5 Things You Need to Know About Tennis Conditioning Programs

1. Conditioning is Your Overall Goal

Tennis conditioning programs use stretching, resistance exercises, calisthenics and plyometrics. The musculoskeletal system strengthening and conditioning is your overall goal, which improves your muscle fitness and stamina. Physiologically, your tennis game improves substantially because you are effectively training your body to increase overall muscle function, ligament strength and tendon strength while maintaining bone density. Conditioning programs also help you have a better outlook on your game, esteem, certainty and sense of worth.

2. Increase Athletic Performance

One of the key results of tennis conditioning programs is increased athletic performance. Your muscles literally draw on energy to generate proper movement, functioning like a machine as a source of power designed for the body. Not only does conditioning your body for tennis improve your game, but it also contributes to your everyday activities--you'll feel and look healthy and will be able to keep up with all group activities.

3. Play Well Into Your Golden Years

Studies prove that you need to do tennis condition programs, such as the programs recommend by the United States Tennis Association, on a regular basis to prevent loss of muscle mass. Otherwise, the body loses over half a pound of muscle mass a year. By simply maintaining a conditioning program that is practical and effectual, you can play tennis well into your golden years with little or no acute or chronic injuries like tennis elbow, shoulder pain, knee problems or backaches.

4. Work That Body Right

A typical tennis conditioning program consists of warm up and run drills followed by tennis practice. Tennis practice includes about ten cardiovascular and body movement exercises on the court, with 60 to 90 second rest intervals between each exercise, every other exercise or group of exercises. Then, you end with a complete circuit of strength training exercises done one right after the other. Of course, you need to have a cool down period with light stretching.

5. Maintaining a Program Means Everything

Working out with a personal trainer one-on-one or with a group is the best way to maintain a tennis conditioning program. As kids in school, the coach drives the players to condition themselves at each practice, paying attention to proper form and timing. Once you leave school and are on your own, you have to apply self-discipline to keep to your conditioning program in full. That is why hiring a personal trainer or joining a club for group exercise programs is so vital. That way, you end up playing tennis well into your golden years, still making those drive shots at the net.

Last updated on: Nov 18, 2009

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