Being a fit rec player

[T-Vex]

So, this is what I was trying to understand for last couple of months:

--> what should I be doing as a prepartion to be able to have a better base for alowing my tennis technic come to first place?


What I mean is:
if I weight 92 kilos (203 lbs) on my 183-184 cms (6'0''), Im definitely wouldnt be the most agile player seen, right? I dont workout, i do nothing except ocasionally playing tennis!
Ok, this summer, I played a lot of tennis...

And, after a while, my aerobic/anaerobic capabilities went up, as it was expected. Not much, but it was good. Same thing happened with my agility, flexibility... I started to lift some weights, and I even got a bit stronger...


But this is what I just can't understand:

as a RECREATIONAL PLAYER that spends 2 hours on court for 2-3 times a week, that has many other obligations, but a VERY HIGH competing spirit and infinite love for the game...

how the hell should I fullfill all the requirements from any usual/standard tennis fitness training programme (like this one, for instance link ;;; or the one in USTA book COMPLETE CONDITIONING FOR TENNIS) ???

It seems unrealistic for a 3.5-4.0 recreational player to be able of encompassing all these fitness segments in all of preparational segments required (those 4 phases), so I ask those of you that have had similar head-aches to answer me:

What part of fitness training would make me biggest benefits?

Actually, please do not answer me after all, because my usual daily routine (especially now in autumn and winter) doesnt allow me to commit myself to anaerobic training (sprints and stuff), aerobic training (ok, maybe I can make a 20-run or two in a week time around my neighbourhoud), agility etc...

...the only thing that lefts is - working with weights, working on my strenght.
Which is good.

With only two things I dont understand:

for a player that doesnt have off and on season, that doesnt go to 4-week preparation camps, and who isnt able to intentionally peak his form...
What weight/loads should I work with and in what ranges?
Are we talking about 10-15 repetions with 70% load, 8-12 reps with 85% load... ???

Please, please be specific and have in mind that I will ALWAYS, during all freaking YEAR have the same scenario, same amount of matches...

So, I cant be working 4 weeks with 10-15 reps, and then jump to high intensity weight lifting for another 4 weeks, as a pre-main-tournament programme...
If you understand what I want to say?


And one more very simple question for end:

--> what does muscle strenght in tennis actually use for?

I know its does not benefit anaerobic abilities, agility nor cardio...

What is it for, then? Only to maybe evenutally have more powerful serve, or be more prone to injuries?



Many many thanks for
1. reading the whole bunch of tekst
2. actually answering it

I'm very, very thankful.

 

[BMC9670]

If I read your post correctly, the problem is not enough time to train for tennis because during your spare time you want to actually play tennis. Don't we all! I do these things:

1. Shoulder/arm/core exercises. I do them early in the morning at home. All you need is a few therabands, a door, and maybe some light weights (2-5 lbs.) I do this for injury prevention as I've had shoulder surgery. If you don't know what to so, research "throwers 10".

2. Swim. I've found this gives me the best "bang for my buck" in terms of time. Great aerobic exercise as well as toning/strength in a short period of time.

3. Keep the weight down. I don't know your build, but at 6'0" tall and 200lbs, your a bit heavy. Drop 20-30 lbs and your body and tennis game will thank you. BTW... this doesn't take extra time, but you gotta watch what you eat.

Hope this helps!

 

[charliefedererer]

Good advice from BMC9670 above.

If you can do only one set of exercises, do the thrower's ten for injury prevention: http://www.asmi.org/SportsMed/throwing/thrower10.html
The idea here is to build up the muscles that resist the powerful forward motions in a viscious forehand or serve. That forward momentum has to be stopped, and the muscles that resist it are not getting any workout from tennis. Thus, the stopping is transferred to the inelastic ligaments and tendons at the joints, resulting in the all too common shoulder, elbow and wrist overuse injuries that tennis players suffer.

You say you have time for a 20 minute jog once or twice a week. Well, don't jog the whole way. Sprint for 50 yards, walk a few feet, jog a little and then sprint again. Tennis is a series of sprints. If there is a soft athletic field nearby, you may save your knees some wear and tear.

After your tennis match if you are spent, head home. But if you had an easy match, do some agility drills to work on stopping, starting and changing directions. Just some lateral alley drills and sidestepping back and forth along the baseline can help train your feet to move faster. You can also do these on a softer surface athletic field, as well as some sprints, if such a field near the courts or on your way home.

Core exercises in the morning with some lunges can help you as well. All of these plate exercises can be done with plates, but a medicine ball or two dumbells can be substituted: http://www.xlathlete.com/browse_admin.jsp?browse_kind=2&sport_id=0&group_id=14

And finally, going to a gym three times a week to do a lifting program sounds like more than you want to do. As you intimated, you are not that sure that great strength gains transmits to better tennis or is a great workout. I think you are right. The purpose of getting stronger is only to have the potential to hit the ball harder, and have better body control to hit out of position shots, and change direction. But that potential only is realized by training the neuromuscular units by a lot of practice on the tennis court.
The recipe for stength gains is to lift near your maximum for 4-7 lifts. But doing squats and bench presses alone at home at near maximum is a recipe for disaster (unless you use a Smith Machine or [gasp] one of those home gyms.) But you may still be able to do that exercise set you referenced from Sports Fitness Advisor with a set of adjustable weight dumbells like the following: http://www.google.com/products/cata...og_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDwQ8wIwAg# You may never get past Stage 1, but you might surprise yourself and push on. You may like the feeling of overall being more fit and stronger. Or you may decide you really don't have the time or inclination.

Good luck!

 

[T-Vex]

Thank you both for your anwers and advices.

The recipe for stength gains is to lift near your maximum for 4-7 lifts. But doing squats and bench presses alone at home at near maximum is a recipe for disaster (unless you use a Smith Machine or [gasp] one of those home gyms.)

Why

I actually dont go to gym, but work at home with what I have: 20 kgs of weights in increments of 1, 1.25, 2 kgs.

Recently I have set myself a home-workout programme that goes like this:

DAY1 --> legs, back, shoulders, abdominals, pushups
DAY2 --> rest
DAY3 --> legs, hands, shoulders, chest, abdominals,
DAY4 --> rest
DAY5 --> legs, abdominals, pushups
DAY6 --> rest
DAY7 --> legs, hands, back, abdominals, pushups
DAY8 --> rest
DAY9 --> rest or legs, hands, chest, shoulders
...and so on...

where
working on LEGS consists of these excercises:
* 3 series of squats + 20 kg of load (two dumbells of 10kgs in each hand) with 10-15 repetitions, 30 secs of rest
* 3 series of toe lifts + 20kg load with 10-15 reps (by finger lifts I mean: lifting my whole body only by my toes, excercises that I found in that book, and was adviced for working on calves), 30 secs rest

HANDS
* curls (bicepses), 10-11kg load, 10-15 reps in 3 series with 30 sec of rest
* standing kickback (tricepses), 8-9kgs load, 10-15 reps in 3 series with 30 sec of rest
* single curls (forearm flexors), 10kg load, 10-15 reps, 3 seris, 30 sec rest

SHOULDERS
* upright row (trapezius, deltoid, biceps), 10kgs, 10-15 reps, 3 seris, 30 sec rest
* front raise (deltoid), 8-9 kgs, 10-15 reps, 3 series, 30 sec rest
* single arm row (lats, teres, romboid, rear deltoid, infraspinatus, biceps, trapezius), 14.5 kgs, 10-15 reps, 3 series, 30 sec rest

BACK
* deadlift (erector spinae), 2*10kgs, 10-15 reps, 3 series, 30 sec rest
* single arm row (lats, teres, romboid, stražnji deltoid, infraspinatus, biceps, trapezius) 14.5 kgs, 10-15 reps, 3 series, 30 sec rest

CHEST
* pushups (general body strenght and muscle endurance, tripces, chest), 3 series of as much as I can, 45-90 secs of rest

ABDOMINALS
* russian twist (obliques), 3 series of 16 reps, with 30 secs rest
* hip rolls (straigh abdominals), 3 series of 16-20 reps, maybe 2 series of 20+???

And as you have noticed, I in almost each training I finish with pushups (only one or maybe 2 series of as much as I can)


Notice: I plan have this intensity (70-80% of max load, 10-15 reps) for next 4-5 weeks, than raising my load to 80-90% one 1rep max, 8-10 reps and doing that for another 6 weeks, and after that LOWERING the intesity again and working for the rest of my recreational career with 10-15 reps (maybe ocasionally coming back for few weeks on more intense programme...)

Does that sound ok to you?

I also plan jogging and sprinting and definitely introducing throwers 10 into my routine, so actually, it can happen that all 7 days of week I will only train, and that is not what I want, so maybe 2-3 days of weight lifting sound more probable...
and 1-2 of cardio/anaerobic...



Anyways, what do you think? Please, say what dont you like, and say it loud

 

[T-Vex]

Of course, I definitely have to peel about 15 lbs, get to about 85 kgs

And, why isnt it possible to edit posts? :-/

 

[T-Vex]

Does doing squat with 20 kgs of load sound to dangerous in term of knee injuries; tbh, ocasionally my left knee hurts even without loaded squats :-/

Also having in mind I am a bit overweight (93kg / 183cm)

 

[SteveI]

Of course, I definitely have to peel about 15 lbs, get to about 85 kgs

And, why isnt it possible to edit posts? :-/

You don't have enough posts yet...

 

[jpr]

good thread

i found p90x to be extremely good for my tennis. Mostly bodyweight exercises, not the power or Olympic lifts i had done previously.

I believe these are rank ordered areas to focus:
1 - legs, as you fatigue, your footwork (and knee bend) breaks down resulting in more errors regardless of singles or doubles
example exercises:bw squats, lunges, calves, lateral movement, fast twitch muscles

2 - cardio, more important in singles than doubles, but still important in both
exercises: HIIT (high intensity intervals are far superior to steady state cardio; you need to be able to recover quickly...swimming, running, biking will help, but HIIT is best bang for the buck)

3 - core, every stroke transfers lower body & hip rotation energy through the upper body
exercises: too many to count...make sure you train anterior & posterior as well as obligues/transverse

4 - shoulder, rotator cuff health and upper body muscular balance are key to injury prevention

5 - flexibility, key to injury prevention...i find yoga very helpful although i do get bored

6 - everything else...i believe total body fitness helps every sport, not just tennis.

hope this helps

 

[charliefedererer]

Quote:
The recipe for stength gains is to lift near your maximum for 4-7 lifts. But doing squats and bench presses alone at home at near maximum is a recipe for disaster (unless you use a Smith Machine or [gasp] one of those home gyms.)

Why?

I meant doing squats and bench presses with a barbell where the bar may be difficult to control without a spotter. Dumbells should be quite a bit less dangerous.

It looks like you have an overall good workout regimen. You might consider adding some dumbell bench presses to further work your triceps.

 

[OldButGame]

Your strength routine & rest looks pretty sound,.....well balanced,......one warning,........'Upright Rows' are one of the worst exercises for bad rotator cuffs....and for causing bad rotator cuffs,.....I never do that one anymore,.......(google crossreference -rotator cuff upright row)...

 

[T-Vex]

Your strength routine & rest looks pretty sound,.....well balanced,......one warning,........'Upright Rows' are one of the worst exercises for bad rotator cuffs....and for causing bad rotator cuffs,.....I never do that one anymore,.......(google crossreference -rotator cuff upright row)...

I actually liked that excercise maybe the most...
Any suplemental ones? :-?

 

[OldButGame]

I actually liked that excercise maybe the most...
Any suplemental ones? :-?

Back in the day that i did upright rows,...i did them for my 'side delts',......i replaced the upright rows with 'lateral raises' with dumbells,...(or a lateral raise machine at the gym),....palms facing straight down,...or even tipping the thumbs slightly 'up'. This prevents 'over-torqueing' the rotator cuffs. The upright rows,...just by the nature of their movemant and hand positions,...is rough on rotator cuffs,..

 

[T-Vex]

Back in the day that i did upright rows,...i did them for my 'side delts',......i replaced the upright rows with 'lateral raises' with dumbells,...(or a lateral raise machine at the gym),....palms facing straigfht down,...or even tipping the thumbs slightly 'up'. This prevents 'over-torqueing' the rotator cuffs. The upright rows,...just by the nature of their movemant and hand positions,...is rough on rotator cuffs,..

I have front raises for deltoids...
..but, what to do then for trapezius?

 

[OldButGame]

I have front raises for deltoids...
..but, what to do then for trapezius?

I always found weight training all my other groups ended up developing my traps,....just from moving and hoisting the weights around,...but if You wanna hit them directly,....a much more effective movement is shrugs,...while holding heavy dumbells,...this way you dont hyper pronate,...and dont get your elbows so high as to impinge the rotators,...just google or Youtube,...regarding shrugs...and the 'how to',....

 

[Itagaki]

I meant doing squats and bench presses with a barbell where the bar may be difficult to control without a spotter. Dumbells should be quite a bit less dangerous.

It looks like you have an overall good workout regimen. You might consider adding some dumbell bench presses to further work your triceps.

It doesn't take much to do barbell training safely at home, just takes a good power rack. I have one and I can bench with total safety, if I can't complete a rep, I roll the Barr off my chest toward my neck and onto the safety bar. Safer than a spotter I dare say

There's also the sherm freespotter

To the OP, I'm gonna tell you now that with 20kg of weight you won't be gong very far

And to knees and squats, they should not hurt if you do them correctly

 

[charliefedererer]

It doesn't take much to do barbell training safely at home, just takes a good power rack. I have one and I can bench with total safety, if I can't complete a rep, I roll the Barr off my chest toward my neck and onto the safety bar. Safer than a spotter I dare say

There's also the sherm freespotter

To the OP, I'm gonna tell you now that with 20kg of weight you won't be gong very far

And to knees and squats, they should not hurt if you do them correctly

No doubt you can do a great home workout with a good power rack. I thought I had covered that in my earlier comments above. But if the OP has never done any weight training, I was trying to warn him against starting with a barbell set and bench at home. I still think a gym is a better place to get some instruction. Many tennis players got that in school or a gym, but as tennis is not as dependent on strength as say football or wrestling, there are a lot of weight lifting novices out there.

 

[GPB]

For tennis, there are a lot of plyometric-type exercises you can do, on the court, to develop into a fit rec player.

The gym is nice, but not necessary.

 

[Itagaki]

No doubt you can do a great home workout with a good power rack. I thought I had covered that in my earlier comments above. But if the OP has never done any weight training, I was trying to warn him against starting with a barbell set and bench at home. I still think a gym is a better place to get some instruction. Many tennis players got that in school or a gym, but as tennis is not as dependent on strength as say football or wrestling, there are a lot of weight lifting novices out there.

Apologies, i read your posts and just saw smith machine and home gyms, i guess power rack would fall under home gym then

To the above poster, Plyometric training without any background or foundation is potentially dangerous, so this might not be the best approach just yet

 

[decades]

lose some weight. get down to 185lbs for starters...

 

[OldButGame]

lose some weight. get down to 185lbs for starters...

This is a great point....i've come to believe that a 'light body weight' is a huge benefit in tennis,....

 

[T-Vex]

Ok, here we go!
Two weeks of workout by noted programme, and first problems appear!

Very concerning pain in my right lower back (near the hip, but its not hip) started this evening. I believe it may have something to do with this excercise:

http://www.coopersguns.com/videos/exercise-encyclopedia/lats/standing-single-arm-row/

(last couple of days I was experiencing huge tension in lower back while working on my last couple of series with that exc)

or maybe even more with this one:

http://www.ab-core-and-stomach-exercises.com/abs-exercise.html
(second pic)


Its even possible this
http://www.coopersguns.com/videos/exercise-encyclopedia/erector/dumbell-stiff-leg-deadlift/

is causing troubles, altghough it doesnt make sense. Yes, I HAVE problems with lower back, and it goes for years now, I cant play a tennis match without a back-strap... but this excercise (deadlift) is made for erector spinae, so it should do me more good than bad, shouldnt it?

I suspect it is first or second exc, since the pain is low and left and it shows when trying to move my uper body from left to right!!!

I have a match tomorrow, so this comes just great!

 

[T-Vex]

Actually it hurst the most when putting my weight on left leg and while rotating core for 30+ degrees.

Maybe it even has to do something with RUSSIAN TWIST excersice, that I've been doing with 9kgs of load in my hands... :-/

No way Im gona play tomorrow in this shape

 

[kslick]

^^^^^ are you warming up prior to workout? Did you just start working out after a lay off? For the first month I would use light weight, higher reps to prepare for heavier workloads.

 

[decades]

you're doing dead lifts to improve your tennis? what about losing weight? what about your diet?

 

[T-Vex]

^^^^^ are you warming up prior to workout? Did you just start working out after a lay off? For the first month I would use light weight, higher reps to prepare for heavier workloads.

Yes, I'm warming up - actually stretching - but only yesterday I read that stretching BEFORE weight training is not good. It should be done AFTER, it is said.

Yes, Im using lighter weights and 10-15 reps, as you can see in my training programme on previous page of this topic.

you're doing dead lifts to improve your tennis? what about losing weight? what about your diet?

Actually, I'm doing dead lifts to strenghten my lower back since I have a problem with it for a long time. I cannot imagine playing a tennis match withouth a back strap, so... yes.

Losing weight is something I must concentrate on, also.
And on creating adequate nutrition programme.

 

[charliefedererer]

Yes, I'm warming up - actually stretching - but only yesterday I read that stretching BEFORE weight training is not good. It should be done AFTER, it is said.

Yes, Im using lighter weights and 10-15 reps, as you can see in my training programme on previous page of this topic.
Actually, I'm doing dead lifts to strenghten my lower back since I have a problem with it for a long time. I cannot imagine playing a tennis match withouth a back strap, so... yes.Losing weight is something I must concentrate on, also.
And on creating adequate nutrition programme.

T-Vex, you are clearly highly motivated right now, so good for you!

Don't be discouraged from temporary setbacks. Putting a new workout together plus playing tennis and avoiding muscle soreness is not easy. Stepping back a little from your regimen is not a "defeat". It is part of a learning process about what your body can do at this time. It is especially hard to do it the way you are on your own, without being in a gym where you can get instruction on form and feedback from a trainer.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. So pat youself on the back for the advances in fitness and knowledge you have already made. Be content that it will be some time before you reach your ultimate goal, but unlike so many who only talk about it, you are actually starting to do it.

Just be careful in your quest for fitness. If you have a long history of back problems, just be sure you get medical clearance that there is not a structural problem with a disc, vertebrae, etc. (This is not highly likely, but wouldn't you rather be sure?).

 

[T-Vex]

Just be careful in your quest for fitness. If you have a long history of back problems, just be sure you get medical clearance that there is not a structural problem with a disc, vertebrae, etc. (This is not highly likely, but wouldn't you rather be sure?).

Many thanks for your advice. I have never actually thought about doing that, don't ask me why. :-/
I'll do that, surely. It as been a problem for to long to just ignore it, right.

Don't be discouraged from temporary setbacks. Putting a new workout together plus playing tennis and avoiding muscle soreness is not easy. Stepping back a little from your regimen is not a "defeat". It is part of a learning process about what your body can do at this time. It is especially hard to do it the way you are on your own, without being in a gym where you can get instruction on form and feedback from a trainer.

Yes, I know that. Sometimes i wish to have someone right besides me, some to tell me: wait, you're doing this and that the wrong way.

Well, for starters, I'll ease up a bit on latissimus excercise (standing single arm row), doing it only once a week, and then we will see. I'm pretty much convinced that is the main cause of my misterious pain (that was present the whole match yesterday, and got so much worse in the third set, I had to quit, couldnt serve well as putting balance on my left leg was not an option in serving motion) - which btw, got away (knock on woods) by the time I woke up today

I hope it wont come back.

But, lower back issues still persist. They're not big, but sometimes it really makes it tought for me to play low shots on BH.

You're right, I must contact a doctor about it.

Thnx once again, all of you.

 

[Ken Honecker]

Tennis has been really good for my lower back. When I came back to the sport after 15 years away my back bothered me quite a bit and more so after playing. You should have seen me trying to worm my way out through those tiny little ankle high holes in the fence but after playing for a little over a year my back doesn't bother me after 3 hours on the court and very seldom off it.