Anyone play other sports?

jagsv650

Rookie
I was just wondering does anyone here play or has played other sports at a high level and how has it helped or hurt you in tennis?

I used to play open level beach volleyball and think it really helped my doubles. It helped me with court coverage, communication and teamwork. It also helped with my overhead.
 

AceofBase

Rookie
Boxing, help me get most of my power and not only that thou its help get all the power when your not in a good position. Boxing is more in form and stroke on how you punch and how you move.
 

Loco4Tennis

Hall of Fame
i played soccer most of my life when i was not playing tennis,
it helped me with footwork, playing golie helped me with angle possition to better cover court
 
I bowl at a higher level than I play tennis, averaging a little over 200. The physical side is nothing like tennis, but the mental is similar - focus on each shot, especially when the pressure is on.
 

raiden031

Legend
I played football in high school and as a kid, and occasionally I play touch football with co-workers. Football definitely helped me develop alot of athleticism and quick feet. It definitely helps my tennis game. I still lack match experience and ability to handle variety. That will come with time and practice.
 

nyc

Hall of Fame
Soccer and Ice Hockey - Footwork, Core Strength, Speed and yes, I still have all my teeth to flash that winning smile :D
 

JLyon

Hall of Fame
I bowl at a higher level than I play tennis, averaging a little over 200. The physical side is nothing like tennis, but the mental is similar - focus on each shot, especially when the pressure is on.

cool glad to see another bowler. Last year of bowling averaged 198, also bowled 3 years in college averaging roughly 195 over 10-15 tournaments all over. Have not bowled since Texas State down in Austin last year, due to knee issues. Funny how I can play tennis with little pain but bowling kills my knee.
 

Topaz

Legend
Before tennis I played softball. Before softball I practiced gymnastics. Now, in addition to tennis, I run and do races between 5k and 10 miles. Running definitely helps with endurance for long matches, but to train for a really long race I have to cut back on tennis, and that makes me unhappy. I know soccer is great cross training for tennis, but I've never played it and wish I did.
 

skiracer55

Hall of Fame
road biking...

...mountain biking, Masters Alpine ski racing, telemarking, surfing...X training is good for you...
 

Hokiez

Rookie
I'm a better golfer than tennis player (was a 1 handicap, now a 6-7 since I've hardly played in the last 10 years).
 

Dan007

Hall of Fame
Use to do swimming and taekwondo. I was talented in taekwondo, but after moving to the U.S. from Korea, breaking ankles multiple times, I lost motivation. Mainly due to suckish taekwondo training here in the states. I also like to play basketball, badminton, and many othernsports with my friends.
 

njjohan

Rookie
Well not real high level, but I'm a sub on the high school soccer team here in England, and am looking to make the field hockey team.
 

Adrupert

New User
I have played baseball at a national level, and have also played soccer albeit not as well as baseball. Baseball really gave me good hand-eye coordination and soccer has helped with my footwork. I started playing tennis recently to decent success however I have trouble getting my serve technique correct as I am a pitcher so used to a wind-up throwing motion. I also tend to 'baseball' my 2h backhand, which can send it long at times.
 
Played football, basketball, golf in HS. Golf was just so I could get out of more classes during tennis season. In college, I played Ultimate and continued playing thru graduate school. Ultimate was the most demanding game I have ever played and has alot of physical moves similar to hitting a tennis ball. You just don't have to be in as great of shape to play tennis.
 
I used to play volleyball indoor as well as outdoor, setter. It helped my doubles a lot because as a setter, you have to be positive. In doubles, beach volleyball has a more positive outlook than doubles tennis, I think tennis players can learn a few things from beach volleyball players.

I concurrently play high level racquetball. Rball helped my tennis game tremendously. Also table tennis (spins: top and back), badmitton (volleys and overheads).
 
Played football, basketball, golf in HS. Golf was just so I could get out of more classes during tennis season. In college, I played Ultimate and continued playing thru graduate school. Ultimate was the most demanding game I have ever played and has alot of physical moves similar to hitting a tennis ball. You just don't have to be in as great of shape to play tennis.

Ultimate is brutal. When I was in tip top shape in my college days, my doubles partner and I would cross train playing Ultimate doubles 2 v 2 and we would die. Greg Patton, coach of UC Irvine men's tennis at the time, is from Santa Barbara and he loves Ultimate.

She was on the track team, a heptathlete but she would be sucking wind. That is one physically challenging game.

I went to grad school in UCSB and the Ultimate teams at SB were phenomenal The Black Tides and The Burning Skirts).
 
Run: just did first half marathon. Play a little golf but never have time to practice enough to get good. Always playing tennis or running. Running is great for fitness. Lost 25 lbs. since I started about 8 mos. ago
 

JRstriker12

Hall of Fame
OTher than Tennis - I love playing soccer. In fact, I used to love playing soccer morethan tennis. Unfortunately, I can't play contact sports like soccer any more due to medical problems.

I thank God that I can still play tennis though.
 

origmarm

Hall of Fame
I used to row before my motorbike accident. Hurt the tennis in some ways and helped in others. Helped with the fitness. Killed the speed, reaction time and the feel in the hands, it comes back with time
 
Ultimate is brutal. When I was in tip top shape in my college days, my doubles partner and I would cross train playing Ultimate doubles 2 v 2 and we would die. Greg Patton, coach of UC Irvine men's tennis at the time, is from Santa Barbara and he loves Ultimate.

She was on the track team, a heptathlete but she would be sucking wind. That is one physically challenging game.

I went to grad school in UCSB and the Ultimate teams at SB were phenomenal The Black Tides and The Burning Skirts).

Yea, I went with a group of guys from NC to UCSB for some games. They had some very good teams back in the late 80s and early 90's. But we did too. DC was also a great area for players as well. When I moved to FL for graduate school, it was not as good down there. Some good players in Miami.

While you can try to run the other guy in tennis, there is nothing like making him guard you for a few 65 yard sprits to open the game up.

Now that I am 44 yo, I still like to look my oponant in the eye after the 2nd hard set and tell them how much fun this is getting out and do a little warm-up running before my evening traing session and wish him luck in the third.
 

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
In addition to tennis, I ran track & cross country and played basketball in high school. In college, I played intramural basketball and briefly considered trying to walk on to the basketball team before the tennis coach ruled us out of playing other sports if we were under scholarship to play tennis.

As an adult, I've learned to golf, have played recreational softball, and have run a marathon. However, tennis takes so much time to be good at, I spend most of my time either working out for or playing that game.
 

Andres

G.O.A.T.
Basketball and table tennis. Played two seasons of professional basketball in Argentina (actually, season and a half, before having shoulder surgeries). I still consider myself a basketball player first, and then a tennis player.

Helped to an ENORMOUS extent my speed, overall footwork, and stamina. Specially the forward running and the lateral running. It also helps your court sense and peripheric vision.

Anyone should try it. Specially for the stamina part.
 

diegaa

Hall of Fame
I play chess, it's a sport, isnt it?
J/K

I do play real football, best sport of all. But in the past I did practice several sports (swiming, judo, softball, paddle tennis, waterpolo and some basketball). i guess i had lots of free time. :p
 
Yea, I went with a group of guys from NC to UCSB for some games. They had some very good teams back in the late 80s and early 90's. But we did too. DC was also a great area for players as well. When I moved to FL for graduate school, it was not as good down there. Some good players in Miami.

While you can try to run the other guy in tennis, there is nothing like making him guard you for a few 65 yard sprits to open the game up.

Now that I am 44 yo, I still like to look my oponant in the eye after the 2nd hard set and tell them how much fun this is getting out and do a little warm-up running before my evening traing session and wish him luck in the third.

Remind me to keep the points short when we play each other in tennis? :)

I was at SB during the times you mentioned. Frisbee Golf is more my speed nowadays :sad:
 
I've skated / played ice hockey since I was 4 but I don't see how either sport has helped me in the other, except maybe for keeping in shape.

In my town there were like 5 of us that played tennis in the summer and ice hockey in the winter. I was the youngest by 4 to 6 years, so I had the benefit of people better than me to watch and learn from, and play against. I eventually surpassed the others in hockey, but not in tennis (for example, I'm not even close to my older brother in tennis, but I can run circles around him on a rink).
 

spdskr

Rookie
While tennis has been my favorite competitive sport since I was a teen, I also consider myself a better than average racquetball player and skier. Since skiing and tennis are different times of year, I'm not sure there is a crosstraining advantage between these two other than endurance.

Racquetball, however, is a huge advantage to my tennis game. Hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and footwork are all improved on the tennis court after playing racquetball. I also feel like I get more power on my tennis strokes after playing racquetball. On the flip side, playing tennis seems to have negative effects on my racquetball game.....so much harder to naturally hit a kill shot after hitting topsin on a tennis ball.
 

Cindysphinx

G.O.A.T.
Tennis is my first competitive sport.

I was raised in a pre-Title 9 conservative area of the southwest at a time when boys took "shop" and learned woodworking and girls took home-economics and learned to sew. My high school had some sports for girls, but girls' sports were looked down upon as "not real." Being a cheerleader was where it was at, but I couldn't do the splits. :)

As an adult, I ran and worked out for health/fitness, but it got kind of boring without a real goal other than achieving a smaller butt. I ran some races up to 10 milers, but I always found myself running along thinking, "This is stoopid. I could be running around my neighborhood just as easily, and then I wouldn't have this dumb number flapping around and look at all these annoying people in my way and by the way where is the PortoPotty, anyway?" So, uh. That didn't last.

Tennis has been great to give me motivation in my workouts. 'Cause I do prefer to win, and I do like my skirts to fit.

Cindy -- who can make a very nice lasagna and sew Halloween costumes for her kids, but who has underdeveloped skills in judging the spin on a ball
 
Not extremely high level, but I played soccer and badminton in high school. Also lately I've been playing paintball lol. They're all good for raising overall fitness and hand-to-eye coordination.
 

goober

Legend
elementary school: soccer every day

Middle school: basketball all the time.

High school: track and field/ cross country. Absolutely hated the workouts but enjoyed the meets.

College and after: major blob, gained 30 lbs- until I started playing tennis much later on in my 30s:D
 

tbini87

Hall of Fame
i played soccer, baseball, and basketball from 5 years old until i was 15. in high school i was a tri sport athlete playing football, basketball, baseball. played golf and beach volleyball over summer for fun. got into tennis 1 year after graduating high school and now am planning on playing tennis for my jc. other sports have definitely helped with tennis. hand eye coordination, speed, footwork, stamina, competitiveness, anticipation, teamwork, mental toughness, etc.
 

ofey

New User
Primary School :
Badminton - representing my school in district games, never making national level.
Soccer - representing school at national level, selected to combined schools side.
Tennis - First picked up a racquet at 10, played quite abit but was never any good due to the flick wrist badminton taking priority.

Secondary School:
Soccer - Every day in school... .
Badminton - About once a week.
Tennis - About once a week.

Junior College:
Soccer - 3X a week in school.
Tennis - Once a week.

University:
Soccer - Weekly

Now, Tennis again after a 8 yr break, about 3-4 times a week, still finding my touch, though my desire to emulate Edberg's serve, forehand and backhand is making my job quite tough.
 

NLBwell

Legend
I was an excellent competitive diver but quit at 15 when it got down to either focusing my life on it or not taking it seriously. That's when I started playing tennis a lot. I definitely had strong legs, but I don't that it helped tennis in any other way. I was also a very good basketball player and that definitely helped with movement, quickness, and explosiveness (I was 5'9" as a junior in high school and could dunk the basketball - who says white boys can't dunk).
 

Hidious

Professional
Have you noticed that most men top pros used to play soccer? And some of the European ladies top players did it too. :)
This means nothing at all, EVERYBODY in Europe has Soccer as their primary sport.

As far as i'm concerned, i'm Canadian so, guess what, Hockey is my main sport and is almsot what i live for. ;)
 

onehandbh

G.O.A.T.
Used to play lots of other sports - basketball, surfing, rock climbing,
ultimate frisbee, 2-man beach volleyball. Don't have time anymore
to do as much. Basketball really interfered with my tennis & rock
climbing b/c jammed fingers made it difficult.
 

cak

Professional
League or competive sports:

Primary - volleyball, softball

High school - tennis, basketball, flag football

College - intramural soccer

After college (adult leagues): soccer, volleyball, softball all of which I'm no longer play (or in the case of soccer, strongly discouraged by my doctor) and now I play tennis.

I do also do quite a bit of bicycling, and running. But neither in races anymore. And I'm working toward a golf handicap.

The bicycling and running help with endurance. The golf swing just messes me up. Perhaps softball helped with my eye hand coordination, and certainly soccer helps with footwork and reflexes.
 

Jracer77

Rookie
I occasionally go around and around in circles....but I dont think it helps me in Tennis :)

Actually I think it helped me. After years and years of racing and putting myself at risk in tight situations I find that I often win sets and matches because the other person gets tight on the big points. I find myself seldom getting tight in tennis matches because the way I see it is, it's only a tennis match and if I make a mistake the worst that will happen is I lose the match. In racing if you make a mistake or lose concentration you can end up in the hospital.....a big difference.
 

Boja

Rookie
I play ball hockey on feet and roller hockey mostly once a week. When it's cold enough to play outside on a pond I play on ice too.
 

Mingo

New User
Hockey

As far as i'm concerned, i'm Canadian so, guess what, Hockey is my main sport and is almsot what i live for. ;)

What do you mean "almost"? For Canadians there is HOCKEY (ice hockey to those of you who don't know better :) ) and then other things to do between hockey games and in the off-season.
 

SoBad

G.O.A.T.
I did high level junior alpine skiing and I think it definitely carried high level knee bend and strong legs into my tennis. I also did lousy level soccer and that's why I have lousy footwork in tennis too. So I think sports are strongly interrelated.
 

Specs

New User
Golf is my game. Tennis is fun and better exercise but I would play Golf over Tennis any day of the week. They definitly help each other though. Tennis helps Golf by improving my fitness, flexibility and Hand eye. Golf helps my focus and ability to strategize on the court. Both teach you creativity.
 

Hokiez

Rookie
Golf is my game. Tennis is fun and better exercise but I would play Golf over Tennis any day of the week. They definitly help each other though. Tennis helps Golf by improving my fitness, flexibility and Hand eye. Golf helps my focus and ability to strategize on the court. Both teach you creativity.

Amen to that. I'd taken nearly 10 years off from any significant golf and only just got back into it more seriously. I was nearly scratch (1 handicap) but moved to an area with only one public course which was a goat-farm. I'm playing to about a 7-8 now and loving it all over again though my brain remembers how it used to play but the body has since forgotten some of it's old moves.
 
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