Do big weights have a place in an elite tennis players conditioning program?
I for one think not. Here's why.
A tennis training program must focus on reactive power, power endurance, muscular endurance, anaerobic endurance and aerobic endurance.
Tennis is unique in that, unlike most team and individual sports, a tennis competition schedule consists of a greater number of competitive match's in the season/year, so periodization of the training program has to be micro managed on a daily/weekly basis in season. There may not be enough time for recovery after a big weight session which can lead to unnecessary avoidable injury.
Elite tennis players use both aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways during a single match and must be able to tolerate high levels of blood lactate and a high heart rate. Peak cardiovascular fitness, maximal aerobic power and anaerobic threshold are keys to success on the court. Tennis training should develop both these energy systems. Big weights train for maximum short term effort and can create heavy muscle. (Not much help during a 40 stroke rally)
Tennis players must also be able to react quickly and powerfully to an opponent's attack and initiate their own. A tennis training program dominated by strength training (such a classic weight circuit training routine), fails to adequately develop the reactive power and endurance important in the sport. Consider "Plyometric Exercises ", push-ups, squat jumps, medicine ball throws and sprint start pushes as an alternative.
Agility and reaction time are vital components of a tennis player's armory. Foot and hand speed, endurance, reactive power and hand-eye co-ordination will be beneficial to performance, and are a recommended focus of a tennis specific conditioning program.
Plyometric training is in my option, a more effective method of power training for tennis. It meets the aerobic, anaerobic balance as well as enhancing agility and pound for pound strength. A caveat is that proper technical instruction of the exercise is essential.
A tennis training program must focus on reactive power, power endurance, muscular endurance, anaerobic endurance and aerobic endurance.
Tennis is unique in that, unlike most team and individual sports, a tennis competition schedule consists of a greater number of competitive match's in the season/year, so periodization of the training program has to be micro managed on a daily/weekly basis in season. There may not be enough time for recovery after a big weight session which can lead to unnecessary avoidable injury.
Elite tennis players use both aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways during a single match and must be able to tolerate high levels of blood lactate and a high heart rate. Peak cardiovascular fitness, maximal aerobic power and anaerobic threshold are keys to success on the court. Tennis training should develop both these energy systems. Big weights train for maximum short term effort and can create heavy muscle. (Not much help during a 40 stroke rally)
Tennis players must also be able to react quickly and powerfully to an opponent's attack and initiate their own. A tennis training program dominated by strength training (such a classic weight circuit training routine), fails to adequately develop the reactive power and endurance important in the sport. Consider "Plyometric Exercises ", push-ups, squat jumps, medicine ball throws and sprint start pushes as an alternative.
Agility and reaction time are vital components of a tennis player's armory. Foot and hand speed, endurance, reactive power and hand-eye co-ordination will be beneficial to performance, and are a recommended focus of a tennis specific conditioning program.
Plyometric training is in my option, a more effective method of power training for tennis. It meets the aerobic, anaerobic balance as well as enhancing agility and pound for pound strength. A caveat is that proper technical instruction of the exercise is essential.
Source...