Arm muscle question.

[Mikeplaystenniss]

I recently went to some new rackets. Prince EXO3 Black. I changed from a lighter racket. These seem heavier. Because of this my swing speed seems slower and my contact point is always later then usual. I figured I'd try and build some arm muscle to better control the racket and just overall hit the ball that extra MPH.

So my question is, What are some good exercises to beef up my arms just right and my core? I don't always have the time for the gym, keep in mind.

[LeeD]

Pushups, pullups, arm curls with freeweights, lifting stuff, painting, gardening.
Or, try to turn shoulders earlier.

[Mikeplaystenniss]

Turn my shoulders earlier through contact or before contact?

[LeeD]

Of course, both.
If you're early prepping for the ball, and you can use your trunk to assist in your swing, you won't need to gain muscle mass.

[charliefedererer]

The thrower's ten is probably the best set of exercises to help prevent shoulder, elbow and wrist problems: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/pdf/main/a...throwers10.pdf

As others have already stated, quickly uncoiling at the hips and shoulders provides the power in a tennis swing.

Your arm largely just needs to be strong enough to not prematurely release the racquet from the "point the butt of the racquet at the ball" position - release too early and you won't get that "pop" from a properly timed pronation movement on the serve and forehand.

The Modern Forehand – the secret is the Lag by Jim McLennan http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Featur...s-the-Lag.aspx

McCraw explaining a serve pronation exercise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONY6fcqZGg

Nick Bollettieri-Sonic Serve.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoZ0f7hw-A




For improving actual core strength, it's hard to beat the squat. If you can't make it to the gym to do barbells squats, then start with body weight squats and progress to single leg "piston" squats. Squats work not only the legs ans core, also the muscles that connect the legs to the core.
Squat - Single Leg Balance http://www.coreperformance.com/knowl...g-balance.html


For translating core strength into usable power, it's hard to beat tennis!

But it has to be tennis where you are really focusing on rotating the shoulders and hips away from the ball to coil, then rapidly uncoiling into ball contact.
Working on coiling/uncoiling can lead to a fair number of mishits as you struggle to get the timing right.
If you don't have a hitting partner willing to suffer along with you as you really emphasize more coiling/uncoiling in your technique, you can practice yourself against the wall:
Backboard or Hitting Wall Tennis Lesson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gILqU...eature=related (That tip by Ian to let the ball bounce twice often gives the player sufficient time to really coil/uncoil properly.)



If you ever get the time to go to the gym and do a full workout to get in better tennis shape, you may want to check out the following:

The Elite Approach to Tennis Strength Training http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com...-training.html

Tennis Weight Training - Exercises of Weight Training for Tennis http://optimumtennis.net/tennis-weight-training.htm