Will this help?

[breadstick]

OK so first off, I go to the gym at least 4 times a week and lift weights. Not for tennis, just because I like lifting weights.

Now, If I just hold a light weight (like 7kg) and do exercises mimicking forehands and backhands (and possibly serves), would it increase my power and/or muscular endurance on the court significantly more than if I just went to the gym and did the standard sort of exercises (like military press, dumbell press, bicep curls etc) using heavy weights?

I think it would but my friends say otherwise...

What do you think?

 

[chess9]

OK so first off, I go to the gym at least 4 times a week and lift weights. Not for tennis, just because I like lifting weights.

Now, If I just hold a light weight (like 7kg) and do exercises mimicking forehands and backhands (and possibly serves), would it increase my power and/or muscular endurance on the court significantly more than if I just went to the gym and did the standard sort of exercises (like military press, dumbell press, bicep curls etc) using heavy weights?

I think it would but my friends say otherwise...

What do you think?

You might improve muscular endurance, but is muscular endurance one of your limiters? If your posterior rotator cuff gets tired from hitting backhands, it might help there, but I prefer the actual exercise on the ball machine. I will hit 500 backhands on the ball machine twice a week. Specificity, specificity, specificity.

Lifting such light weights won't improve your power (I only refer to the mimicking exercises, of course). Neither will lifting heavy weights. Power in tennis is more closely correlated with angular velocity, which is a function of your ability to whip the racquet head through the ball and connect solidly. Technique and great genetics help.

-Robert

 

[Rickson]

You'd be working the deltoids by doing that, but you'd also be opening up a lot of avenues for shoulder impingement. I wouldn't recommend that kind of exercise.

 

[Caloi]

I'm no weight lifting guru but one thing that has helped my shoulder is using either the cables or the rubber bands. I do the rotator cuff movements for the stabilizers and it has helped a ton. I layed off over the winter since I wasn't hitting much and then tried serving in February...big mistake. The next day I got right back into my rubber band/cable exercises and it has helped a ton. My arm doesn't get tired as quickly and I don't feel the pain after.

One cable exercise I do mimiks the serve. i set the pulley close to the floor and will do a full rotation sort of like a thoring motion or a serve. It has really helped my cuff strength and I believe it has helped my flexibility. I go very slow through the motion and take my time.

 

[Bud]

OK so first off, I go to the gym at least 4 times a week and lift weights. Not for tennis, just because I like lifting weights.

Now, If I just hold a light weight (like 7kg) and do exercises mimicking forehands and backhands (and possibly serves), would it increase my power and/or muscular endurance on the court significantly more than if I just went to the gym and did the standard sort of exercises (like military press, dumbell press, bicep curls etc) using heavy weights?

I think it would but my friends say otherwise...

What do you think?

Sounds like you're more likely to injure yourself than help your tennis game.