All rights reserved Reproduction of any portion of Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science is not permitted without written consent of PTR. PTRlogo is protected through trademark registration in the United States Office of Patents and Trademarks
Contents
About this Publication & Acknowledgements 3
Part I
What is Sport Science? Principles of Training Tennis Players The Physical Demands of Tennis Assessing Players Measuring Athleticism in Tennis Players Areas of Athleticism That Can Be Improved The Difference Between Strength and Power How the Kinetic Chain Works How Difficult or Easy Should Training Sessions Be? Planning Training and Playing Schedules - Periodization Heat Related Illnesses Hydration During Training and Matches Energy Systems The Most Common Tennis Injuries and Prevention Best Practices for the Warm Up Best Practices for the Cool Down Recovery Tips Strength Training Plyometrics Deliberate Practice Additional Literature and Resources 4 4 7 7 8 11 11 12 13 14 17 17 19 25 30 31 31 34 35 36 37
PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science 1
Part II
Dynamic Warm Up Exercises
Rotational Walking Lunges Hamstring Walk - Inchworm; Spiderman Crawl Froggers; Scorpion Stretch Trunk Twists with Rotational Lunge - Helicopters; Rapid Response Base Rotations Arm Hugs; Wipers Cheerleaders
38
38 39 40 41 42 43
Essential Cool Down Stretches

Calf Stretch; Lying Hamstring Stretch Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch; Piriformis Stretch; Knee to Chest Stretch Crossed Arm Stretch; Sleeper Stretch; Wrist Flexor Stretch
44
44 45 46
Shoulder and Upper Arm Exercises

External Shoulder Rotation 90/90 External Shoulder Rotation; Lateral Shoulder Raise
47
47 48
Upper Body Exercises

Rotational Pull - Lawnmower Single Arm/Single Leg Row; Push Ups (Tricep Push Ups) Suspension Chest Press
49
49 50 51
Exercises to Strengthen/Stabilize Core and Hips/Glutes

Side Plank with Hip Abduction Side Plank Rotation; Russian Twist Kneeling Superdog (Bird Dog); Glute/Hip Bridge Quadruped Hip Extension; Dumbbell Squat
52
52 53 54 55
Power Exercises with a Medicine Ball

Medicine Ball XDrill Medicine Ball Mini-Tennis; Forehand andBackhand Tosses Using . . . Stances Medicine Ball Granny Toss; Medicine Ball Overhead Toss Medicine Ball Chest Pass; Medicine Ball Rotational Lunge
56
56 57 58 59
Lower Body Exercises

Monster Walk; Alley Hops Box Jump
60
60 61
Exercises to Strengthen the Serve

Single Arm Rotational Pull; Overhead Triceps Extension Shotput Serve; 90/90 Catch and Throw Single Leg Jump to Romanian Deadlift
62
62 63 64
Drills for Speed, Agility and Footwork

Figure 8 Drill - Lateral and Linear V-Volley Drill; Spider Drill Lateral Crossover Drill; Lateral Shuffle Drill with Crossover Recovery
65
65 66 67
Additional Resources Online Resources References
68 69 70
PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science
About this Publication

Sport science is an integral part of performance enhancement in tennis. Coaches and tennis professionals are always seeking ways to help players improve. For that reason, there is an abundance of research and many textbooks on sport and exercise science applicable to tennis. The intent of this publication is to provide a compilation of some basic sport science information relevant to tennis coaches. It is directed to the many coaches working with competitive players, even 10 to 12 year olds who are starting to compete, to senior league players. It is meant as a practical resource for on court training. Therefore, some subjects, such as lifting free weights during the off season, are not specifically addressed in detail, since tennis coaches typically do not supervise strength and conditioning. At many schools and major academies, a strength and conditioning specialist with certification from NSCA or iTPA can implement those modalities of training. At clubs, personal trainers can often supplement on court training. This PTR publication is divided into two sections. Part I addresses topics that will interest tennis coaches. Part II includes some of the best training exercises. Although this resource cannot cover all of the exercises available in more comprehensive books and videos, it is hoped that providing some of the more interesting exercises can improve performance of players, while keeping training stimulating. It is important for tennis coaches to stay within their own scope of practice, and to understand when to seek the services of a professional in the field of sport science (sport physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, sport psychology, strength and conditioning) to appropriately train tennis players.
Acknowledgements
PTR would like to express our sincere appreciation to Dr. Doug Eng and Dr. Mark Kovacs for their knowledge and expertise in the compilation of this publication. Doug and Mark saw a need to provide tennis teachers and coaches with the useful tools necessary on the court to enhance their players performance. They spent countless hours assembling the information, exercises, tips and drills as a practical resource for PTR professionals. We also thank iTPA for providing excellent photos and Pat Etcheberry for some of the fitness testing and drills.
PARTI
What is Sport Science?
Sport science involves the practical application of sciences toward human physical activity, namely competitive sports and exercise. These sciences include exercise physiology, sports medicine, biomechanics, sport psychology, sports nutrition, kinesiology, motor learning and other fields. Additional sport sciences include recent technological advances in materials (e.g., clothing that is advantageous for athletes) and the application of physics and mathematics. This PTR publication will focus on biologically based sport science involving human performance enhancement and training athletes. Applied biological sport sciences include sports medicine and injury prevention, exercise physiology, and competitive performance enhancement, which is this publications main focus. With the game of tennis evolving, it is important to include the latest information that can help coaches better train athletes of all skill levels.
Principles of Training Tennis Players

Practical uses of tennis specific sciences may help an athlete improve endurance, movement or power. Tennis specific applications include those improving movement, racquet skills, recovery, energy systems, injury prevention and general training. In training, there are several basic exercise physiological principles: Specificity Adaptation Loading Recovery and Reversibility Individuality Variety
Specificity Specificity means employing training methods that are mechanically and metabolically similar to those used in a particular sport. Some training methods may be useful for many sports and may not resemble skills specific to tennis. Mechanically specific training includes engaging muscles in activities that mimic tennis strokes or movement. These training methods that resemble tennis movement or skills are called tennis specific. Metabolically tennis specific training includes utilizing energy systems employed in a tennis match and using similar work/rest intervals. More general or nonspecific exercises provide a good foundation for athletic skills. Adaptation Adaptation refers to how the body changes in response to the demands placed on it. The body adapts to appropriate stress or load. Adaptations occur to improve body function during stress or load. For example, running will make the body adapt to better utilize oxygen at the cellular level. Lifting heavy weights will increase strength and muscle size (i.e., hypertrophy) over time. Loading Progressive loading refers to applying a greater than usual load of stress on the body that enhances performance without risking injury by overtraining or overuse. Applying greater than usual stress is known as overloading. In addition, as the athlete improves and adaptations occur, the amount of load or stress can increase. Therefore, a highly trained athlete can work at higher loads due to physiological adaptations. Poorly trained athletes must start with lesser loads, since their bodies have not yet made adaptations and injuries may be more likely. Loading involves challenging the athlete, but not to the point of overtraining or injury. An important related concept is perceived exertion, the effort the athlete feels was made. For example, after a tough session, an athlete might feel s/he gave an effort of 9 out of a maximum of 10. Athletes should be taught to gauge perceived exertion to increase body awareness and recovery using a scale of 1 to 10. 1 represents sitting and relaxing, and 10 represents that hardest possible workout the athlete has ever undertaken and cannot continue.
Recovery and Reversibility Recovery and Reversibility are related principles in training. Both refer to time spent between training sessions. Recovery refers to proper pacing and time spent on rest between sessions, or between exercises during a session, to allow the athlete to train and improve. If insufficient time is given for recovery, an athlete will not be able to improve performance in training or actual match play. Instead, insufficient time can fatigue the body and increase risk of overuse injuries or overtraining. In addition, too long of a recovery may not challenge the athlete sufficiently, and even allows detraining or reversibility. Likewise, if an athlete is injured, often a long inactive period of rest follows. During this time period, the athlete can experience a decline in physiological adaptations (e.g., the muscles get weaker). That decline is referred to as reversibility. In short, if an athlete does not train regularly, the gain in performance may be lost. Typically over a period of time greater than two weeks, muscular endurance is lost more easily than muscular strength. There is a minimal amount of training for a well conditioned athlete to avoid detraining effects. For example, running twice per week at near maximal effect may ward off aerobic detraining. Often athletes in the off season still remain physically active. That activity is known as active rest. Individuality Individuality refers to the differences between individual tennis players. Some may need additional leg strengthening, while others may need greater flexibility, and still others might need higher muscular endurance. In addition, surfaces, gender, age, skill level and individual styles should be addressed in training. Variety Variety means the use of different exercises for the same purpose. An athlete can get bored or stale by doing the same routines. Changing the pace helps keep the player fresh and motivated. Slightly changing exercises also helps the athlete use muscles in different ways that facilitates general athleticism and coordination of the tennis player. Using a variety of exercises also helps recovery from difficult days.
The Physical Demands of Tennis

There are numerous studies examining the physical demands and characteristics of tennis.1-6 According to these studies, tennis points generally last 4 to 10 seconds, with 20 seconds rest and 90 seconds between changeovers. A typical clay court rally lasts 6 to 8 seconds and a hard court rally lasts 4 to 6 seconds. Therefore, the work:rest ratio in tennis ranges typically from 1:2 to 1:5. A player might change directions 3 to 6 times during a typical rally. Movement is usually lateral along the baseline, and 80% of movement between strokes is 8 feet or less.6 Because of the stop and go nature of tennis, the sport is mostly anaerobic, but requires good aerobic capabilities to help during recovery between points. During a typical singles match, the heart rate can reach 190 beats per minute and drop to 110 during changeovers.5-8 A typical player might burn 300 to 2,000 calories in a singles match, which could last anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the quality of rallies, skill level, age, gender and body weight.
Assessing Players
There are three general ways to measure an athletes training or performance. First, a coach can work with an athletic trainer, physical therapist and/or certified tennis performance specialist, to screen physical weaknesses and strengths of individual athletes. That information is highly useful in determining how an athlete should train to help avoid injuries and optimize performance. That same information may also help determine what loads and intensities the athlete can undertake. For example, a tennis player might have poor shoulder stability and therefore needs strengthening before attempting to develop a powerful serve. Second, a coach might also initially test tennis players for athleticism. For example, a coach might have a leg strength test, a sprint test and an agility test. There are some well known tests, including the Spider Drill (see Page 66). The results can help a coach determine how practices might incorporate more movement drills. Testing might also help motivate a team to train harder. A coach can announce a fitness testing day in which players can endeavor to excel. Third, a coach might track progress of players and periodically test athletes during the season or from year to year. Young athletes, who are growing fast, might find such tests fun and motivating. A director of junior tennis may find tracking highly motivational and useful in developing an overall junior program. There are many tests that give typical scores for different ages.
Screening for physical deficiencies should be performed by a knowledgeable athletic trainer, physical therapist and/or certified tennis performance specialist. Assessment and testing can track an athletes weaknesses and progress. The USTA has a High Performance Profile that includes a battery of tests that assess stability, flexibility and strength. It is advisable to work with an appropriate healthcare provider who can implement these assessments and provide appropriate feedback. Assessments can be made with many different tests, as long as they are specific to tennis or injury prevention. Traditional tests include BMI (body mass index), 20 Meter Shuttle Test (aka Bleep Test), Spider Drill Test for agility, Hexagon Test, and the Sit and Reach Test for flexibility. It should be noted that an athlete may be flexible in some areas but not in others, so coaches should assess the legs, hips and shoulders separately. The ITF website has a battery of tests that are useful for coaches: http://www.itftennis.com/scienceandmedicine/conditioning/ 20 Meter Shuttle - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3184250 Hexagon Test - http://www.itftennis.com/scienceandmedicine/conditioning/testing/agility.asp Sit and Reach Test - http://www.itftennis.com/scienceandmedicine/conditioning/testing/ Spider Drill - see Page 66
Measuring Athleticism in Tennis Players

PTR has a partnership with Pat Etcheberry, the renowned strength and conditioning coach, who has a series of tennis specific tests. The Etcheberry Experience course has an abundance of exercises that prepares and improves the performance of tennis players. Youll find very simple tests on the next two pages. http://www.etcheberryexperience.com
First Step (Service Line Repeaters) Test With a racquet, players start halfway between the center line and a singles sideline. Players run laterally (may use side steps or crossover steps) from center to sideline and touch the lines with the racquet. Do this for 30 seconds, counting how many lines players can touch. Rest 30 seconds and then repeat. Rest again and repeat a third time. This drill measures tennis fitness and lateral agility (first step and change of direction). Compare with good scores for different age groups.
Band Jump Test Two people hold a short (4 to 5 feet) rope or exercise tubing at either end 18 inches above the ground. You may also tie the tubing to chairs or other objects, but the height must be 18 inches above and parallel to the ground. The athlete jumps laterally side to side over the rope for 30 seconds. Rest 2 minutes and repeat. Use the best score and compare scores. With smaller players, or inexperienced 12 and under juniors, it may be wise to use 12 or 15 inches as height for the rope. Etcheberry Tennis Specific Fitness Tests8
30 Second First Step
Age Male Female
Band Jump
Male Female
10 12 14 16 18 21 Pro 40 50 60
29 31 33 34 35 36 38 34 29 26
25 27 29 30 31 32 33 28 25 22
37 40 42 44 45 46 48 42 N/A N/A
32 35 37 39 40 41 43 37 N/A N/A
Dot Drill Use a Dot Drill Mat or arrange 4 poly spots on a 2 x 3 foot pattern around a dot in the center. Player hops and touches all dots up and back. Sequence 1 - start with feet apart, hop with feet together, then apart Sequence 2 - hop with both feet together Sequence 3 - hop on left foot only Sequence 4 - hop on right foot only Sequence 5 - start with feet apart, hop with feet together, hop with feet apart and turn around Repeat each sequence up and back 6 times. Time and compare complete series of 5 sequences. Medicine Ball Toss Tests This test can be done for either the forehand or backhand, and measures tennis specific power. You need a tape measure and a 6 pound medicine ball. Player stands behind the doubles alley, facing forward, and holding the medicine ball out in front of the body with hands extended. Using a forehand stroke motion, player tosses the ball as far as possible into the doubles alley. One step is allowed, and the motion should resemble a forehand stroke with the arms, hips and shoulder turn, and loading on the lower body. If the ball lands outside the alley, the attempt does not count. Measure the distance. The player is allowed two tries where the best counts for scoring. The backhand medicine ball toss is done the same way, except the tossing motion resembles the backhand stroke.
Medicine Ball Alley Toss9
Forehand Toss (in feet) Age Girls 14 & under 18 & under Boys 14 & under 18 & under Age Girls 14 & under 18 & under Boys 14 & under 18 & under Excellent Good >29 >32 >36 >42 24-29 26-32 24-36 35-42 Average Needs Improvement 19-24 20-26 22-29 28-35 >19 >20 >22 >28
Backhand Toss (in feet) Excellent Good >29 >31 >33 >42 23-29 25-31 27-33 34-42 Average Needs Improvement 17-23 18-25 21-27 26-34 >17 >18 >21 >26
10
Areas of Athleticism That Can Be Improved

Like all sports, tennis requires athleticism. Although some individuals are natural athletes, many people can be trained systematically to improve their athleticism. Often playing different sports develops skills that may be useful for tennis. For example, playing soccer (international football) is excellent for improving footwork in tennis. Participating in different physical activities is known as cross training. Basic components of athleticism that should be trained include: Balance Flexibility Agility Muscular Endurance Cardiovascular Endurance Speed Muscular Strength Power
A tennis player may be strong in some areas, but need improvement in others. Children require development in all areas, but usually their load is far less than older individuals. Many areas can be started early when training children, but it must be understood that some areas will have limited improvement due to limitations in hormone production and other factors.
The Difference Between Strength and Power

Many people confuse the last two components of athleticism - strength and power. Strength is the ability to exert maximal force. For example, lifting a very heavy object requires strength (regardless of the time it takes to the lift the object). Power is the combination of strength and time over which the force is produced. Lifting a very heavy object quickly requires more power than lifting it slowly. Applied to tennis, loading the legs and driving a big forehand requires more power than hitting a drop shot. In addition, a serve traveling 125 mph requires powerful use of the body. Speed isnt power, since it doesnt discriminate between loads or stress. Rather, power is related to (strength) x (speed).
11
How the Kinetic Chain Works

Most coaches and teaching pros have heard of the kinetic chain. It is described as using parts of the body, normally starting from the ground up, to transfer energy successively from body part to body part. Typically, legs act on the ground, transferring energy to the hips, core, shoulders, upper arm, forearm, and finally the hand, in that order. One might commonly see a stroke with mostly arm motion, and understand that the legs were not applying force. Normally, such a stroke would generate less power. The well known teaching term loading refers to an initial downward, eccentric muscle contraction, also known as a countermove. That downward movement allows the body to add and store energy that can be released later in the stroke. For example, if a tennis player had to jump vertically, s/he would first bend the knees, get low and store energy before exploding up and jumping into the air. The kinetic chain results in a summation of forces or impetus resulting in hitting the ball.
Toni Lanzo
Sequence of the kinetic chain is critical. If, on the forehand, the arm moves before the legs load, then the legs dont contribute to generating power. The term timing also refers to the kinetic chain. Timing of the links is important. For example, a hitch in the serve can reduce the power generated from the rest of the service motion. A hitch loses the momentum of the racquet swing. Finally, it is important to note that kinetic chain results in optimal use of the body. It isnt a guarantee of maximal acceleration or optimal hitting. For example, a proper kinetic chain might occur on the serve, but the racquet face doesnt make accurate contact, resulting in a mishit. In addition, if the racquet face moves due to an improper grip, loss of power could result.
12
How Difficult or Easy Should Training Sessions Be?

Training should always be designed around a competitive or playing schedule. Not only are appropriate exercises selected and varied to maximize a tennis players preparation, but also exertion in training depends on the competitive or developmental schedule. For example, training before and after a major competition should be light. If an athlete wont be on court during a month, then the training regimen could be more challenging. In other words, training should be planned. In addition, take into account other factors, such as chronological age, training age, tennis age, injury and general condition of the athlete. A 60 year old will train differently from a 21 year old college athlete, who also trains differently from a 12 year old. A 21 year old college player will train differently from his 21 year old roommate who plays tennis a few times a year. Not only is the college player more fit, s/he has greater coordination and experience in undertaking different exercises. A college player coming back from a minor injury might not have trained in the past three weeks and lost some conditioning, resulting in training that may be lighter, even though the player has the same training age and experience as her teammates. There are principles that govern how training sessions are conducted. Intensity refers to the rate of work done, which is relative in terms of the athlete or absolute in terms of actual work done. Different ways of measuring intensity include rating of perceived exertion, percentage of maximal heart rate, percentage of maximum weight lifted (i.e., % of one repetition maximum), etc. Volume is the total training load as a function of (intensity) x (duration). For example, lifting heavy weights for a long time is high volume. Frequency refers to the number of training sessions in a given period, most often per week. However, highly trained athletes may use multiple sessions per day.
13
Planning Training and Playing Schedules - Periodization

Athletes train around schedules, whether playing junior tournaments, USTA leagues, on high school or college varsity programs, or the pro tour. It is important to map out a schedule, perhaps for the next 3 to 4 months (e.g., a high school season) or the full year (e.g., ATP Tour). An individual player, parent or private coach can select a personal playing schedule. In selecting a schedule, it is important to prioritize which events are more or less significant. Other considerations in setting a schedule include school, work and personal obligations. The concept of training to peak in a schedule is known as periodization. Organizing various aspects of training for a given time period greatly aids performance peaking during the most highly competitive phases of the season. A tennis player can also set goals and can approach training with greater commitment and discipline. Expectations are more clear, and injuries and overtraining become less likely. In a long term period, often given as a year, there are three basic phases: preparatory phase, competitive phase and transition phase. The preparatory phase consists of the general preparatory phase and the specific preparatory phase. The general preparatory phase typically focuses on developing a foundation for general athleticism. Often, this phase involves the athlete coming from a less active transition phase where some detraining might have occurred. Therefore, the tennis player needs to gradually increase load and prepare for higher intensity in later training. General endurance and strength training are essential components of this phase. For high school or college players, this phase might last several weeks. Tennis technical changes should be initiated in the preparatory stage, since there is time before the season to make adjustments. For example, a player might work on changing the grip and loading position on the serve. Technical changes may need a couple months to practice before major competition. The specific preparatory phase is usually closer to the competitive phase, when athletes are more prepared for higher intensity and volume. Some training will be tennis specific, and individual goals become more important. Technical skills are refined and tactical patterns may be practiced to implement new skills. Deliberate practice combining technique and tactics is important. Practice may be semi-closed skilled, meaning for a particular session, rather than working on general groundstrokes, when the athlete might work on taking the ball early on the forehand or inside-out inside-in forehand patterns. A player working on a grip change (in the previous paragraph) may now be working on placement, spin and pace, and how to set up the next shot. That allows more specific, deliberate practice.
14
Between the preparatory phases and the competitive phase is the pre-competitive phase, which becomes increasingly tennis specific. Resistance training may mimic tennis strokes and movement. In the preparatory phase, general strength is emphasized, but in the pre-competitive phase, strength is combined with speed to focus on power. For example, medicine ball and plyometric drills are power based exercises that require strength and speed. Skills may include more match play and drills in an open-skill environment. In addition, a transition phase may occur before the pre-competitive phase to allow recovery from high volume, high intensity training in the preparatory phase. In the competitive phase, tennis players might have a busy schedule lasting several months. Competition for college and professional players is constant and occurs several times over a week, as opposed to adult or junior players, who primarily play on weekends. Even high school players encounter multiple events per week. A primary concern is maintenance of physical conditioning and abilities gained in the preparatory and pre-competitive phase. Training tends to be light to moderate, rather than heavy, so endurance, strength and power should be maintained rather than enhanced. Lighter training, including agility and flexibility, can easily be incorporated. In the peaking phase, an athlete must be ready for optimal performance in major events. The athlete is already competition ready, so recovery from minor events and staying injury free are essential. Training tends to be lighter, and psychologically, the athlete must be confident and focused. After peaking, an athlete enters a transition phase where active rest keeps him or her at a base fitness level. The player might take a month or more off from competition, but might hit lightly and have enough training to maintain a minimal level of fitness and not detrain. Tennis players may also do other physical activities and cross train to exercise muscles differently. Tennis places highly asymmetric demands on the body (due to the forehand and serve), so balance is important to reduce stress on the body. Psychologically, the player may assess what happened in the season and begin to plan new goals and a new schedule. In reality, self assessment is ongoing and athletes may constantly adjust goals, schedules and training. During the off season, s/he may consider major adjustments. The cycle repeats itself after active rest in the transition phase when the athlete begins to get ready again and re-enters the preparatory phase. A young tennis player, who is on a high school team and doesnt play much outside the team, might follow a more traditional periodization plan. A junior tournament player would follow a more year-round program, similar to that of a touring pro, except with less intensity and more off time, especially during the academic year.
15
Periodization for Players who Compete Year-round Periodization evolved out of the Eastern European athletic training system where national championships, world championships and the Olympics were the primary events. Therefore, there were often periods of little competition and only a few major events for which to prepare. However, tennis is an individual sport that is possible to play year-round. Many strong juniors play, not only on the high school team, but in USTA tournaments. College players play and train in the summer, despite no college season. USTA Summer League players might play in other competitions or leagues during the rest of the year. And ATP and WTA touring pros play nearly year-round. That makes the principle of individuality significant in planning, but also diminishes the role of traditional periodization. In addition, consider giving at least one month off from competition a couple times during the year, where there is at least a three week competitive gap. For many juniors, March to August will be the most intense period with high school and USTA tournaments. Given that, a few suggestions can be made for the player with a busy competitive schedule. If a player is not an active, Step 7 can be eliminated. 1. Plan and write up the competitive schedule (6 to 12 months). 2. Highlight the peak competitive events (up to 3 or 4 most important ones). 3. Set goals around the season and peak events. 4. Allow a transition and active rest period (or off season) sometime after the last major competition or in the gap between major events. 5. Consider several (up to 6) other major events. 6. Examine the gaps between the 9 to 10 peak and major events. There should be 2 to 8 weeks between most of them, annually. 7. Consider general psychological and physiological feelings when deciding to increase or decrease competition and training. If the player has been very successful winning, more matches will be played, and hence, consider being more selective and dropping some events.
16
Heat Related Illnesses

Due to the length of matches and typical hot weather, tennis players are susceptible, not only to dehydration, but also to heat illnesses. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat strokes are three types of heat illnesses. Many juniors battle in arduous summer tournaments and get dehydrated. Even spectators get heat illnesses, as tennis events often dont have enough sheltered areas. It is advisable for tennis coaches to have some First Aid certification. Understanding emergency and heat illness protocols10 is essential. Heat cramps are the mildest form, and involve muscle spasms caused, in many instances, by the imbalance of electrolytes and lack of appropriate hydration. Proper hydration, rest and stretching are helpful to combat heat cramps. Heat exhaustion is more serious. Symptoms include normal or elevated body temperature, heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, weakness, rapid pulse, headache, and the skin appears flushed or cool and pale. If heat exhaustion is suspected, get the person to a cool area immediately, have him drink fluids and remove excess clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths (e.g., towels) to the victim and consider immersion in a cool bath. Heat stroke is dangerous, even life threatening. Symptoms include increased body temperature of over 104F (40C), disorientation, shallow breathing, rapid weak pulse, disorientation, irregular heartbeat and hot red skin. The skin may be dry or moist (if playing). The body can no longer regulate temperature and, if left untreated, cardiac arrest and brain damage are possible. Call emergency or 911 immediately, move the victim to a cool place, and give the victim fluids. Remove excess and wet clothing from the victim, turn him on his side and fan him. Apply cold compresses near wrists, neck, head, torso, ankles and groin areas (near large arteries). Body temperature must be lowered immediately.
Hydration During Training and Matches

Proper hydration is critical for optimal performance. Given the extreme heat and sun exposure, dehydration can be debilitating for performance. There is a significant amount of literature available on hydration, and the short list (next page) of best practices is useful for coaches and players alike. Performance drops off when as little as 2% of body mass (i.e., water) is lost.11,12 Players may sweat as much as 2.5 liters per hour and lose 4 to 7 pounds per hour, if not replenished13. Most players tend to drink at 1+ liters/hour, which isnt enough to replace fluid loss. However, not only water must be replaced, but also electrolytes mostly sodium (Na+). Sport drinks that help replace electrolytes are helpful for matches longer than one hour.
17
1. Be aware of the temperature, humidity and sun exposure that day. 2. Encourage larger water jugs, rather than just water bottles, on warm days. 3. Use sport drinks during long matches or on hot days. It is helpful to bring both water and sport drinks. 4. Encourage players to drink about 12 to 16 ounces one hour before going on the court. 5. Drink 4 to 8 ounces after the warm up and during every changeover. On humid, hot days, consider drinking even more. 6. Suggest players weigh themselves before and after matches. Drink about 20 ounces of fluid for each pound lost. 7. After a match, drink and eat to replace carbohydrates. Salty carbohydrate foods, like chips, can help replace lost electrolytes. 8. Especially after the match, educate players about the urine color test, where urine should be fairly clear. Urine Color Chart
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. YOUNEEDTODRINK MORE! 7. 8.
Speak to a health care provider if your urine is dark and is not clearing despite drinking fluids
If your urine matches the colors 1, 2 or 3, you are likely to be properly hydrated. Continue to consume fluids at the recommended amounts. Nice job!
If your urine color is below the RED line, you may be DEHYDRATED and at greater risk for heat related illness!!
Hypohydration (i.e., dehydration) can dangerously impair performance. In addition, hyponatremia can be a serious, but rare, condition in tennis athletes. Hyponatremia occurs when electrolytes are lost in large amounts and large amounts of water is ingested. Water alone does not replace electrolytes, but instead disrupts proper cellular functioning. Ultra-endurance athletes, such as triathletes, often face possible hyponatremia. In tennis players, it is rare. If your players have exceptionally long matches, encourage them to eat and use sport drinks, rather than just drink water alone.
18 PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science
Energy Systems
How many calories does a tennis player burn in a match? The amount of energy expended in a match depends on the intensity, duration, size, age, gender, body type, skill level, length of rallies, and style of play. There is an abundance of literature on sports and calories expended,14-16 much of which refers to the average person. Typically 300 calories per hour and 450 calories per hour are given for doubles and singles for an average sized person, which does not take into account weight variations and other factors. Because of the large number of variables, it is difficult to gauge accurately calories expended in a tennis match. A heart rate monitor can better estimate an individuals energy expenditure, but there are many factors even a heart rate monitor cant account for, such as percent of body fat. Leaner athletes burn more calories, since muscles require more energy. The following table was compiled from various sources.14-16
Energy Expended in Competitive Tennis

Energy = number below x body weight in pounds x hours played Doubles Recreational Player Competitive Player 1.5-2.5 x BW x hrs play 2.0-3.25 x BW x hrs play Singles 2.5-3.5 x BW x hrs play 3.0-5.0 x BW x hrs play
Accordingly, a 175 pound competitive male might burn 525 to 875 calories. The low end of the range might be for an aggressive baseliner on a hard court. The high end of the range might be for a counterpuncher with long rallies on a clay court. The low end might also be for a 60 year old 4.0 league player, while the high end might be for a college player. A 125 pound female recreational player might, therefore, burn 187.5 to 312.5 calories in an hour of play.
19
Caloric and Nutritional Needs Today, there is a great awareness of healthy diets. A very active athlete usually should eat more than a sedentary person, because the athlete burns more calories. In general, there are five major food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein (meat/beans). A sixth group, oils, is ingested in small quantities. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were created by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine and are incorporated into a simple graphic (below), which is available online at www.choosemyplate.gov This website helps people make smart, healthy choices in diet.
A tennis player might burn 500 to 1,500 calories in a match, but they will need significantly more during the entire day. The total calories used in a day for an inactive person is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR). It is for maintenance of body functions at rest. In addition, even the food you eat requires energy to digest.
20
Glycemic Index in Determining Pre-Match Meals Generally, an active tennis player will require more calories, and those would come mainly from carbohydrates. Not all carbohydrates are created equally however, as some take longer to digest, and hence, produce energy more slowly for the body. Some foods are digested quickly to become energy sources. Since they break down quickly, they raise the blood glucose and insulin. These foods are known as having a high glycemic index (GI). Diabetics have been long aware of these foods, and try to restrict their intake. Foods that break down slowly and dont raise blood glucose and insulin rapidly have low GI. If a player is in a three hour match and needs some energy quickly late in the competition, sport drinks and sugary foods provide quick energy, since they have high GIs. If a player is eating hours before a match, and wants to use the food more effectively as energy, s/he may choose to eat foods with low GIs. For example, before a late morning match, a player may choose a breakfast of bran cereal with blueberries and milk. Milk, blueberries (and most fruits) and bran are low GI foods. After a tough match, a player should replenish for the next days competition, and using high GI foods immediately after a match can be helpful. In addition, a light protein snack (e.g., yogurt) is best utilized by the body in the minutes after a match. Sometimes, an athlete might eat some pretzels, a moderate to high GI food. Bananas, commonly used for tennis matches, are moderate GI foods. The International GIdatabase, as run by the University of Sydney (SUGiRS, Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service) is an excellent source to look up the GIs of foods. www.glycemicindex.com
USDA
21
Protein Consumption for Tennis Players Because athletes are more active, resulting in more muscle changes (i.e., breakdown and repair) than the average person, the muscles need extra protein for repair. Proteins are the most abundant molecule types in the body and are found in all cells including muscles. Protein is utilized in cell membranes, body organs, hair and skin. Protein is also needed to form blood cells. When broken down into amino acids, proteins serve as precursors to nucleic acids, hormones, and are used by the immune system and for cellular repair. Major sources of proteins include meats, eggs and dairy. Vegans and vegetarians should eat a combination of legumes, grains, seeds and nuts, since proteins in these substances are lower quality and need to be combined to supply essential amino acids for the body. Chicken is usually 30-33% protein, a hamburger can be 25-35% depending on fat or lean content, and fish is in the range of 21-30% protein by weight typically. Yellowfin tuna has one of the highest protein contents among fish.17 Much higher than meats, however, are some cheeses and beans. Parmesan cheese and mature roasted soybeans are around 40% protein. Hard cheese, and some softer varieties, such as Swiss, mozzarella and Romano, have 30% protein by weight. Soybeans rank the highest in protein among beans, and less mature, smaller beans drop in protein content. Soybeans are the only vegetable with high quality proteins like meats. Cheese also has high quality protein. In addition to protein content, to find the nutritional value of many foods, visit the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 24 online. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list
Kanko*
22
Special Considerations for Different Athletes Teenagers and children usually eat and burn many more calories than adults of the same size. Young people tend to be physically weaker with higher centers of gravity (due to growing and larger head to body ratio). Because they are growing, they also need more sleep as the body grows and repairs itself. Besides teenagers, other population differences include between men and women, young children, mature athletes and special populations. Everyone is a bit different, so needs, even within the same age group, can vary. On a team, a coach might implement a base program of skills and fitness, but some players may need additional work on core or leg strength. Others may need additional training in agility or endurance. In general, young children require basic athletic skills as a priority. Learning tends to be concrete (as opposed to abstract), and basic movement and coordination skills are primary concerns. In addition, stability and balance are also valuable for a childs motor learning. For example, skipping, balancing on one foot, turning directions, and coordinating hands and feet, are some of the main tasks for a child. Mature adults often have less flexibility, poorer balance and decreasing muscle mass. Decline in fast twitch muscle fibers and loss of muscle mass might reduce power or speed on the court. Hence, coaching mature players may involve different tactics (e.g., shorter points and less topspin) and different playing styles. On the other hand, training mature athletes off court can be highly valuable to maintain muscular strength, power, balance and flexibility. Finally, of course, they should get regular check ups and clearance from their physicians.
23
Special Considerations for Female Athletes Some female athletes face complex issues regarding nutrition and health.18 In training, many young female athletes have relative weakness in the knees, which tend to go inward (sometimes referred to as knee valgus position) when they lower the body or jump. Often due to weak hip stabilizers, hamstrings and landing, this effect (knee valgus) is often connected to ACL injuries among female athletes. About 75% to 90% of ACL injuries are among females. In rigorous movement, the ACL moves and may get pinched, which can rupture or tear the ACL. Research shows that neuromuscular training can help reduce ACL injuries.19 Essentially, that means when doing jump plyometrics, it is recommended to train with good form and to gradually build strength and complexity over time, especially with female athletes.
24
The Most Common Tennis Injuries andPrevention

Dr. Pluim and co-workers20 conducted a comprehensive study of all research literature on tennis injuries from 1966-2006. They found great variance in the studies due to lack of methodology, meaning the studies had different conclusions since they were not consistent with each other. Problems that typically arise include defining injury severity in terms of time lost, requiring treatment or hospital admission, or costs per injury. On extremes, some studies include blisters and sunburns as injuries, while others only include acute injuries requiring emergency hospital visits. Several studies investigating gender found no significant differences between men and women, although some studies indicate there may be a marginally higher rate of injury among men. Some studies found that there is little effect of skill level on injuries. That is, a higher level player might be as likely to get injured as a novice who might be under less stress (e.g., slower balls, slower movement), but is less trained and, therefore, might get hurt despite lower stressors. Most injuries in tennis are microtraumas, often overuse injuries. Microtraumatic injuries are more common in the upper body and extremities. Acute macrotrauma (i.e., sudden injuries involving a single force) usually occurs in the lower body. A typical macrotrauma might be a sprained ankle. Common upper body injuries include lateral epicondylitis (i.e., tennis elbow), medial epicondylitis (golfers elbow), rotator cuff tendinitis, muscle strains and stress factures. Among young players, growth plate injuries may also occur. In a review, Kibler and Safran21 reported that among junior players, the most common area of injuries involve lower extremities (39% to 59%), followed by upper extremities (20% to 45%), and finally central core (i.e., head and torso) at 11% to 30%. Studies were fairly consistent in that order. The two most common lower extremity injuries are the ankle and thigh. In the upper body, shoulder injuries are most frequent, followed by elbow injuries. That order for junior players is probably reversed for older players given the higher number of one-handed backhands among adults. Pluim et al reported the most common injury was tennis elbow with an incidence rate of 9% to 35% and prevalence rate of 14% to 41%, depending on the study. Keep in mind, however, that review was from 1966-2006, which includes many years the one-handed backhand was the predominant technique. In addition, juniors might put more stress on the shoulder due to too early learning of kick serves, poor use of legs for upward acceleration, and overuse of the back. Overextending the shoulder and weak shoulder stabilizer muscles can contribute to shoulder injuries, such as impingement or rotator injuries. It is very important that teaching professionals ensure their players learn the appropriate biomechanics of efficient strokes from a very early age. This not only helps improve performance, it also reduces the likelihood of injuries.
25
In an ongoing study at this writing, Kibler22 also reports mechanical deficiencies in the serving motion among touring pros, more common among WTA than ATP players. Ideally in acceleration phase, as the racquet swings upward to contact, players should use a pushing motion from the back leg. Many WTA and some ATP touring pros were deficient in leg drive and cocking (i.e., properly setting the racquet in the backswing before accelerating forward). Rather, they used a pulling motion of the upper body.
Avoid Shoulder Problems by Correctly Developing the Serve Young players under age 10 may not be strong enough in the core or shoulder stabilizers to master a kick serve. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and young players dont have enough muscle strength or stability to avoid injuries at this age. It is better to teach them the flat serve first and then the slice serve. Coaches should teach players to drive from the back leg to initiate the transfer of energy up via the kinetic chain. Many players dont engage the legs properly, but use an action pulling the racquet up over the back to mainly create power. That action can put excessive strain on the back and shoulders. After driving upward with the legs, a player can practice the hip over hip and shoulder over shoulder movement. Teach players to rotate with the hips and shoulders, rather than separately rotating the upper arm and elbow backward. Clearly, the serve differs from groundstrokes on which most players spend significant time training and practicing. The serve involves greater stress on the shoulders. Kovacs and Ellenbecker have developed specific exercises for strengthening the serve.23,24 Exercises for Strengthening the Serve can be found on Pages 62-64.
26
Preventing Tennis Elbow There is no guaranteed way to prevent tennis elbow, but there are ways to help reduce the chances of getting it. Tennis elbow occurs more commonly with one-handed backhands, so one might adopt a two-handed backhand. Tennis elbow is much more frequent in recreational level players than high performance players. It is important to understand that poor technique and high volume of training and competition are the two major causes of tennis elbow. However, the major factor is inappropriate technique, and this is something that should be corrected by the teaching professional. It is recommended that coaches teach students to relax the grip, avoiding the tight death grips. There are two common types of elbow pain, known as lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis. The former (i.e., lateral) occurs on the outside of the elbow. The latter occurs on the inside and is also known as golfers elbow. Tennis elbow can occur from tennis or golf, but also from doing other everyday activities, such as painting, raking, working on cars, or even cooking.
KoS
As with many other injuries, treatment begins with rest and ice. Resting several weeks is common. Tennis elbow straps have also gained popularity. The concept behind straps, or braces, is to reduce the magnitude of muscular contraction and therefore, tension in the elbow area. Gradually, the brace should be used less and less. There are several forms of physical therapy, but recently one exercise method has seen considerable success in studies.25,26 This method is a series of eccentric movements with an exercise equipment called a flexbar, which looks like a giant twisted licorice stick. There are also successful, simple resistance band exercises. Generally, the recent thinking has been to stretch and strengthen the elbow tendon during eccentric contraction of the wrist extensors. For example, if you hold your hand and arm outward palm down and let the wrist flex down, you get eccentric contractions. The flexbar creates a force that pulls the wrist downward and works the extensors, which connect all the way up to your elbow.
27
Stretching for Tennis Stretching is commonly known as holding stretched positions for 20 to 30 seconds. This static stretching was thought to be good in the warm up, prevent injuries, and prepare the body for physical activity. Today, however, dynamic stretching is considered more appropriate in the warm up. In the past few years, this topic has been one of the hottest research areas in sport science, in part due to the mixed results.27-37 There are literally hundreds of studies, and some suggest stretching does not prevent injuries, some are inconclusive, and some suggest stretching helps prevent injuries. But the studies that show stretching helps prevent injuries are far fewer. Most quality studies show that stretching does not reduce injuries. In fact, most injuries are the result of eccentric muscle contractions, usually seen during deceleration. For example, landing hard on the court after a forehand drive is an eccentric movement in the legs. The legs hit the court and suddenly decelerate, like hitting a wall. That resulting force is very high impact equal to several times more than a persons weight. Going down a staircase is another example of eccentric muscle contractions in the legs that places tremendous force on the legs. Going down stairs is harder on the legs than going up a staircase. Stretching doesnt eliminate these types of injuries. Instead, a proper dynamic warm up better prepares the body for sport specific movement, and helps reduce injuries. Static stretching is very important for improving range of motion and should be performed by a tennis player, but not immediately before training or competition. A dynamic warm up is more sensible and provides greater benefits to the immediate tennis session.
How Stretching Helps Players There are three kinds of stretching: static, dynamic and PNF. Static stretching involves holding stretches at near maximal range of motion (ROM) at the joints for typically 30 seconds. They are important, particularly for certain sports like gymnastics, dancing or figure skating, where excellent flexibility is necessary for performance. Dynamic stretching involves shorter ROM and does not require holding stretches, although different positions may be held for 2 to 3 seconds. In dynamic stretching, movement is controlled and steady. A more explosive stretching technique, known as ballistic stretching, involves more quick, rigorous movements than dynamic stretching, and uses the momentum or weight of the body to assist movement, sometimes beyond its normal range and is not recommended for tennis players. Another stretching technique is AIS (Active Isolated Stretching), which involves short holds of 2 to 3 seconds to avoid activating the stretch reflex, a protective mechanism that pulls back from the stretch.
28
Stretching can also be defined as active or passive. Active is when the athlete is performing the stretch. Passive is when the athlete is relaxed in the muscles being stretched and is being assisted by another person or a machine. PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretches involve a series of holds, relaxations and muscle contractions. It is considered effective in increasing static or passive flexibility. Usually done with an assisting partner, PNF stretches have three types of routines, all starting with a passive stretch of 10 seconds. Because muscular contractions occur at near maximal ROM, PNF stretches can improve flexibility and performance. Static stretching is helpful to improve flexibility, but it is not recommended as a routine before serious competition, due to negative effects on power.37-40 Although studies vary on exactly how long, static stretching is acknowledged to temporarily decrease muscular power for at least 45 to 60 minutes. Static stretching does not help warm up the body, but dynamic stretching helps increase the muscle temperature, which literally warms up the body. As the muscles warm up, oxygen supply to muscle fibers increases. Therefore, dynamic stretching is a more practical way to warm up and prepare the body.
29
Best Practices for the Warm Up

A warm up prepares the body for rigorous activity. A practical warm up for a tennis match or team practice may last about 10 minutes, but 15 to 25 minutes is common among serious athletes. The effects are an increase in blood flow, oxygen and body temperature by typically (1-2C), which allows muscles and tendons to become more flexible. Synovial joint fluid loosens up with movement and warmth, so the range of motion improves. A good warm up helps reduce chances of injury and involves three phases for tennis: a light aerobic exercise, dynamic stretching and light hitting. 1. Jog or do some light aerobic activity for several minutes. 2. Add some light dynamic stretch for the legs, such as skipping or butt kicks. 3. Continue with increasingly rigorous dynamic stretches and activities for the lower body. 4. Add dynamic stretches for core, shoulders and upper body. 5. End with some higher intensity exercises that involve the whole body or mimic tennis strokes and movement. 6. If playing in a tournament, about 25 to 30 minutes before the match time, go through a light warm up, starting with either jogging or biking, if there is a gym available. About 15 minutes building up to a moderate intensity should be sufficient. Then when the player actually gets on court with the hitting warm up, their body is ready to push harder.
30
Best Practices for the Cool Down

During rigorous play or practice, blood pressure and heart rate are elevated. A cool down allows both to return to normal. The more rigorous the exercise, the more essential the cool down. Static stretching is useful, since it can relax the muscles, which have gone through a number of significant contractions during exercise. A cool down commences the recovery phase. 1. Slow down and let heart rate come down. Continue moving for a few minutes, especially if the exercise was intense. For example, if the practice ended with sprints or the match ended with a couple long points, walk around for a couple minutes. 2. Do light static stretching holding each stretch 15 to 30 seconds. 3. Ice the legs and any body part susceptible to injury or soreness. 4. Hydrate and consider having a snack. 5. Start the recovery phase.
Recovery Tips
Recovery is about being fresh and ready for the next match or hard training session. After matches or hard practices, a player needs time to bounce back from fatigue and muscle soreness. However, there are practices that help cut down recovery time, since often athletes need to play another match in a tournament or for a team. Some practices are scientifically well documented in aiding recovery, but others are anecdotal and may not have benefits. The hardest part of matches and training is working muscles eccentrically, such as in landing and turning directions after a stretched volley or groundstroke. When the muscles get overworked, they become damaged and require repair. This overload effect is felt by the athlete and is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which is soreness felt for as long as 72 hours after a hard workout. Recovery also involves being mentally fresh. Staleness and burnout occur with athletes who place too much pressure on themselves, might not have direction or goals, or have negative involvement from parents or others. To help reduce staleness, change court routines by adding some drills or games that are creative and different. Rotating and adding new exercises in training helps mentally, and physically may use the muscles differently.
31
During a tournament, from match to match, considerable energy may be expended. Blood glucose and glycogen in muscles need to be replenished. In addition, due to soreness and damage or micro-tears, muscles require repairing. To help repair muscles and replenish energy, carbohydrates and some protein should be consumed. If done within 45 minutes after prolonged exercise (e.g., a three set tennis match), muscle repair and glycogen storage in the muscles can be significantly improved at a faster rate. As discussed earlier, high glycemic foods are digested and processed by the body faster than other foods. Many food products using potatoes, corn and white rice have high glycemic indices. Many competitive and professional tennis players use low fat chocolate milk (or other drinks with a similar composition) as a recovery drink. Studies indicate that low fat chocolate milk has good concentration of carbohydrates (both low and high GI) and protein. The USTA produced a couple recent documents on recovery in tennis that are available online. The Recovery Project has a comprehensive review of studies and practices. Coaches, parents and trainers will find this resource valuable. The Recovery Booklet is more practical for players and coaches. The two resources can be found at http://www.usta.com/tennisrecovery/ The following are 10 suggested practices for recovery. 1. Athletes should listen to their bodies. Ask your players how they feel after matches, and suggest ways to assist recovery and eliminate or modify the practices if matches or training was particularly hard. Players may keep a journal or log to record their activities, nutrition, sleep and emotional states and feelings. Encourage all players to take 1 to 2 days off per week. 2. Have an off season. Some juniors love competition and try to play year-round, which can hurt their progress, keep them fatigued, and accelerate burnout. Help plan their tournament and training schedule. 3. Be aware of player injuries and where the player stands in rehabilitation. Check what is allowed or not. If there is an athletic trainer/physical therapist, find out directly, since sometimes athletes might miss information or want to practice despite the trainers advice. 4. Vary your drills or training sessions. Keep athletes fresh by adding a fun routine or a routine that trains the body differently. At times, ask players what theyd like to do for games.
32
5. Educate athletes on proper hydration (see Page 17). They should be aware of the urine color test (see Page 18). With younger children, parents should also be educated in what to provide. It is not unusual for juniors to bring inadequate supply of fluids to camps or tournaments, which needs to be addressed from both the coachs and the parents perspectives. They should also know water is helpful for shorter matches, but sports drinks or snacks with water can help in longer matches. 6. Help educate athletes on post play nutrition, such as eating a light snack (200 to 400 calories) with some protein. Mentioned earlier was low fat chocolate milk, which is inexpensive and optimal. Alternatively, cheese and crackers or a small sandwich with meat/fish or recovery shakes are also good choices. 7. During a tournament, at the end of the day, players should eat a reasonably high carbohydrate, medium protein, low fat dinner. At the end of the tournament, especially if play involved more than two matches, protein should be increased to assist muscle repair over the next few days of recovery. 8. If you can, make ice and showers available. Encourage players to get off their feet and ice the legs to reduce tissue inflammation and accelerate healing. Ice any unusually sore body parts as well. 9. Taking a warm shower or bath helps stimulate blood flow, which helps quicken metabolic activity and healing. 10. Teach athletes how to relax and reduce muscle tension. Stretching routines after play are helpful. In addition, yoga, relaxation exercises and stretching at the end of the day or before bedtime are useful.
33
Strength Training
Traditional strength lifting (resistance training) involves heavy weights and movements slower than tennis strokes. However, strength, power and muscular endurance gains can be significantly improved with appropriate strength training. In classic periodization, strength gains are important in the general preparatory phase, well before the tennis season. Closer to or during the season, tennis specific exercises are more useful. Strength maintenance becomes more of a priority. In addition, power training becomes more important. Power combines strength and speed, and therefore, lighter loads are used in training. Because tennis movements require body rotation and relatively quick movements, lighter training with medicine balls, bands, rubber tubing, combining to form more complex movements, as on the groundstrokes or serve, become essential. In addition, training the body to absorb stress, as encountered in changing directions or recovering after a serve, is important for injury prevention. Strength training is often seen as free weights or weight machines. However, there are many ways to build strength. Free weights help develop balance and proprioceptive skills better than machines. Many free weights are lifted concentrically (e.g., lifting a weight upward on the ascent phase, during which muscles contract and shorten) and at slow to moderate speeds. However, eccentric contractions (e.g., lowering a weight on the descent phase, walking down a flight of stairs, during which muscles are lengthening) are very important in tennis, as this is what happens when a player decelerates and changes directions.41 The force on the body in the decelerative phase is significantly larger than the accelerative phase. In the loading phase of a forehand groundstroke, the leg muscles, including the gastrocnemius, soleus and quadriceps, all contract eccentrically. Some core muscles also contract eccentrically during tennis strokes and movement.
34
Plyometrics
Plyometrics exercises involve explosive, powerful movements. A plyometric exercise uses an initial pre-stretch or countermove, which involves the stretch shortening cycle. There are three stages: a pre-stretch, a pause, and a shortening phase that releases the power. For example, to do a vertical jump, an athlete would first bend at the knees and hips, pause for a split second, and finally jump. Plyometrics exercises are very specific to tennis, if performed correctly. They are useful in developing power and strengthening the body for the accelerative and decelerative forces needed in tennis movement. They help train stability and proprioception. Plyometrics is one particular training regiment in which one should carefully observe the principles of progression and overload. Bounding and depth jumps can exert significant forces on the body and should be developed gradually. Although some plyometric exercises are demanding, light plyometrics should be in every tennis players regimen. For example, wheelchair athletes can use medicine balls to train the upper body.
Is Plyometrics Safe for Kids? Original plyometrics from Eastern Europe were advanced explosive exercises incorporating depth box jumps and heavy medicine balls. Such high intensity plyometrics are not suitable for children and depend on developmental and training age (i.e., experience with training routines). Children at play often do light to moderate forms of plyometrics in gaining coordination skills, including jumping jacks, leap frogs, hop scotch, skipping and hopping. Plyometrics for young children42 are safe, provided they involve fun exercises of low to medium intensity, including double hops over mini-cones or tennis court lines. Medicine balls for 10 year olds should weigh 4 pounds or less.
35
Deliberate Practice
In the early 1970s, H. Simon conceptualized the idea of chunking (i.e., mentally grouping and associating) information and the development of expertise as taking 10 years.43 This concept eventually became the 10,000 Hour Rule, which states that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve expertise. In studying expertise in a multitude of activities, K.A. Ericsson developed the conceptual role of deliberate practice in the development of expertise.44 Because sports are governed by standardized rules and have quantifiable records, they represent an excellent area for study. Essentially, there are three areas in which one can spend time on a sport like tennis: work, play and deliberate practice. The three are actually defined by the goals. For work, the goal is reward, such as earning money, ranking or making the team. Often, competition does not allow the tennis player to spend time on weaker technical and tactical aspects, since energy is focused on winning and using strengths. For a touring pro, high school or college player, work might also be playing a match. That sounds like play, but because there are rewards, such as money or getting a team win and ranking, the motivational levels often differs from pure play. Work has benefits, since a tennis player can learn to compete better and feel something was achieved. Play (or playful interaction) has no goal system other than intrinsic value. Fun play is self-motivating and is inherently enjoyable, leading to the flow state, where a tennis player becomes immersed in the activity. Flow isnt necessarily a competitive mental skill, but it can lead to ideal performance state, which is the optimal level of performance under stress. That immersion is essential for commitment to the sport. It may help develop competitive mental skills and better management of tactics and strategies. Often play, however, leaves recognition and development of skills up to the student. Some students may not learn from play, and those students with better awareness and attention skills improve faster. However, play allows the athlete to become more inherently motivated without burnout. The third, deliberate practice, has the goals of improving performance. Deliberate practice is highly structured, monitors progress, and includes tasks to overcome weaknesses. Unlike play, it is not inherently enjoyable, but instead requires focus and effort. Other than improvement, there are no rewards.
36
A responsibility of team coaches is to direct the practice to developing skills and tactics that are beneficial to the players. An athlete can choose to work on many things, but coaches should consider how time should be spent to maximize benefits to the player. In other words, consider what is essential. If a coach normally has practice 3 hours per day and had to reduce it to 1.5 hours, what would be kept and what would be dropped? Second, in developing technical or tactical skills, consider how specific the environment should be to optimize learning. That is, if a coach wanted to improve the backhand, consider the possible options: let the player rally backhand primarily; play a groundstroke game where backhands count extra; rally only crosscourt backhands; only feed the player short, high balls to the backhand; or have the player mix backhand spin and direction. Third, consider what is being communicated to the player, as well as the players learning objectives. The player might be improving footwork, learning a new grip, trying to play more aggressively, or practicing a slice backhand. Last, consider what a player is learning and provide feedback on how much progress was made and when the skill is game ready. Sometimes team practices are hard work, where players run hard and hit many groundstrokes. That type of session might feel inherently good to the players who felt they trained hard, but it may not constitute deliberate practice. For example, many team players prefer to hit groundstrokes, since they are comfortable with them, but if work is primarily needed on serving and doubles play, it is not an optimal practice. Research shows successful players spend more practice time improving weaknesses or areas that produce greater benefits.
Additional Literature and Resources

Besides PTR publications, there are several excellent resources for coaches. Recent publications include ITF Strength and Conditioning for Coaches (edited by M. Reid, A. Quinn & M. Crespo, 2003), Tennis Training (M. Kovacs, W.B. Chandler, T.J Chandler 2007) Tennis Anatomy (E.P Roetert & M. Kovacs, 2011), Complete Conditioning for Tennis (Roetert, EP and Ellenbecker TS, 2007) Organizations that have resources include the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA). www.nsca.com www.acsm.org www.itpa-tennis.org
37
PARTII
The information provided in this section has been provided by the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA) and Pat Etcheberry. www.itpa-tennis.org www.etcheberryexperience.com
Dynamic Warm Up Exercises

There are dozens of exercises and this short list is not to give a complete routine, but to provide some of the more interesting and helpful exercises.
Rotational Walking Lunges Stand upright with shoulders back, head straight, core and glutes contracted, and with hands together straight in front of the body at shoulder level. From this starting position, step forward with the right foot and bend the back (left) leg until the knee is approximately 1 to 3 inches from the ground, directly under the left hip. At the same time, the right knee will also bend 90, so the knee is directly over the right ankle. During the descent of this movement, the hips turn toward the right so that the arms will aim 90 from the starting position. Pushing with the back (left) leg will bring the left leg through, and then repeat the lunge movement by stepping forward with the left foot. Using a controlled tempo for each movement, repeat 10 to 15 times, alternating legs. Variation: use crossed arm stretch to assist shoulder turn.
iTPA
38
Hamstring Walk - Inchworm Start in a push up position with hands out in front of the body and legs straight. Keep shoulders back and head straight (head neutral position). Slowly walk toward the hands as far as possible without allowing the knees to bend. Once the feet have reached as close as possible to the hands and heels are pushed into the ground, slowly walk the hands out forward to create a new starting push up position. Complete multiple repetitions (5 to 10) of this movement.
iTPA
iTPA
Spiderman Crawl Stand upright, then bend the knees and flex forward at the waist into a crawl. Keep shoulders and head straight(head neutral position). Take a small step with the left leg 45 forward/lateral. The hands are walked forward toward the left foot/knee. From this position, slowly bring the right hip around and crawl the right foot forward, and follow the same process with the opposing leg. Keep butt and center of gravity as low as possible, while maintaining good posture and keeping head straight. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times for each leg.
iTPA
iTPA
39
Froggers Stand upright with shoulders back and head straight. Extend arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height. Flexing the left hip, externally rotate it to bring the knee up toward the armpit, and then immediately lower the leg to the ground. As the left leg moves downward, the same movement is performed using the other (right) leg and other side of the body. Maintain good body position by keeping shoulders back and head straight, as well as core and glutes contracted throughout the entire movement. Repeat 10 to 20 times on each leg while walking. Variation: may be done side skipping.
iTPA
Scorpion Stretch Lie prone face down on the ground with legs straight and arms straight out to side. Slowly rotate the left hip toward the right while slowly bending the left knee, with the goal of reaching the left foot toward the right elbow. Hold the end position for 1 to 5 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat this movement using the opposite side of the body. Keep both shoulders on the ground. Do 16 to 20 turns or reps.
iTPA
40
Trunk Twists with Rotational Lunge - Helicopters Stand with a wide base, feet more than shoulder width apart, with arms straight out to the sides. Turn to the right, bend the knees, and lower the body as if hitting a groundstroke. The feet may turn slightly. Arms will swing low and around the body. Keep arms fairly straight. Turn back and straighten up at the same time to original position. Turn to left and repeat the movement on that side. Turn back and straighten up to the original position. Start with a slow, controlled tempo with slight knee bend. Complete about 12 to 16 reps. The last few can be faster and with deeper knee bend.
Rapid Response Base Rotations Start in a ready position with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms slightly out to sides. Quickly hop and, while airborne, turn the feet about 30 to 45 to the right. Quickly rotate 60 to 90 back to the left (should be turned 30 to 45 to left). Quickly hop back to the right. Turn over of the feet and contact time with the ground should be very quick. Small arm swings and torso turn should be in the opposite direction of the feet turn. Do for about 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat.
41
Arm Hugs Stand upright with shoulders back, head straight, core and glutes contracted. Hold arms straight out to the sides in line with shoulders as if making a T shape with the arms and body. Palms should face forward. From this starting position, the arms are wrapped around the body with the aim of grasping the back of the opposing shoulder (i.e., the left hand to the back of the right shoulder and vice versa). From this position, reverse the movement by opening the chest while taking the arms back and squeezing the shoulder blades together. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times using a controlled tempo.
iTPA
Wipers Stand upright with shoulders back, head straight, and arms out in front of the body. Slowly raise the left arm, while simultaneously lowering the right arm. Change the direction of the arm movement and repeat in the opposite direction. Using a controlled tempo, repeat this movement 10 to 15 times.
iTPA
iTPA
42
Cheerleaders Stand upright with shoulders back, head straight, and hands down by the sides. Raise arms slowly out to the side and straight above the head with both palms touching at the top of the movement. From the top of the position, reverse the movement by bringing the arms out to the sides and then down in a circular arch. This movement should be repeated at varying speeds and utilizing both supination and pronation of the arms. Repeat this movement 10 to 15 times at a controlled tempo. Variation: can be done concurrently with lower body dynamic warm up exercises (e.g., jumping jacks).
iTPA
iTPA
43
Essential Cool Down Stretches

There are hundreds of stretches and its quite simple to find them. Only a few are presented here, but they are among the best. Stretches here and on the next two pages tend to be more static. Focus on slow, smooth movement and coordinated deep breathing Inhale deeply Exhale as stretching Ease back slightly Hold the stretch position for 15 to 30 seconds, while breathing normally Stretch larger muscle groups first Stretch the tight side first Stretch within safe limits Do not lock joints or bounce
Calf Stretch Start in a pike position, with the hands and feet on the ground and the heels off the ground. Keeping the lower back straight and legs straight, use gravity and body weight to press the heels slowly toward the ground. Hold and repeat. Variation: may bend knees to stretch the soleus (straight legs stretch the gastrocnemius).
iTPA
Lying Hamstring Stretch Lie supine and loop a towel, rope or stretching strap around the right foot. Bring the thigh closer to the body by pulling on the strap. Keep leg straight and both the back and left leg flat on the floor. Hold and repeat. Variation: bend the knee to stretch the belly of the hamstring.
44
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch Start this stretch in a lunge position, with the left foot forward and the right knee on the ground, towel or yoga mat. Maintain good upright posture in the upper body, and gradually move the center of mass forward and downward so the hips drop slightly toward the floor. The stretch will be felt in the front of the right hip. Hold and repeat. Variation: grasp the back foot and pull it upward toward the buttocks. This increases the stretch and develops balance and coordination.
iTPA
Piriformis Stretch Lying supine on the ground (or mat), cross the left ankle over the right knee while bending the right knee. Grasp behind the right knee with both hands and pull toward the chest. Push pelvis into the floor while increasing the stretch. The stretch will be felt deep in the left hip/buttock. Hold and repeat on the opposite leg. Variation: holding the right leg up straight also stretches the hamstring
Knee to Chest Stretch Start this lower back stretch lying supine on the ground (or mat) and bring both legs toward the chest. The stretch will be felt in the lower back. Push pelvis into the ground.
45
Crossed Arm Stretch Hold the left arm straight out in front of the body. Lean back against a wall (or other flat surface) to help stabilize the left shoulder blade. Grasp the left arm with the right hand and slowly pull the left arm across the body. The stretch will be felt on the back side of the left shoulder. Hold, then repeat for the other arm.
iTPA
Sleeper Stretch Lying on the left side of the body, flex the left elbow at 90 and position the left arm so that it is straight up and perpendicular to the upper body. With the right hand, slowly and gently push the left forearm downward toward the floor. Keep scapula of left arm stable. Hold the stretch, then roll over and repeat on the opposite (right) arm.
iTPA
Wrist Flexor Stretch Extend the left arm straight in front of the body. Grasp the top of the left hand with the right hand and pull gently toward the body. This stretch should be felt in the muscles of the left forearm. Hold the stretch, then repeat on the opposite (right) arm.
iTPA
46
Shoulder and Upper Arm Exercises

In addition to the Crossed Arm Stretch and Sleeper Stretch described on the previous page, there are other excellent exercises. Shoulder exercises are important for the stabilizer muscles in the back. Those muscles undergo great strain due to repetitive serving motions, and are not very strong.
External Shoulder Rotation Attach tubing to net post or fence elbow high. While standing erect, grasp tubing with the left hand (thumb up) with a 90 angle at the elbow and the forearm parallel to the floor. Slowly rotate the shoulder externally (away from the body) against the resistance from the tubing, making sure the forearm remains parallel to the ground. At or close to the end of the range of motion, hold this position for approximately 2 seconds. Focus on scapula control. Slowly return to the starting position, and complete the appropriate number of repetitions (8 to 15). Perform the same movement on the opposite side of the body for the same number of repetitions. Variations: use light dumbbells, stand on one leg, or put a towel between the elbow and body.
47
90/90 External Shoulder Rotation Use tubing or light dumbbells (3 lbs). Stand erect facing the tubing attachment. Grasp the tubing with the right hand (thumb up), with a 90 angle at the shoulder and a 90 angle at the elbow. From this starting position, externally rotate the shoulder against the tubing resistance. The forearm starts parallel to the floor and becomes perpendicular to the ground at the top of the movement. Hold near the end range of motion for 2 seconds. Focus on scapula control and relax the trapezius muscles. Slowly return to the starting position and perform the appropriate number of repetitions (8 to 15). Repeat this movement for the opposite hand.
Lateral Shoulder Raise This exercise can be performed using either elastic tubing or dumbells. Hold dumbbells in hands at side, palms facing inward. Raise arms slowly and elevate arms away from the hips to shoulder height, keeping the arms straight and palms facing down (coronal plane). Hold dumbbells at shoulder height for 2 seconds before releasing back down to the starting position. Do 12 to 20 repetitions. Variation: with elastic tubing, step on tubing with both feet to hold down firmly. Hold ends (or handles) of tubing with hands at side. Raise arms together slowly as with dumbbells. With either dumbbells or tubing, another variation is to raise arms in front rather than to the sides. A more difficult variation is to do the exercise while balancing on one leg.
iTPA
48
Upper Body Exercises

There are many popular upper body exercises, such as the bench press or lat pulldowns, that can be done in a gym with heavier weights. The section on medicine balls (see Pages 56-59) includes some exercises that integrate upper body strength and power with the rest of the body for more complex training. For example, the Medicine Ball Chest Pass (see Page 59) is a drill that trains power. The following are exercises that work primarily on the upper body.
Rotational Pull - Lawnmower With the resistance tubing anchored low to the ground, grasp a handle with the right hand outside of the left foot while standing in an athletic position (ready position) facing the anchored resistance. While maintaining an athletic position, pull the resistance so that the right elbow comes up to the level of the right shoulder via contraction of the upper back muscles. Can do this pull quickly to focus on power or slowly while squeezing the shoulder blades to focus on stability. Complete 3 to 12 repetitions and switch arms.
iTPA
49
Single Arm/Single Leg Row With the resistance anchored at hip height, grasp a handle with one hand while standing in an athletic position (ready position) facing the anchored resistance. While maintaining balance on the right leg, lift the left leg from the ground, to a knee angle of approximately 45 . Pull the handle toward the chest by squeezing the shoulder blades together and contracting the rhomboids, similar to the major muscles involved in the rowing motion. After completing the appropriate number of repetitions (6 to 15), perform the same movement on the opposite (left) leg as the balance leg and arm.
Push Ups (Tricep Push Ups) Push ups can be modified to be tennis specific. Girls can start with the knees on the ground (use a mat or towel if on the court), keeping the back straight. Rather than traditional push ups, emphasis should be on the hold at the top of the movement when the elbows are straight. Go down slowly, stop before the chest reaches the elbows, then return up holding the highest position, which helps strengthen the stabilizer muscles. Turning the fingers inward helps put more load on the triceps. If the athlete has wrist, elbow or shoulder pain, either limit the number of push ups or use a shorter motion that avoids going down too far, or avoid locking the elbows at the top of the movement (10 to 20 repetitions).
iTPA
iTPA
50
Suspension Chest Press There are a number of suspension exercise systems available, such as TRX. They can be used as an alternative to push ups, since they put less stress on the wrists and help proprioception (i.e., sense of balance). Stand facing away from the suspension device with hands grasping both handles. Keep back straight and start with elbows bent at 90. Push backward to increase the resistance. Do this same motion for the appropriate number of repetitions (6 to 20). Angle can be decreased or increased to change difficulty.
51
Exercises to Strengthen/Stabilize Core and Hip/Glutes

Core exercises are quite abundant, and can be found on the internet or in many exercise books. The following are a few of the more interesting exercises. Many coaches and players already know crunches, bicycles and planks that strengthen the core. Directly below the core are the hips and glutes, which often can be weak in tennis player. Some exercises that strengthen the glutes include the Kneeling Superdog (Bird Dog) (see Page 54) and the Monster Walk (see Page 60). An athlete who is weak in the hips or glutes will struggle with the Monster Walk or Glute/Hip Bridges (see Page 54). Another exercise, the Single Leg Jump to Romanian Deadlift (see Page 64), is provided in the section to strengthen the serve.
Side Plank with Hip Abduction Lying on right side, place right elbow under shoulder. Keep body in a straight line, tightening core and glutes. Raise right hip off the ground until straight with spine. Hold while lifting left leg up and down, keeping knees straight. Keep foot dorsiflexed throughout exercise (10 to 15 reps). Left arm may point straight to sky. Maintain a slow controlled tempo. Switch sides.
52
Side Plank Rotation Lying on right side, place right elbow under shoulder. Keep body in a straight line, tightening core and glutes. Raise right hip off the ground until straight with spine. Hold while left arm reaches down between ground and right side of body. Left arm almost reaches for trapezius, then turns to reach up to the sky. Do not touch the ground with the left hand or arm. Keep the knees straight. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Maintain a slow controlled tempo. Switch sides.
Russian Twist Lie supine on a mat with both the torso and legs raised from the ground, and hands straight out grasping a medicine ball. Slowly rotate to the right, keeping the core tight by contraction of transversus abdominis and obliques. Repeat this movement back to the center and to the left. Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (10 to 50).
53
Kneeling Super Dog (Bird Dog) Start on hands and knees (quadruped means on all four). From this starting position, raise the left arm from the ground while simultaneously raising the right leg off the ground. Maintain a strong core position focused on not rotating at the hips and keeping a neutral spine (no sway in the lower back). Alternate this movement by performing it with the opposite extremities. Execute this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (10 to 20).
iTPA
Glute/Hip Bridge Lie supine with elbows and forearms resting on the chest, with knees bent 45. Lift both hips from the floor squeezing the glutes and contracting the deep stabilizing muscles of the core. Keep feet firmly on ground. Hold this position for 30 seconds while maintaining a straight back.
iTPA
Variations: exercise can be done with one leg knee held. Also the hold can be up to 2 minutes.
iTPA
54
Quadruped Hip Extension Assume the quadruped position. Contract abdominals to stabilize the spine. Focus on contracting the left glute (left butt). Slowly lift the left leg up maintaining a 90 knee bend. Stop when the left thigh is parallel to the ground. Slowly lower to the start position and repeat 10 times. Switch legs. To increase the intensity of this exercise, add an ankle weight.
iTPA
Dumbbell Squat Hold one dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward. Slowly bend the knees and push bodyweight through the heels. Keep the back straight and lower the body until the thighs are parallel to the ground. From the bottom, straighten to the starting position. Execute this same movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (10 to 20).
iTPA
55
Power Exercises with a Medicine Ball

Bringing a couple medicine balls to the court can make tennis training more interesting. If working with young juniors (10 to 16 years old), consider bringing a couple different weights ranging from 6 lbs or 3 Kg to 12 lbs or 6 Kg. Heavier loads could be done in the gym. Older juniors, adults or college players could use balls ranging to 7 Kg or 15 pounds, or even heavier, depending on the training experience, tennis level and size of the athlete. Different exercises may be done with slightly different balls, ranging from 4 to 10 inches in diameter. Softer balls are easier to catch, and smaller balls can be managed even with one hand or smaller hands. In addition, consider that some medicine balls are designed for durability (and can hold up better on the court) and some are made to bounce, which can be useful in certain drills. Keep in mind, power development is about speed, not just weight or mass. Smaller medicine balls can help build speed and keep the hands working together better when imitating a two-handed backhand. In addition, if the ball is too heavy, the player might alter form. If working with a team or group, three or more balls is obviously helpful, as are doing stations.
Medicine Ball X Drill Start in an athletic position (ready position) at the center mark on the baseline. Move following an X pattern. This movement can be performed in a variety of ways, but usually it is a backward movement, followed by a forward movement, a backward movement and finishes with a forward movement. All movements should involve swinging the medicine ball to mimic groundstrokes, using shoulders, core, hips and legs.
iTPA
56
Medicine Ball Mini-Tennis Play in a service box (doubles is played in all service boxes). Use a light to moderate weight medicine ball (4 to 15 lbs, depending on players strength, height and age). Play points using the medicine ball (a ball thats out, a dropped ball, or two bounces is loss of a point). Play a tiebreak for scoring. Focus on rotating at the hips and using the bigger muscles of the lower body to help catch and throw the medicine ball. Variations: different scoring and court size.
iTPA
Forehand and Backhand Medicine Ball Tosses Using Open, Closed and Square Stances Holding a medicine ball (4 to 20 lbs, determined by stage of development, height, and strength level) stand facing a partner or a wall approximately 10 feet away. Taking one step forward using a square stance forehand position, throw the medicine ball to the partner or wall mimicking a square stance forehand. Focus on great hip rotation. Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (6 to 20), then repeat on the other side of the body mimicking a square stance backhand. Can do a set substituting open or closed stances for square stances, or a set of mixed stances. Regardless, maintain good posture and use proper legs and hips to generate power.
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
57
Medicine Ball Granny Toss Stand holding a medicine ball (4 to 30 lbs, determined by stage of development, height and strength level). Squat into a powerful low position, keeping the back straight and the legs fully loaded, storing energy. From this loaded position, explode upward by triple extension of the ankles, knees and hips, and release the medicine ball with both hands overhead. Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (1 to 10), providing enough rest between each.
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
Medicine Ball Overhead Toss Holding a medicine ball (2 to 10 lbs determined by stage of development, height and strength level) stand facing a partner or a wall approximately 10 feet away. From an athletic position (ready position), throw the ball overhead using the kinetic chain to explode from the legs up through the core/hips via extension of the ankle knee and hip joints. Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (1 to 10).
iTPA
iTPA
58
Medicine Ball Chest Pass Stand in an athletic position (ready position) either in front of a solid wall or in an open area. Start with the arms extended in front of the chest. Explosively bend the elbows and bring the medicine ball to the chest, then rapidly throw the ball against the wall by contracting the chest and triceps muscles. Then reload from the starting position after an appropriate rest period, depending on the purpose of the drill. For power, rest at least 30 seconds. For muscular endurance, execute this motion as fast as possible for as many repetitions as possible in a certain time period (e.g., 15 seconds).
iTPA
iTPA
Medicine Ball Rotational Lunge Grasping a medicine ball with both hands extended in front of the body at chest level, step forward with the left leg absorbing the load of the body, and flex the front knee 90 into a lunge position while maintaining an upright posture. From this stable base of support, rotate over the front leg to the left and hold this end position for 2 seconds, then gradually return to the center and perform the same motion on the opposite leg. Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (6 to 20), alternating legs on each repetition.
59
Lower Body Exercises

There are many good exercises and the Rotational Medicine Ball Lunge (see Page 59) is one such drill. The following are a few more. Monster Walk Place an elastic band (tubing is good) around the calves and assume an athletic position (ready position) with thighs parallel to the ground and the knees bent close to 90. Take a small step to the right using the right leg, followed by a small step to the right with the left leg, returning the body to the starting position. Perform the appropriate number of steps to the right (6 to 20), then repeat for the same number of steps to the left. Activate the gluteus medius muscles in both legs while maintaining an erect core posture. Variations: may walk laterally, forward or diagonally.
iTPA
Alley Hops Start at corner of doubles sideline and baseline. From this starting point, jump with outside leg to the singles line. From the singles line, jump on the outside leg toward the doubles line. Note that the speed variation (below) is a good drill in a dynamic warm up. The stabilizing strength variation is harder and an excellent drill for leg strength. Variations: Speed Focused - explode as fast as possible from doubles sideline to singles sideline; more than 10 seconds for speed focused training; less than 10 seconds for speed/ endurance focused training. Stabilizing Strength Focused - jump as high as possible from doubles line to singles line, then stick on the landing and hold on one leg for 2 seconds. This variation can be difficult since it is a single leg jump, but by making the jump smaller and lower, less developed athletes can practice.
iTPA
60
Box Jump Use a plyobox 12 to 24 inches high, depending on ability. Stand facing the box (6 to 18 inches away) with feet shoulder width apart. From this position jump up onto the box. The goal is to explode up as powerfully as possible, but land softly sitting back in the hips. Use both legs together on landing. This develops good landing mechanics and reduces the impact throughout the lower body. Stepping down gently from the box is recommended (put a smaller box as a step). Perform this movement for the appropriate number of repetitions (6 to 20). Advanced variation: single leg. Plyoboxes are designed to take the force of jumps and have traction on top and some have larger landing areas which can help less experienced athletes. Plyoboxes however, may be awkward to transport to the tennis court. In place of a plyobox, a coach may substitute a sturdy bench on the court or 2 to 3 aerobic step benches (e.g., The High Step) which can work well with juniors or lighter athletes.
61
Exercises to Strengthen the Serve

There are many possible exercises to strengthen the serve and help prevent injuries. Some are provided in other sections (e.g., Sleeper Stretch on Page 46). The following are a few more specific to the serve.
Single Arm Rotational Pull Connect resistance tubing to the fence or other secure anchoring system. The anchoring point will be high about 7 to 10 feet above the ground. Grasp the handle of the resistance tubing with the dominant hand, positioning the body in the starting position of the serve. From this position, pull against the resistance into the loading stage of the serve. Slowly return the resistance tubing back to the starting position and repeat 12 to 15 times.
Overhead Triceps Extension

iTPA iTPA
Stand upright facing away from resistance tubing that is attached at ground level. Grasp the handle in the right hand with the right arm straight above the head and the elbow bent. Slowly extend the arm toward the sky by contracting the triceps so the elbow straightens. At the end of the movement, pause and slowly return the handle to the starting position via an eccentric triceps contraction. Repeat this movement (6 to 20 times) and then perform the same movement on left arm.
62
Shotput Serve Stand assuming normal serve ready or start position. Take a light (1 to 3 kg), small medicine ball in your racquet hand, and from the loading position of the serve, throw the medicine ball up and forward using a shotput throwing motion. Emphasize the loading position through knee flexion and trunk rotation and lateral bend as pictured below. The explosive nature of this exercise will carry the athlete upward and forward into the court. Perform 5 to 8 times, rest and repeat a second set.
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
90/90 Catch and Throw Kneeling on the ground with a coach or partner about 4 to 6 feet behind, position arm at a 90 angle at the shoulder and a 90 angle at the elbow. While holding a light weighted ball (less than 2 pounds), throw it backward while maintaining a 90/90 position at the shoulder and elbow. The coach/partner catches the ball and throws it back so that the athlete can catch it without having to move. Perform 5 to 8 times, rest and repeat a second set.
iTPA
iTPA
63
Single Leg Jump to Romanian Deadlift Starting balanced on one leg. Jump forward about 2 feet, landing on the same leg that was used to jump forward. As the landing movement is initiated, slowly bend (hinge) at the hip, keeping the back straight, core contracted, and leg straight with a slight bend in the knee. Perform this exercise 8 to 12 repetitions on each leg.
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
Larger view
iTPA
iTPA
iTPA
64
Drills for Speed, Agility andFootwork

There are a great number of drills to develop speed, agility and footwork. It is important to balance some drills with racquet work and footwork and some drills without the racquet. Some drills provided earlier, such as Service Line Repeaters (see Page 9) and Alley Hops for speed (see Page 60) are excellent.
Figure 8 Drill - Lateral and Linear Place two cones 3 to 4 feet apart (distance depends on players size). Start behind one cone and move explosively around both cones in a Figure 8 pattern. Footwork should include shuffling, forward and backward movement. Run this pattern 3 to 5 times or for 10 to 30 seconds. Variations: do with or without a racquet, or add explosive movement outside the Figure 8.
iTPA
iTPA
65
V - Volley Drill Place two cones equal distance from the center line in front of the service line. The cones should be about 8 to 10 feet apart. Start the drill just behind the service line facing the net. Alternatively move in front of each of the cones and perform a forehand volley stroke. This same pattern is performed on the backhand side as well. Recover to the starting position after each volley and perform a decision step (split step). This drill can be performed for a certain number of repetitions (5 to 10) or for a period of time (10 to 45 seconds). Emphasize proper footwork and intensity. Variation: use resistance cord.
iTPA
Spider Drill Start at the center mark on the baseline facing the net. Sprint to each of the five corners as shown in the court diagram, returning to the center mark after each corner. Can touch each corner with hand or foot, depending on the coaching purpose. Variation: corners to reach are in the doubles alley. With a stopwatch, this also serves as a great agility test.
66
Lateral Crossover Drill Start in an athletic position (ready position). Maintain a low to medium center of mass while pushing off the right leg and stepping the right foot over the left. Shuffle to the left by pushing off both feet and moving the left foot from behind the right foot and stepping to the left. Repeat the movement to the right side, making sure that the first step after changing directions will be a crossover step. Do 2 to 10 reps, resting 20 seconds between, then repeat.
iTPA
Lateral Shuffle Drill with Crossover Recovery Start in an athletic position (ready position). Maintain a low to medium center of mass, and perform 5 shuffles to the left. To successfully perform the shuffle, maintain a good athletic position as the feet are brought together without the feet crossing over each other. After 5 shuffles to the left, push off the outside left leg and shuffle back to the starting location. Repeat this movement pattern in the opposite direction (the right). Perform 2 to 6 reps, resting 20 to 30 seconds between, then repeat. Allow rest to be 5 times greater than movement time.
iTPA
67
Additional Resources
T.R. Bachle, R.W. Earle, eds, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Human Kinetics, 2008. Chu D, Faigenbaum A, Falkel, J, Progressive Plyometric Training for Kids, Healthy Learning, Monterey CA, 2006. N. Clark, Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Human Kinetics, 2nd edition, 1996, p 397. T. Ellenbecker, E.P. Roetert, Complete Conditioning for Tennis, Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, 1998. B. Elliot, M Reid, M. Crespo, Biomechanics of Advanced Tennis, International Tennis Federation, 2003. P. Etcheberry, Strength and Conditioning for Serious Tennis, The Etcheberry Experience DVD Series 2006. M. Kovacs, Dynamic Stretching, Ulysses Press, Berkeley CA, 2010. M. Kovacs (ed), International Tennis Performance Association, Certified Tennis Performance Specialist Workbook Study Guide, 2012. M. Kovacs (guest ed.), Special Topics Edition for Tennis, Strength and Conditioning Journal 2009 31(4)). May be ordered online (see Online Resources) M. Kovacs, W.B. Chandler, T.J. Chandler, Tennis Training: Enhancing On-Court Performance, Racquet Tech Publishing, Vista CA 2007. Pluim B, Safran M, eds. From breakpoint to advantage: a practical guide to optimal tennis health and performance. Vista, CA: USRSA, 2004. M. Reid, A.Quinn, M. Crespo, eds, Strength and Conditioning for Tennis, International Tennis Federation, 2003. E.P. Roetert, M. Kovacs, Tennis Anatomy, Human Kinetics, Champaign IL, 2011.
68
Online Resources
acsm.org/access-public-information (American College of Sports Medicine, public access information) www.choosemyplate.gov (daily dietary recommendations) en.coaching.itftennis.com (ITF Coaching and Sport Science Review) etcheberryexperience.com (Tennis-specific training by Pat Etcheberry) glycemicindex.com (glycemic index database of foods) www.itpa-tennis.org (International Tennis Performance Association) journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/toc/2009/08000 (Special Topics Edition for Tennis, Strength and Conditioning Journal 2009 31(4)) ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/list (Nutrient Data Laboratory, i.e., nutritional information for foods) www.usta.com/tennisrecovery/ (Recovery Project & Recovery in Tennis booklet)
69
References
1. G. Smekal, S.P. von Duvillard, C. Rihacek, R. Pokan, P. Hofmann, R. Baron, H.Tschan, and N. Bachl, A physiological profile of tennis match play, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2001 Jun;33(6):999-1005 2. J. Fernandez-Fernandez, V. Kinner, and A. Ferrauti, The physiological demands of hitting and running in tennis on different surfaces, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Res 2010, 24(12): 32553264. 3. Kovacs, M.S. Tennis physiology: training the competitive athletes, Sports Medicine, 2007 37(3), 189-198. 4. J Fernandez, A Mendez-Villanueva, and B M Pluim, Intensity of tennis match play, British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006 May; 40(5): 387391 5. S. Ridhwana, A.K. Ghoshb*, & C.C. Keong The Fractional Utilisation of Maximal Oxygen Consumption during Execution of Ground Strokes and Simulated Match in 14 to 18 years Malaysian Singles Tennis Players, International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 2010, 22(2) 45-65. 6. J. Fernandez-Fernandez, D. Sanz-Rivas, Alberto Mendez-Villanueva, A review of the activity profile and physiological demands of tennis match play, Strength and Conditioning Journal 2009 31(4) 15-26. 7. M. Kovacs, W.B. Chandler, T.J. Chandler, Tennis Training: Enhancing On-Court Performance, Racquet Tech Publishing, Vista CA 2007. 8. P. Etcheberry, Strength and Conditioning for Serious Tennis: Secrets to a Successful Start, The Etcheberry Experience DVD 2006 9. USTA data 10. H.M. Binkley, J. Beckett, D.J. Casa, D. M. Kleiner, P.E. Plummer. National Athletic Trainers Association Position Statement, Journal of Athletic Training 2002:37(3): 329-343. 11. M.N. Sawka, L.M. Burke, E.R. Eichner, R.J. Maughan, S.J. Montain, N.S. Stachenfeld, Exercise and Fluid Replacement, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2007 39(2) 377-390. 12. D.J. Casa, P.M. Clarkson, and W.O. Roberts American College of Sports Medicine roundtable on hydration and physical activity: consensus statements, Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2005 4:115127.
70
13. P. Love, Sports Food Practices of Elite Tennis Players 14th ITF Worldwide Coaches Workshop: Quality Coaching for the Future, Turkey 2005. 14. Compendium of Physical Activities (2011 data): http://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/sports 15. Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of physical activities: A second update of codes and MET values. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2011;43:1575 16. L. Bucci, Nutrition Applied to Injury Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, CRC Press (1995) 22-24. 17. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18; Protein ( g ) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure, sorted alphabetically 18. A. Nattiv, A.B. Loucks, M.M. Manore, C.F. Sanborn, J. Sundgot-Borgen, M.P. Warren, American College of Sports Medicine position stand. The female athlete triad, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2007, 39(10) 1867-1882 19. G.D. Myer, K.R. Ford, T.E., Hewett, Rationale and Clinical Techniques for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Prevention Among Female Athletes, Journal of Athletic Training. 2004 Oct-Dec: 39(4), 352-364. 20. B.M. Pluim, J.B. Staal, G.E. Windler, N. Jayanthi, Tennis injuries: occurrence, aetiology, and prevention, British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006:40:415-423. 21. W.B. Kibler, M. Safran, Tennis Injuries in DJ. Caine, N. Maffiulli (eds): Epidemiology of Pediatrics Sports Injuries. Individual Sports. Medicine and Sport Science, Basel, Karger, 2005 vol 48, pp 120-137. 22. Kibler, WTA/ATP serving analysis and injury analysis, ongoing project to be published 2012. 23. M.S. Kovacs, T.S Ellenbecker, A performance evaluation of the tennis serve: implications for strength, speed, power, and flexibility training, Strength & Conditioning Journal 33(4) 22-30 24. M.S. Kovacs, T.S Ellenbecker, An 8-stage model for evaluating the tennis serve: implications for performance enhancement and injury prevention, Sports Health, A Multidisciplinary Approach, 2011 3(6) 5-4-513. 25. P. Page, A New Exercise for Tennis Elbow that Works! North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2010 September; 5(3): 189193
71
26. T.F. Tyler, G.C., Thompson, S.J. Nicholas, P.M. Malachy, Addition of isolated wrist extensor eccentric exercise to standard treatment for chronic lateral epicondylosis: A prospective randomized trial, Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery 2010 19(6) , 917-922. 27. E. Witvrouw, N. Mahieu, L. Danneels, P. McNair, Stretching and Injury Prevention: An Obscure Relationship. Sports Medicine 2004 34 (7) 2004 , 443-449(7) 28. S.M Weldon, R.H Hill, The efficacy of stretching for prevention of exercise-related injury: a systematic review of the literature, Manual Therapy 2003 8(3), 141LINK 29. R.D. Herbert, M.Gabriel, Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review, British Medical Journal, 2002 325:468. 30. K. Woods,P. Bishop, Phillip; E. Jones, Warm-Up and Stretching in the Prevention of Muscular Injury, Sports Medicine, 2007 37(12) 1089-1099. 31. M. P. McHugh, C. H. Cosgrave, To stretch or not to stretch: the role of stretching in injury prevention and performance, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 2010 20(2) 169181. 32. L. Hart, Effect of Stretching on Sport Injury Risk: a Review, Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2005 15(2) 113. 33. W.B. Young, D.G. Behm, Should static stretching be used during a warm-up for strength and power activities?, Strength and Conditioning Journal 2002 24(6) 33-37. 34. P. Weerapong, P. Hume, G. Kolt, Stretching: Mechanisms and Benefits for Sport Performance and Injury Prevention, Physical Therapy Reviews 2004 9(4) 189-206. 35. E.M. Torres, W.J. Kraemer, J.L.Vingren, J.S.Volek, D.L. Hatfield, B.A. Spiering, J.Y. Ho, M.S. Fragala, G.A. Thomas, J.M. Anderson, K. Hkkinen, C.M. Maresh, Effects of stretching on upper-body muscular performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2008 22 1279-1285. 36. D. Knudson, Stretching during warm-up: do we have enough evidence? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 1999 70(7), 24-27, 51. 37. E.P. Roetert, M. Kovacs, D. Knudson J.L. Groppel, Biomechanics of the Tennis Groundstrokes: Implications for Strength Training, Strength & Conditioning Journal 2009 31(4) 41-49 38. D.J. McMillan, J.H. Moore,B.S. Hatler, D.C. Taylor, Dynamic vs static-stretching warm-up: the effect on power and agility performance, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2006, 20(3), 492499
72
39. S.L. Herman, D.T. Smith Four-week dynamic stretching warm-up intervention elicits longer term performance benefits, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2008 22 12861297. 40. B.W. Holt, K. Lambourne, The impact of different warm-up protocols on vertical jump performance in male collegiate athletes, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2008 22(1) 226-229. 41. M.S. Kovacs, E.P. Roetert, T.S. Ellenbecker, Efficient deceleration: the forgotten factor in tennis-specific training, Strength & Conditioning Journal 2008 30(6) 58-69 42. Chu D, Faigenbaum A, Falkel, J, Progressive Plyometric Training for Kids, Healthy Learning, Monterey CA, 2006. 43. W.G. Chase, H.A. Simon, The minds eye in chess, in W.G. Chase (eds) Visual Information Processing, New York: Academic Press 1973. 44. K.A. Ericsson, RT. Krampe, C. Tesch-Romer. The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance, Psychological Review 1993 Vol 100(3) 363-406.
POBox 4739 Hilton Head Island SC 29938 USA 843-785-7244 800-421-6289 www.ptrtennis.org
73

Practical On Court Applications For Sports Science by PTR

Transféré par

Informations du document

Titre original

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Practical On Court Applications For Sports Science by PTR

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Practical On Court Applications for

Essential Cool Down Stretches

Shoulder and Upper Arm Exercises

Upper Body Exercises

Exercises to Strengthen/Stabilize Core and Hips/Glutes

Power Exercises with a Medicine Ball

Lower Body Exercises

Exercises to Strengthen the Serve

Drills for Speed, Agility and Footwork

Additional Resources Online Resources References

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

About this Publication

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Principles of Training Tennis Players

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

The Physical Demands of Tennis

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Measuring Athleticism in Tennis Players

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Areas of Athleticism That Can Be Improved

The Difference Between Strength and Power

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

How the Kinetic Chain Works

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

How Difficult or Easy Should Training Sessions Be?

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Planning Training and Playing Schedules - Periodization

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Heat Related Illnesses

Hydration During Training and Matches

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Energy Expended in Competitive Tennis

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

The Most Common Tennis Injuries andPrevention

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Best Practices for the Warm Up

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Best Practices for the Cool Down

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Additional Literature and Resources

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science

Dynamic Warm Up Exercises

PTR Practical On Court Applications for Sport Science