Workout/Fitness routine that you guys out there do...

[pico]

Hey all. I am curious to know what kind of workout/fitness routines you guys (who play tennis) do. I am interested as I recently got into working out and lost A LOT of weight and built some good muscle. I want to maintain this without getting too bulky as playing tennis is still my main joy. My routine is:
Monday - Upper body weights workout (Incline benchpress, flat db press, barbell curl, skullcrushers, lateral raises, ab circuit)
Tuesday - Tennis
Wednesday - Lower body weights workout (front squats, lunges, deadlifts, standing calve raises, ab circuit)
Thursday - Tennis
Friday - Upper body weights workout (shoulder presses, pullups, dips, barbell curls)
Saturday - Tennis
Sunday - Tennis (sometimes)

 

[T1000]

That's a solid program. The only thing I would change is adding a row on your first upper body day. Otherwise it's perfect

 

[Ramon]

Looks like a good program overall. I would tweak it on Monday by replacing curls with barbell rows or bent over dumbbell rows so you get more back work in there. I'd prefer flat barbell bench press and dumbbell incline press so you can do heavier weights. I would also take regular back squats over front squats because front squats are suboptimal. They are limited by factors other than your quads. Personally, I like Wendler's 5/3/1 program. I've been getting steady gains from it after plateauing for months.

 

[pico]

Looks like a good program overall. I would tweak it on Monday by replacing curls with barbell rows or bent over dumbbell rows so you get more back work in there. I'd prefer flat barbell bench press and dumbbell incline press so you can do heavier weights. I would also take regular back squats over front squats because front squats are suboptimal. They are limited by factors other than your quads. Personally, I like Wendler's 5/3/1 program. I've been getting steady gains from it after plateauing for months.

Thanks Ramon. I used to do back squats before till I had a minor accident from it which turned me off from it. I will look into Wendlers 5/3/1.

 

[nvr2old]

How about some cardio? It'll help on the court. Took my mtn bike out yesterday morning for a quick spin. 2.5 mile climb and 715 foot elevation gain, 35 minutes up and a 10 minute descent. Great for legs and cardio.

 

[spun_out]

So the routine doesn't really have anything to do with tennis performance, correct? If not, looks good. If it does, we need to know more. What's your rating, weakness, how do you lose, how is your technique?

 

[Prg3k]

I would absolutely throw some yoga in there at least once a week to maintain some flexibility. Weight training, although completely necessary, can stiffen you up. You may not notice your speed/movement suffering without it, but you will definitely notice you feel a little different after a dynamic stretching or yoga session.

Most gyms have daily classes you can jump in on. Many are not too difficult.

 

[LGQ7]

Hey all. I am curious to know what kind of workout/fitness routines you guys (who play tennis) do. I am interested as I recently got into working out and lost A LOT of weight and built some good muscle. I want to maintain this without getting too bulky as playing tennis is still my main joy. My routine is:
Monday - Upper body weights workout (Incline benchpress, flat db press, barbell curl, skullcrushers, lateral raises, ab circuit)
Tuesday - Tennis
Wednesday - Lower body weights workout (front squats, lunges, deadlifts, standing calve raises, ab circuit)
Thursday - Tennis
Friday - Upper body weights workout (shoulder presses, pullups, dips, barbell curls)
Saturday - Tennis
Sunday - Tennis (sometimes)

Tennis is not "gross" movements. Tennis is fine movements. Tennis is a perfect sport. Everything in it has an opposite. Forward-backward, left-right, up-down, near-far, fast-slow. So you have to balance your body. It's a game of balance.

In your examples, you are missing the OPPOSITE. Examples

bench press - row
barbell curl - triceps
incline benchpress - TRX row at a 45 degree angle.
calve raise - toe raise (dorsiflexion)
lateral raise - gymnast iron cross

etc . . .

And you have to do one joint movements too, and its opposite.

And fine movements.

rolling your head 360 degrees (not on the plane parallel to the floor!), clockwise, counterclockwise
Opening and closing fingers.
Opening and closing toes.
wrist roll with a stick and string holding up weight
I invent manipulating a 2 lbs disc in my hand, backwards and forwards
turning your ankle 180 degrees
turning your wrist 180 degrees

It's all about balance and fine movements.

I figured this out most of this when I was 14 years old. I figured out everything after watching ballet.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Lats , flys, reverse flys. I find bench press and shoulder press require low weights or my shoulder says, your gonna rip me on serve. 2nd the bike, jog, stepper for aerobic, and deadlift , squat. Wrist curls, reverse wrist curls. I tend to do it all in one day, not going for heavy weights , just muscle activation. Also end with streching and shadow swings to keep flexibility.

 

[liam the shark]

Rowing and cycling for cardio! Swimming if possible for you. But looks like a solid program. For tennis specific exercises I would focus on shoulders/back, quads/hamstrings, and biceps/triceps to help your game and prevent injury. Pull ups and chin ups are all you need really for upper body

 

[joekapa]

Try to play tennis twice a week.

Workout 3 times a week.

Workout consists of 25 mins, low impact cardio (slow jog, sometimes elliptical machine), plus 40 minutes of weight training. Stick to light weight training, where I can do 4 sets of 12-15 reps. Try to workout every major body part each weak.

Also watch my diet as much as I can. Try to keep calories at recommended daily levels.

 

[Traffic]

How about some cardio? It'll help on the court. Took my mtn bike out yesterday morning for a quick spin. 2.5 mile climb and 715 foot elevation gain, 35 minutes up and a 10 minute descent. Great for legs and cardio.

I LOVE mountain biking. Tennis takes 2nd place. However, I am a much better mtn biker than tennis player so I have to devote more formal time to tennis to "stay in the game".

I've struggled with lower back issues from being a bit too rough on my body over the years.

So all this biking and tennis helped my overall fitness levels. But it seems my core is not keeping up with the demands of my activities so I've added Pilates once or twice a week to help core strength and flexibility.

 

[onehandbh]

squat, bench press, pullups, walking lunges (holding dumbells), clap pushups, deadlift, parallel grip chinup, dumbell shoulder press, dumbell curl, rotator cuff exercise.

I do this once a week or so. I'm finding that my legs are getting stronger, but probably need more frequency for upper body.

 

[dman72]

Hex bar Deadlifts
Bench Press (don't really think this benefits tennis, probably does more harm than good but I don't do it for tennis)
Weighted Chins
2 to 3 times per week in a 3x3/4/5, adding weight after the sets of 5, dropping back to 3 reps per set...... a sort of built in de-load.

I'm 46 so slower progression is safer.

I also do band work for shoulder health multiple times per week when watching TV, and at least one 2 mile run per week trying to best previous runs time, in addition to tennis 2-3 times per week.

I'm in the best shape of my life with this simple approach and general preference of protein and fat over carbs in the diet, but not militantly so. I also only eat 2 meals per day, so while again not militant about it, I think intermittent fasting works. I have plenty of slip ups and cheat days, but when I see the weight go up a few pounds or the waist measurement start rising, I go militant for a week or so.

My weight, waist size, endurance, #'s at the doctor..all as good or better than in my 20's. Biggest change I made in my life was cutting out all sugar in drinks early 30's...lost 15 pounds almost immediately afterwards. If you are still drinking sugar, stop. Easiest and healthiest thing you can do.

Would like to substitute swimming for running eventually to save the joints for tennis. Tennis is bad for your joints, period, especially on hard courts..but I'm not happy if I'm not playing.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Hex bar Deadlifts
Bench Press (don't really think this benefits tennis, probably does more harm than good but I don't do it for tennis)
Weighted Chins
2 to 3 times per week in a 3x3/4/5, adding weight after the sets of 5, dropping back to 3 reps per set...... a sort of built in de-load.

I'm 46 so slower progression is safer.

I also do band work for shoulder health multiple times per week when watching TV, and at least one 2 mile run per week trying to best previous runs time, in addition to tennis 2-3 times per week.

I'm in the best shape of my life with this simple approach and general preference of protein and fat over carbs in the diet, but not militantly so. I also only eat 2 meals per day, so while again not militant about it, I think intermittent fasting works. I have plenty of slip ups and cheat days, but when I see the weight go up a few pounds or the waist measurement start rising, I go militant for a week or so.

My weight, waist size, endurance, #'s at the doctor..all as good or better than in my 20's. Biggest change I made in my life was cutting out all sugar in drinks early 30's...lost 15 pounds almost immediately afterwards. If you are still drinking sugar, stop. Easiest and healthiest thing you can do.

Would like to substitute swimming for running eventually to save the joints for tennis. Tennis is bad for your joints, period, especially on hard courts..but I'm not happy if I'm not playing.

I drink alot of sugar and burn it , no weight gain, what are the issues you see with it?

 

[dman72]

I drink alot of sugar and burn it , no weight gain, what are the issues you see with it?

There really isn't anything good about it other than it's taste. Even if you're burning it, there are much better sources of calories you could replace it with to optimize performance and health. I understand on court glucose consumption during a very intense match for an energy boost...other than that there's really no justification for it. In day to day life especially.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

There really isn't anything good about it other than it's taste. Even if you're burning it, there are much better sources of calories you could replace it with to optimize performance and health. I understand on court glucose consumption during a very intense match for an energy boost...other than that there's really no justification for it. In day to day life especially.

Its true I drink it for the taste, as well have other better sources. I put 1/2 cup per gallon with flavor powder. Not aware of any issues unless weight gain occurs.

 

[dman72]

Its true I drink it for the taste, as well have other better sources. I put 1/2 cup per gallon with flavor powder. Not aware of any issues unless weight gain occurs.

Google. Also, you're probably young. I could drink a 2 liter bottle of coke per day when I was 18 and not put on weight. Things change when your metabolism slows down, usually late 20's coupled with desk job.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Google. Also, you're probably young. I could drink a 2 liter bottle of coke per day when I was 18 and not put on weight. Things change when your metabolism slows down, usually late 20's coupled with desk job.

I am young 54. Wii says i'm 36 but i'm feelin 22 at times. I burn about 31,000 calories a week.