Rotator Cuff Exercises For Tennis

The rotator cuff muscles are an important group of shoulder muscles you need to keep strong, flexible and injury free if you want to continue playing tennis. The American College of Sports Medicine advises that the rotator cuff muscles are responsible for forcing the head of the humerus (arm bone) into the joint cavity while assisting the larger muscles to rotate, abduct and adduct the humerus. The four muscles located on the shoulder blade are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and the teres minor.
Strengthen your rotator cuff by using an exercise band and an immovable bar or post. You can perform the exercises below at home or in a gym. Do 20 repetitions per set, per shoulder, building up to three sets per exercise.

Internal Rotation

This exercise is for your subscapularis, the muscle on the underside of your shoulder blade. It assists in rotating your humerus toward you.
Anchor the band to the level of your elbow, looping one handle through the other handle. Grab the free handle with your right hand. Step sideways from the post, stepping far enough away to create tension on the band. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees, bringing your forearm in front of you. Keeping your elbow tucked to your rib cage, rotate at your right shoulder as far right or outward as possible. Pull the band to your abdominals, creating an arch with your forearm. After a set of 20 reps, turn facing the opposite direction and switch arms.

External Rotation

The infraspinatus and teres minor muscles help to externally rotate your humerus bone or rotate your humerus away from you. It is located on the back bottom part of your shoulder blade.
Stand with your right side adjacent to the post. Hold the free handle with your left hand. Step sideways to create tension in the band. Bend your left elbow to 90 degrees, your forearm in front of you and your elbow tucked to your rib cage. Rotate your shoulder, forming an arch with your forearm from your abdominals outward as far left as possible. After a set of 20 reps, turn facing the opposite direction and switch arms.

External Shoulder Rotation with Abduction

Adjust the anchor position to waist height. This exercise especially mimics the position of the rotator cuff in a tennis serve. Keeping your humerus abducted as you externally rotate at your shoulder joint works your supraspinatus muscle, the muscle on the uppermost part of your scapula.
Stand facing the anchor point, the free handle in your right hand. Bend your right elbow to 90 degrees. Abduct your arm to form 90 degrees at your shoulder joint, moving your entire arm 30 degrees forward. Your palm is facing down, and your forearm is parallel to the floor. Use your left hand to support your right arm in this position throughout the movement. Pull the band backward so that your forearm is perpendicular to the floor. Repeat for 20 reps, then switch arms.