When to wieght train?

D-money · Jul 25, 2012

So I did a quick search and didn't find info on exactly what I'm looking for. I am not at all looking for what I should be doing as far additional training, but my question is when to train. I play 3 to 4 days a week for a few hours at a time and I tried weight training on my off days but it felt like my body needed more time to recover and my playing suffered. My on court training is fine for building speed and endurance but I'm mostly concerned about doing rotator cuff exercises and some upper body weight training to alleviate issues of imbalance and some instability I'm having. I work a regular 9 to 5 schedule and play in the evenings and on weekends and I play hard but without some additional work I will continue to have these issues.
I generally play Tuesday , Thursday , Saturday and Sunday, I alternate Fridays if I have a league match on Sunday to give myself a rest day before. obviously my schedule isn't set in stone and there are random matches or practices in there too, but those are generally the days I play.

My question is if that was your playing/match schedule when would you do your exercises like weight training and sprints etc?

r2473 · Jul 25, 2012

i'd start with throwers 10 a few times a week and see if that gives you what you want.

http://ckm.osu.edu/sitetool/sites/s...rotocols_2010/Throwers_Ten_Exercises_2010.pdf

i'd do them a few times a week on days you play. it will loosen up your shoulders and shouldn't make you tired / won't affect your play

if you can spare $15, this book might give you a nice blueprint

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982949960/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

generally speaking, it just sounds like you are just doing too much. back off some.

if you insist on "weight training", i'd do it AFTER your tennis match. ya, maybe a bit crazy, but that will maximize your recovery. just keep the weights light enough so you don't get hurt, as you will be weak from playing. normally, doing weights after cardio is backward, but you want performance in your tennis, not your weights. and you want to recover, so don't use your off days for weights.

vkartikv · Jul 25, 2012

Pullups supersetted with military presses will help immensely with upper body strength, especially for serves. Do not do any kind of weight training AFTER cardio activities like tennis - you'd have depleted the carbs necessary to power your session. Try lifting twice a week in the morning and make sure you eat enough before your tennis matches.

LeeD · Jul 25, 2012

When you're NOT playing tennis 3 days a week.
During the rainy season.

SlapShot · Jul 25, 2012

LeeD said:
When you're NOT playing tennis 3 days a week.
During the rainy season.

Oddly enough, I agree with this. I generally do a lot of my primary strength training during the time that tennis is cut back in order to not feel like I'm overworking anything. During the summers, it's maybe a once a week maintenence lift rather than overall strength training.

LeeD · Jul 25, 2012

U know what's really dumb? Something I've tried to do this past year....
Train with g/f (former Cat111 rider) twice a week, usually just under 40 miles. Ride 4 days a week around 24 miles.
Try to play tennis at least 2 days a week.
Windsurf at least 6 days a week. Winds over 18.
The legs never work.

D-money · Jul 25, 2012

SlapShot said:
Oddly enough, I agree with this. I generally do a lot of my primary strength training during the time that tennis is cut back in order to not feel like I'm overworking anything. During the summers, it's maybe a once a week maintenence lift rather than overall strength training.

Thanks I agree with both of you I lift for strength in the brief rainy "season" in northern California if you can call it that, but I want to keep up on my exercises as I start to get very right side dominant to the point it affects my posture, sleeping habits, and eventually leads me to needing to rest from tennis completely.

floridatennisdude · Aug 5, 2012

If you are playing T, Th, Sat, Sun... I would weight train Monday and Wednesday. Wednesday would be my heavy day and I'd do a full body circuit of around 10-12 different excercises. Monday would be a light day of band work and light dumb bells and a few body weight lower body excercises.

This is so I would exhaust my body on Wednesday when I have time to recover before the back to back weekend days. Monday would be a recovery workout from the weekend.

Vlad_C · Aug 5, 2012

LeeD said:
When you're NOT playing tennis 3 days a week.
During the rainy season.

Exactly.
Where I live, we have 3-4 months of good weather (max), and I always try to take advantage of that as much as possible, playing/practicing 5 days/week.
Trying to mix that with any weight training would simply be too tiring.

sixftlion · Aug 7, 2012

D-money said:
Thanks I agree with both of you I lift for strength in the brief rainy "season" in northern California if you can call it that, but I want to keep up on my exercises as I start to get very right side dominant to the point it affects my posture, sleeping habits, and eventually leads me to needing to rest from tennis completely.

I play tennis 6 days a week (47 years old -- the body doesn't recover the same fast, so I have to be smart with all the training, eating and recovery) I fit in my fitness training after my tennis practices. If I am too pooped from the court, I do more "injury prevention" workout - planks, side planks, scorpions, monster walks, etc. If I only play 1 hour and feel fresh, I do plyometrics or kettlebells or just more intense (leg intense) workouts. I may do only 30-45 minutes, followed by 20 minutes stretching. If I do it 4 times per week, I am pretty covered. Sometimes (2-3 times per week) I work my shoulders and rotator cuff with the rubber bands while walking my dog early in the morning.

I found that weight training before tennis doesn't do good to my stroke production, so I have to do it after tennis. We all are different, so find what works for you the best. Then when I am done I eat super big and healthy meal, which helps the recovery. Also, I sleep 8 hours per night, which helps the recovery.

FastFreddy · Sep 28, 2012

tennis and weights

r2473 said:
i'd start with throwers 10 a few times a week and see if that gives you what you want.

http://ckm.osu.edu/sitetool/sites/s...rotocols_2010/Throwers_Ten_Exercises_2010.pdf

i'd do them a few times a week on days you play. it will loosen up your shoulders and shouldn't make you tired / won't affect your play

if you can spare $15, this book might give you a nice blueprint

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982949960/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

generally speaking, it just sounds like you are just doing too much. back off some.

if you insist on "weight training", i'd do it AFTER your tennis match. ya, maybe a bit crazy, but that will maximize your recovery. just keep the weights light enough so you don't get hurt, as you will be weak from playing. normally, doing weights after cardio is backward, but you want performance in your tennis, not your weights. and you want to recover, so don't use your off days for weights.

I disagree, I would do strength training before tennis low volume 5 movements 3 sets each 5-6 reps 3-5mins rest between sets. I would pick cleans, stepups, bench press, bentover rows, deadlifts. The key is finding out the time to lift before u play. I would always lift before my hockey games and tennis matches and junperope after the weights. For hockey I would cycle 30 miles at lunchtime then lift in the afternoon for a night game.

After 3hrs of tennis the last thing I would do is strength train. First I would be going thur the motions, not safe to lift when pooped from tennis, can't lift heavy for strength.

3fees · Oct 8, 2012

Weight training-ask any lifter is a program that targets specific muscle groups--start with light weights and then stepwise move up to larger and larger weights- your target should be tennis specific muscles,,any movement in tennis that is used deserves added weight to tone it up.

Twice a week is too little

Emperor Penguins Live in the South Polar Region in Colonies, Napoleon's armies gave them this name-Emperor when they visited this area.

tlm · Oct 9, 2012

FastFreddy said:
I disagree, I would do strength training before tennis low volume 5 movements 3 sets each 5-6 reps 3-5mins rest between sets. I would pick cleans, stepups, bench press, bentover rows, deadlifts. The key is finding out the time to lift before u play. I would always lift before my hockey games and tennis matches and junperope after the weights. For hockey I would cycle 30 miles at lunchtime then lift in the afternoon for a night game.

After 3hrs of tennis the last thing I would do is strength train. First I would be going thur the motions, not safe to lift when pooped from tennis, can't lift heavy for strength.

Exactly when I have to lift on the same day that I am playing tennis I always lift first, tennis takes way to much out of you.

MyrWXguy · Oct 12, 2012

No matter what anyone tells you THEY do, it really is about finding what works best for you.

Personally I lift and run in the mornings 4-5 days a week and then play 2-3 hours of tennis 3-5 days a week in the late afternoon or evenings. My schedule does allow for a few hours of sleep before tennis most days. I feel like I recover very well for tennis and am ready for my workout the next day. This has increased my stamina on the court and speed. I work through my soreness and it makes me work harder in practice to get through the grueling matches that would really drain me.

No matter what you start with, initially it's going to take it's toll and tire you out. Give a schedule about 2 weeks to adjust and see if it works. If it doesn't then try something new. one or two times won't give you a good sampling of the true results.

r2473 · Oct 12, 2012

MyrWXguy said:
No matter what anyone tells you THEY do, it really is about finding what works best for you.

Personally I lift and run in the mornings 4-5 days a week and then play 2-3 hours of tennis 3-5 days a week in the late afternoon or evenings. My schedule does allow for a few hours of sleep before tennis most days. I feel like I recover very well for tennis and am ready for my workout the next day. This has increased my stamina on the court and speed. I work through my soreness and it makes me work harder in practice to get through the grueling matches that would really drain me.

No matter what you start with, initially it's going to take it's toll and tire you out. Give a schedule about 2 weeks to adjust and see if it works. If it doesn't then try something new. one or two times won't give you a good sampling of the true results.

Welcome to the forums!!

Great advice!!!

mikeler · Oct 12, 2012

I'd advise against bench pressing and military presses with heavy weight. Combined with tennis, those 2 exercises with too much weight were aggravating my shoulder. Once I started the Thrower's Ten regiment, the pain went away.

r2473 · Oct 12, 2012

^^ But chicks dig a heavy bench press?

Some little hottie damn near fainted this morning in the gym watching me bench.

mikeler · Oct 12, 2012

r2473 said:
^^ But chicks dig a heavy bench press?

Some little hottie damn near fainted this morning in the gym watching me bench.

They only get turned on when you grunt really loud.

r2473 · Oct 12, 2012

mikeler said:
They only get turned on when you grunt really loud.

I've been dropping / slamming my weights as hard as I can when I'm finished lifting my massive weight, so everyone in the gym knows what a stud I am.

Monday I'll start grunting like a WTA star too.

maverick66 · Oct 12, 2012

r2473 said:
I've been dropping / slamming my weights as hard as I can when I'm finished lifting my massive weight, so everyone in the gym knows what a stud I am.

Monday I'll start grunting like a WTA star too.

So your gonna set off the lunk alarm and turn on pervy men at the same time?

r2473 · Oct 12, 2012

maverick66 said:
So your gonna set off the lunk alarm and turn on pervy men at the same time?

Great idea!!!

I think will start taking my shirt off while I work out.

mikeler · Oct 12, 2012

r2473 said:
I've been dropping / slamming my weights as hard as I can when I'm finished lifting my massive weight, so everyone in the gym knows what a stud I am.

Monday I'll start grunting like a WTA star too.

Definitely crash those weights. Make sure you hog whatever piece of equipment you are on for at least 15 minutes to deny other light weights their use. This technique shines on your manliness.

maverick66 · Oct 12, 2012

r2473 said:
Great idea!!!

I think will start taking my shirt off while I work out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM7uyP6cXgY&feature=related

this is how i will picture you for the rest of our time posting here.

GuyClinch · Oct 15, 2012

I think the ideal regiment is 4x a week -that way you can do an upper/low body split twice a week.

However since you play alot that would be too much. I'd do two full body workouts twice a week. I find that only once a week it seems like you won't make enough progress for it to seem worthwhile.

So do two fully body workouts twice a week - but they have to be spread out a few days.. I think this will give you the flexibility you need with tennis.

So maybe Mon Thurs for example..

Might look like this:

Push: Neutral Grip Dumbell Press, or Bench Press
Pull: Seated Row or Dumbell Rows and Pulldowns/Pullups
Knee Dominant: Squats or Romanian Split Squats or Single Leg Leg Press
Hip Dominant: Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts or 45 Degree Back Raise.

With a limited regimen like that you can fit in some 'pre-hab' work like the throwers ten that was recommended here..which is nice for your shoulder.

I like Y's and T's as well as some rotator cuff work - instead of the whole throwers ten..but YMMV.

This is not ideal for bodybuilding purposes because you will eventually start to see lagging muscles (say calves for example) but for fitness/tennis purposes a few multi-joint exercises twice a week is enough..

Itagaki · Oct 15, 2012

GuyClinch said:
I think the ideal regiment is 4x a week -that way you can do an upper/low body split twice a week.

However since you play alot that would be too much. I'd do two full body workouts twice a week. I find that only once a week it seems like you won't make enough progress for it to seem worthwhile.

So do two fully body workouts twice a week - but they have to be spread out a few days.. I think this will give you the flexibility you need with tennis.

So maybe Mon Thurs for example..

Might look like this:

Push: Neutral Grip Dumbell Press, or Bench Press
Pull: Seated Row or Dumbell Rows and Pulldowns/Pullups
Knee Dominant: Squats or Romanian Split Squats or Single Leg Leg Press
Hip Dominant: Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts or 45 Degree Back Raise.

With a limited regimen like that you can fit in some 'pre-hab' work like the throwers ten that was recommended here..which is nice for your shoulder.

I like Y's and T's as well as some rotator cuff work - instead of the whole throwers ten..but YMMV.

This is not ideal for bodybuilding purposes because you will eventually start to see lagging muscles (say calves for example) but for fitness/tennis purposes a few multi-joint exercises twice a week is enough..

Just because it's been our history, I was looking to argue with you on this, but that looks pretty good.

I would like to add though, with any weight training program, there should be some method of progression, whether its linear, weekly, or monthly and whether its an increase in weight, volume, intensity etc. It shouldn't just be go in and do these exercises the same way every time.

Note this mainly refers to the bigger movements. With pre/rehab stuff like YTI or thowers ten, there's less emphasis on progression in terms of weight unless they are very small increases (but maybe add reps and sets are you get used to them)

When to wieght train?

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