Female tennis players need to be well-conditioned to meet the intense demands of the game. These athletes must be quick on their feet to move to unexpected shots, and have strength and power to hit the ball across the net. Men and women have the same training principles for tennis, though a female's musculature system and hormones will not allow for the same strength gains. A female tennis player's workout routine involves developing balance, speed, flexibility and endurance, and weight-training.
Agility and Speed Work
Agility exercises are used to develop speed and quickness. Some exercises include figure runs, the player runs around a set up figure multiple times. Sprint lateral shuffles are sprinting from one marker and side-stepping to the next. These develop foot speed and coordination for female tennis athletes. Agility exercises are to be done at the beginning of a workout session after a 10 minute warm-up.
Endurance
Endurance training is crucial for female tennis players. They are constantly moving across the court in bouts of moderate to high intensity. Working out for 60 minutes is vital for these women to stay aerobically fit. Activities that are performed to meet this are running, training on the elliptical or stair climbing. Cycling and swimming are good for active recovery after a game. They not only work the heart and lungs, but are effective without the wear and tear on the athlete's bodies.
Weight Training
Weight-training is an important part of how women train for tennis. The routine is focused on strengthening the whole body, working on all the major muscle groups. Squats, lunges, bicep curls, rows and crunches are just a few of the strength training exercises that are involved. Women tennis players will develop optimal power in their serves, backhands, forehands and volleys. To develop power, plyometrics must be added into practice. For instance, squat jumps and side throws with a medicine ball will increase their performance on the court. Never do weight-training on consecutive days.
Flexibility
Stretching involves the whole body, and is done after a workout when the body is warm. Here are some guidelines female tennis athletes follow for an effective stretching session: Stretch just to the point of discomfort, and breathe during each stretch. Holding the stretch for up to 30 seconds increases a female's flexibility and range of motion. Warming up and cooling down are an important part of training for tennis.
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