Successful tennis players incorporate stretching and exercise in their training programs. Stretching helps reduce injuries and improves flexibility, range of motion and balance. Tennis specific exercises focus on strengthening and training different muscle groups. With a regular routine, you can improve your on-court performance and movement.
Leg Stretch and Exercise
Stretch your hamstring and calf muscles with resistance bands. To perform this stretch, sit on the floor and wrap a resistance band around the ball of your right foot. Grasp the ends of the band and lie back on the floor. Keep your left leg straight as you raise your right leg. Straighten your right leg as you pull on the band. Push your heel up to stretch the calf muscles. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, lower your leg and repeat with the left leg.
Lunges with hand weights work the lower body. Start in a standing position and hold a 5 lb. weight in each hand. Take a step forward with your right leg, lower your body until your right knee is in a 90-degree angle. Keep your hands by your side and concentrate on keeping your back straight and your knee straight over the toe of your right foot. Stand, take a step with your left foot and repeat the body positioning. Take 10 to 15 steps per leg, rest a few minutes and repeat. A variation of this is to do the lunges backward.
Shoulder Stretch and Exercise
Stretch your shoulder muscles by taking your right arm and wrapping it around the front of your body at chin height. Hold your right elbow with your left hand and pull your arm toward your body. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, relax and repeat with the opposite arm.
Exercise your shoulders by doing the lateral row with a resistance band. Stand on the middle of a resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart. Firmly grasp the ends of the band. With your palms facing your body, hold your arms by your side, slightly bent. Raise your arms to the side of your body until they are shoulder high. Slowly lower your arms to the starting position and repeat 10 to 15 times. Rest and repeat.
Forearm Stretch and Exercise
Stretch your forearm muscles by holding your left arm straight out in front of your body at shoulder height. Lock your elbow and bend your wrist so that your palm is pointing forward and your fingers pointing up. With your right hand, pull back on the fingers of your left hand. Hold this position 30 seconds and repeat with the right arm. To further stretch the forearm, hold your left arm out as before, but this time bend your wrist down so that your fingers point down. Pull the fingers back with your right hand. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the right arm.
Exercise your forearm muscles using small hand weights. To perform this exercise, rest your right forearm flat on a table with your wrist at the edge of the table. Hold the weight with your palm down. Raise your hand up, hold for five seconds and then lower your hand below the level of the table. Repeat the up and down movement 15 times and then switch arms. Continue the exercise by turning your right arm over, palm facing up holding the weight. While bending your wrist, bring your hand up, hold for five seconds and then lower your hand below the level of the table. Repeat the up and down movement 15 times and repeat with the left arm.
Core Muscle Stretch and Exercise
Stretch your core muscles from a standing position. With your feet shoulder-width apart, lift your arms straight over your head and overlap your hands. Start by slowly bending at your waist to the right. Hold this position for 10 seconds and return to the starting position. Continue by bending to the left for 10 seconds. Return to the starting position and bend backward for a 10-second stretch. Complete the stretch with a 10-second forward bend. Concentrate on keeping your back straight and your arms straight throughout the stretching. Repeat five times.
Strengthen your core muscles with the plank hold exercise. Start by lying face down on the floor. Raise and balance your body on your toes, elbows and forearms. Concentrate on keeping a straight body line from your head to your feet. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then relax for a minute. Repeat five times.
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