Need a good workout plan.

[seeker06]

I'm getting back into tennis and need a good workout to help me play a more power game. I recently joined a gym and have been lifting weights.

I am wanting to improve my:

Serve speed
Core (for like for forehand/backhand)
Balance
Legs

any advice is welcome

Thanks for the help!

[Vyse]

Squats, deadlifts, bench, military press. That is where it is at

[Itagaki]

and Turkish Get Ups

[charliefedererer]

This sports fitness advisor website has a good overview of weight training for tennis, and advises a three phase approach of advancing from a foundation strenght phase to maximal strength phase to a strenght endurance power phase. They also stress the need for a rotator cuff and forearm program through all three phases to help prevent the all-too-common shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries that plague even tennis players who lift for strength, but fail to do this specific regimen as well.
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com...-training.html

[Slazenger07]

Make Squats, Dead lifts, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Bench Press and Dumbbell Bench, Leg Press, Dips, Pullups, Chinups, Ab Wheel a regular part of your routines. Also include isolation work for best muscle development. And remember: 1-6 reps for strength, 8-12 for size, 13+ for endurance.

Once youve got size youre happy with Id recommend spending some time training your legs in the 12-15 rep range. This will help develop you endurance fibers and keep your legs from getting as tired after running all over the court. I trained my legs like this for a couple months and still continue to do it from time to time and have noticed a great improvement in the endurance of my leg muscles.

Highly recommend it!

[Djokovicfan4life]

Originally Posted by Slazenger07

Make Squats, Dead lifts, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Bench Press and Dumbbell Bench, Leg Press, Dips, Pullups, Chinups, Ab Wheel a regular part of your routines. Also include isolation work for best muscle development. And remember: 1-6 reps for strength, 8-12 for size, 13+ for endurance.

Once youve got size youre happy with Id recommend spending some time training your legs in the 12-15 rep range. This will help develop you endurance fibers and keep your legs from getting as tired after running all over the court. I trained my legs like this for a couple months and still continue to do it from time to time and have noticed a great improvement in the endurance of my leg muscles.

Highly recommend it!

Why does a beginner need two types of deadlifts, leg presses in addition to squats, and two kinds of benching (not even a different angle, mind you, just BB vs. DB), with isolation exercises thrown on top as well?

OP, I would highly suggest keeping things simple. I suggest making the heavy compound lifts your staples, this means squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, power clean. If you push yourself, and I mean really push yourself you'll see results. This means as soon as you get all your reps, increase the weight. Don't even think twice about it.

You don't really state a specific goal in your post, you just say you want to "improve". If you mean adding some mass you're gonna have to eat a lot, probably twice as much as you think you need. However, since you're new to weight training a lot of your strength gains will come from technical improvements rather than pure mass. Learn how to do things right from the start. Don't ever get to a point where you assume your technique is "good". Increases in weight can mess with it (ex: cheating the depth on heavy squats) so always be aware of your form when lifting. Even the most experienced powerlifters would tell you this.

One tip I can't emphasize enough: don't breathe during your reps. Big breath of air = improved tightness = more stability from your abs = improved strength. Breathe in between reps.

[Slazenger07]

One tip I can't emphasize enough: don't breathe during your reps. Big breath of air = improved tightness = more stability from your abs = improved strength. Breathe in between reps.[/quote]

I didnt mean throw all of those exercises together into one workout, jeez that would be overkill! They should be regulars in anyone's workout split tho.

You should breath out as you begin the concentric portion of the lift, breath in as you begin the eccentric portion. You shouldnt hold your breath during reps.

[cncretecwbo]

Originally Posted by Slazenger07

You should breath out as you begin the concentric portion of the lift, breath in as you begin the eccentric portion. You shouldnt hold your breath during reps.

unless you have a high blood pressure or something, the safest way and best way to lift the most weight is to take a breath before you begin the eccentric portion and HOLD the breath until you pass the "sticking" point of the concentric portion.

not only will this let you produce more force, but it also stabilizes your core/back/spine for the part of the lift with the most pressure on those areas.

[Vyse]

Originally Posted by Slazenger07

Make Squats, Dead lifts, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Bench Press and Dumbbell Bench, Leg Press, Dips, Pullups, Chinups, Ab Wheel a regular part of your routines. Also include isolation work for best muscle development. And remember: 1-6 reps for strength, 8-12 for size, 13+ for endurance.

Once youve got size youre happy with Id recommend spending some time training your legs in the 12-15 rep range. This will help develop you endurance fibers and keep your legs from getting as tired after running all over the court. I trained my legs like this for a couple months and still continue to do it from time to time and have noticed a great improvement in the endurance of my leg muscles.

Highly recommend it!

I still think if you do rep ranges of 1-6 your gonna get bigger. With strength, comes size.

[Djokovicfan4life]

Originally Posted by Vyse

I still think if you do rep ranges of 1-6 your gonna get bigger. With strength, comes size.

Yes, this is especially true for beginners. Best thing I ever did was train using 5 rep sets and eating a ton.

[Vyse]

Originally Posted by Djokovicfan4life

Yes, this is especially true for beginners. Best thing I ever did was train using 5 rep sets and eating a ton.

Did you do the 5x5 routine?

[Slazenger07]

Originally Posted by Djokovicfan4life

Yes, this is especially true for beginners. Best thing I ever did was train using 5 rep sets and eating a ton.

I started out training in the 6-12 rep range, never going lower than 6 reps for a long time, eating a ton and started making big gains within a couple months, In strength and size. That was 3.5 years ago, I still rarely go below 6reps when Im training. Usually keep it in the 8-12 range. Everyone always suggests beginners start strength training first, I dont really get why this is the popular choice, as I feel you would get better mass gains if you just stick with a hypertrophy range from the beginning.

My chest workout today was composed entirely in the 6-12 range.

Flat Dumbbell Press 3 sets 10,8,6
Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets 10,8,8
Flat Dumbbell Flys 3 sets 12,10,10
Cable Crossovers 3 sets 10,8,8 (went a little heavier with these than I usually do as a change up)

Must say, my chest is aching really good all over right now and was super pumped after my workout. Ill do this one for four weeks then change it up like I usually do.

[Vyse]

The most annoying though with lifting during this time especially to gain muscle is being sore during tennis. After the first 10 minutes, you feel fine but afterward, you will probably be pretty tired. This will add up over time

[TennisBeginner]

I was also thinking about training up my legs, how many squats should I be doing?

[Djokovicfan4life]

Originally Posted by TennisBeginner

I was also thinking about training up my legs, how many squats should I be doing?

Before I broke my arm I was squatting 3 times a week with very little problems. Sounds like a lot, but for beginners who can't lift serious weights yet this is not overdoing it.

[TennisBeginner]

Originally Posted by Djokovicfan4life

Before I broke my arm I was squatting 3 times a week with very little problems. Sounds like a lot, but for beginners who can't lift serious weights yet this is not overdoing it.

Alright thanks man, I will start doing them at night when I exercise.