The following article appeared in a recent issue of Tennis Times:

Getting up to Speed: Functional Training for Tennis
By Rose Bonomo

Tennis is an explosive sport that requires power, endurance, quick changes of direction, balance, agility, flexibility and strength. Getting into better shape for tennis, no matter what your level, age or condition, is an achievable goal that every player should share. But where do you begin?

The quality of the information currently available on the subject of athletic performance enhancement is excellent. However, deciphering and implementing that information can be a formidable task. At the National Strength & Conditioning Association's National Conference in June, many of the presenters specifically addressed tennis training issues and emphasized the importance of sport specific training as well as functional training. The issue at hand is how to effectively convey that information to players.

The fundamental components of conditioning for tennis are Strength & Power, Endurance, Speed, Agility & Footwork, and Flexibility. What does this mean, exactly?

Power is speed times strength. You can't go fast without being strong. (You can be strong without being fast, but that won't help on the tennis court.)

Endurance for tennis is the ability to sustain and recover from many small bouts of explosive activity over time. This type of endurance is different from that required of someone going out for a long run. Therefore, your training must reflect your sport.

Speed, Agility & Footwork are the components that make up one's all-around court movement. These enable you to get to more balls faster, under greater control and in balance over your legs.

Flexibility allows a player to get to low, high and wide balls. Dynamic stretching as part of your warm-up, and static stretching after play to prevent soreness and injury are important components of flexibility.

What are the experts currently recommending in order to improve in these areas? For power, speed & agility, and flexibility, it's functional training. The sport science definition states that functional training is integrated, multi-directional, multi-planar movement involving acceleration, deceleration and stabilization in response to gravity, ground reaction forces and momentum. Put simply: train movements, not muscles.

What does that mean exactly? If you go to the gym and faithfully perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions of slow, controlled leg extensions with enough weight so that the 10th rep is challenging, will you be strengthening the quadriceps for tennis? No.. Here's why: Weight machines are designed to limit joint involvement and "simplify" what the body does in order to isolate muscle groups for the purpose of building muscle. Machines generally elicit concentric contractions (where you are producing force) and, in the case of leg extensions, they are very linear, uni-planar and isolated.

What do the quadriceps do in tennis? Like all muscles when performing any activity, the quad is a "team player." It is working in concert with other muscles to help produce force as you push off (accelerate using concentric contraction), reduce force as you slow down (decelerate using eccentric contraction), and keep the knee bent as you hit your stroke (stabilize using isometric contraction.) The information is deciphered by the nervous system through specific receptors in the muscles, tendons and joints that are sending information to the brain (called proprioception) to determine what type of movement is necessary. The quadriceps are working in conjunction with all the other muscles of the ankle, knee, hip joints and lower back in a specific pattern, speed, and sequence of acceleration, deceleration or stabilization that is determined by the neuromuscular system.

Now you can see why it's a lot simpler to say "Train movements, not muscles!" But the fact is, when you start to understand what is involved, it actually is simpler to use common sense to determine how you should train. Train the way you play. And, the good news is that your neuromuscular system, which controls your ability to go faster, change direction quickly, decelerate, and move efficiently, is highly trainable.

How do you prepare your body for explosive movement - especially off of one leg? How do you prevent shoulder injuries?

The better your functional ability to respond to ground reaction forces, summate power in the legs and transfer that to forceful rotation in the torso and shoulders, the more powerful a stroke you will be able to produce. When all the links in the power chain are appropriately conditioned, proper mechanics yield a more powerful stroke with the greatest force produced, reduced and sustained by the strongest muscles. Conversely, if the legs are relatively weak or slow and the core is deconditioned, the emphasis is placed on the shoulder, elbow and wrist producing an inefficient stroke with undue stresses placed on the weakest links in the chain.

What should you do? You should incorporate functional strength training into your workouts.

Where should you start? At the Core - literally. The core is the power transfer station. The legs exert force against the ground which is transferred to the arm and racquet by way of the core. Instead of thinking of the abdominal muscles alone, we have to think of the core as a tube that includes the abs, back, sides and inner muscles that rotate, flex and extend the torso. That "tube" must be functionally strong all the way around in order to prevent injury and improve performance.

CORE STRENGTH

The following are some tennis-specific core strengthening exercises that can be performed daily. Remember to exhale on the exertion and stay relaxed in the shoulders and neck.

Core exercises should start with the small, hard to find transverse abdominus and internal obliques, as these 2 muscles connect to the lumbar spine and are therefore integral to lumbar spine integrity.

On the floor, on your back: 1 Leg Lower: Arms overhead, both legs up bent at 90 degree angle, exhale and draw the navel in as you lower the bent leg to the floor. Do not let the lower back move at all. 8x each leg.

For core rotation: Straight leg side-to-side: Arms out to the sides with palms face down, one leg up, other leg straight down on floor. Slowly lower leg to floor across the body, then bring it back as fast as possible to center. Repeat 10x each side. Seated Medicine Ball or Dumbbell Twist: Sit with a Medicine Ball or Dumbbell directly behind you. Reach around with both hands and grab the ball or weight, then twist all the way around and put it back behind you. Remember to breathe and try to keep the shoulders relaxed.

For core flexion and rotation: Single Leg Exchanges: Elbow to opposite knee as legs bicycle. Shoulder blades off the floor at all times. Exhale as you draw navel in. 1 X 100.

For back hyperextension: Superperson: On stomach, raise head and opposite arm and leg as you exhale and draw the navel in. Return to relaxed position with forehead down between each rep. 12-20x.

UPPER BODY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH TRAINING

Push-ups are a great total body exercise. While the chest, shoulders and triceps are doing most of the work (producing force concentrically) the core is working like crazy to stabilize the body in a straight position. Start out on your knees, then move to a bench, then to the floor as you master each step. When you are able to perform the pushups while maintaining a straight body, move on to an unstable surface, such as a low stability ball or any of the balance devices on the market to increase the challenge.

1-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press is a functional alternative to the traditional bench press. Lie on a regular bench with the left arm holding the top of the bench overhead. Start with a dumbbell in the right hand extended over you directly above your sternum. As you lower the arm, let the right shoulder extend below the bench. Exhale as you forcefully push (press) the dumbbell back up. Support the lower back by using the drawing-in maneuver.

Standing Rows using either stretch cords or cables are excellent for strengthening the back muscles. This is necessary for both strength and balance, as the back muscles are primarily stretched during most strokes. Start standing with the muscles on stretch (with the cord or cable taut), and pull in to the waist, as in a rowing motion. As you progress, vary the exercise by pulling with one arm at a time, alternating arms, pulling both arm to the same side, or standing on one leg.

Standing Alternating Front Raises are primarily a shoulder strengthening exercise. Use either a stretch cord, dumbbells or cables and start standing, with the knees slightly bent and the navel drawn in. Raise both arms straight forward, keeping the elbows straight, then lower. Next, raise to the right with straight arms and lower, then to the left. Be sure the back is not arching and that you support through the core. As you progress, you can use one arm alone and/or balance on one foot as you perform the exercise.

LOWER BODY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH TRAINING

Bench steps are excellent for functional strength development. Find a sturdy bench or step from 12 to 18 inches high. Step up with the right foot, then the left foot, then put the right foot down and leave the left foot on so that you can step up starting on the left. These are alternating bench steps. You can also do single leg steps where you simply repeat the reps on one leg, then repeat on the other. Be sure to use the leg that is stepping up to do all the work and try not to push off from the leg on the floor. Start using your body weight, then add dumbbells or powerballs and/or extend the arms up or out as you step up. As you progress, you can also try alternating or single leg bench jumps.

Multi-directional Lunges are a fundamental movement in tennis. Players lunge in every direction, at every speed, at every joint angle of the hips, knee and ankle, and with the upper body in various degrees of forward flexion. Therefore, traditional fitness lunges which are limited and usually call for an upright upper body, are not always enough. Try you lunges this way: If you are standing in the center of a large clock face, start by lunging forward with the right leg to 12 o'clock, then back to the center. Then repeat at 2 o'clock, then 3 o'clock, backwards with a turn to 5 o'clock, and then across the body with the right leg to 10 o'clock. Start out with no weight, then add dumbbells or powerballs. As you progress, pick up a weight or medicine ball at each lunge, then put it back down.

Calf raises are excellent for developing power for pushing off. In order to be explosive, you must perform the calf raises explosively where you try to raise up on the toes as fast as possible each time. Start standing on two feet and balance as you raise up on your toes, then lower back either to the ground or, if using a calf raise step, lower the foot below the step. As you progress, add weight but continue to try to balance on your own. To increase the complexity, do the calf raises on one foot, then try to do them with your eyes closed, to increase the balance challenge.

ENDURANCE

Tennis is not an aerobic sport. It is primarily an anaerobic sport, with an aerobic component. This means that although matches may last more than one or two hours, the energy required is for repeated bursts of (anaerobic) energy. In Power Tennis Training, Don Chu states, "As a tennis player, you need to include some aerobic exercise, but this should not be your dominant conditioning exercise." Many people ask if running is good training for tennis. This question does not have one simple answer. It depends on the circumstances. For example, if someone is deconditioned and needs to improve their aerobic base and reduce their percentage of body fat, then as a starter, some form of sustained, moderate aerobic activity (such as jogging, stationary bike riding, rowing machine, swimming, etc) may be beneficial. If someone is a relatively well conditioned player who wants to improve their on-court endurance, i.e. still be able to come to the net explosively in the third set, then sustained running would not produce the desired results. Instead, some interval-type training, with short bursts of 10-20 seconds followed by active recovery for 30-60 seconds lasting for 20-40 minutes with longer rests of 90 seconds after every eight to ten bouts, would produce the desired training effect. This simulates the sequence in a tennis match, with a 90 second changeover after 2 games. Or finally, let's say you have a highly conditioned, high level player. Here, the sustained running may actually be contraindicated as it may fatigue and overuse muscles and joints with no training effect. The high level player needs high intensity interval workouts using a 1:3 work to rest ratio, combined with on-court conditioning involving specific footwork patterns and movement with an emphasis on improving anaerobic power.

What should you do? Train using a mix of explosive power activity with active recovery. If you walk, try walking fast uphill for 20-30 seconds several times. If you run, do some short sprints. The same is true for stationary biking, cycling, rowing, cross-country skiing, swimming, jumping rope or whatever your activity may be. Just try to use a 1:3 work to rest ratio, or work up to that as a goal.

SPEED, AGILITY & FOOTWORK

In order to be fast, you have to be strong. If you don't feel confident in your ability to forcefully push off from one leg in order to burst forward or sideways, your movement will reflect this with a weak, inefficient first step resulting in slow movement to the ball with insufficient set up time. Therefore, the first component of speed is strength. The next component is that speed, agility and footwork are not genetic traits. In order to own these abilities, you have to work at them. " A player can only do successfully in a match, what has been successfully repeated over and over again in training." (Don Chu) Of course, some people are naturally faster or more agile, but every individual, whether junior, senior or in between, can seriously improve his or her own speed and agility through specific and consistent training. Does that mean you'll be as fast as the pros? No, it just means that you can be faster in a few weeks than you are today.

How can you improve your speed, agility and footwork? Besides praying for unforced errors by your opponents, try to increase your ability to physically anticipate. This means being on the balls of your feet most of the time with your weight forward in anticipation of movement in any direction. To work on fast feet, try the following drills.

Hex Drill: Start in the center of a hexagon (drawn with chalk or masking tape) or hula hoop. Jump out on both feet to each angle of the hex, returning to the center each time. You should be able to go around three times in 10 seconds on two feet. You can also try one foot at a time.

Squiggly Line Drill: Lay a jump rope or cord on the ground in a squiggly shape. Start at one end and jump on two feet back and forth over the rope as fast as possible moving sideways. You can also try it on one foot at a time, and/or facing forward and jumping over the rope sideways.

What about the "first step?" Once a cue is received, the first step towards the ball is a result of a strong push or "digging in" motion off of one leg. If you are in the center and need to move quickly to the right, you step out to the right with the right foot but the forceful pushing is coming from the left leg. Once you are strong enough to confidently push off with one leg, this movement should be trained through specific drills as well as explosive strength training. On-court drills include cone side-shuffle/sprint patterns, partner ball tosses, and any short bursts using tennis movement patterns that emphasize the quick start.

Agility is defined as the ability to move quickly and easily with suppleness and grace; smooth coordination and dexterous performance of sudden or difficult actions. If this is describing how you look on the court, you're doing the right things. If not, maybe it's time for some speed and agility training!

Here are some concepts to assist in creating speed and agility drills:

1. A tennis point usually contains four to five directional changes.
2. Most tennis points last less than 10 seconds.
3. Tennis players always carry their rackets during points.
4. Players seldom run more than 30 feet in one direction during a point.
5. Players rest 20-25 seconds between points and 90 seconds on changeovers.

Set up cones or markers in a pattern that requires players to change directions several times. Have the drill last about 5-10 seconds, then recover for about 20 seconds. Try the drill with your racquet in hand and as you progress, add a ball toss to the drill and finally, movement combined with hitting with an emphasis on quick starts, change of direction and balance.

FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility includes both dynamic flexibility, which involves dynamic movement through a full range of motion and should be part of the warm-up and cool down, as well as static stretching, which should occur after training or playing In order to return muscles to their resting length, remove lactic acid and prevent soreness. The most common error that players make is to use static stretching as a warm-up. "Within the muscles there are two types of stretch receptors: one detects the magnitude of stretch and one detects the speed of stretch. Static stretching improves static flexibility and dynamic stretching improves dynamic flexibility. Therefore, it is not logical to use static stretches to prepare for dynamic action." (Vern Gambetta's Building the Compete Athlete Workbook).

What should you do? Prior to playing or training, a functional warm-up should include jogging, side shuffling, skipping, back pedaling and lunging movements for about five minutes, followed by dynamic flexibility, such as large arm circles, chopping motions, torso rotation, leg kicks, crab walks, etc. Your warm-up should include "lite" versions of what you will be doing during play. Dynamic flexibility prior to play will prepare the nervous system for tennis movement and prevent injury by specifically engaging the joints in dynamic, full range of motion movement

Static stretching should be done after playing or training. There are several schools of thought regarding the best methods of stretching. However, among recreational players and juniors alike, ANY stretching is better than no stretching, which is unfortunately what is often the case. Set up a simple routine for yourself that targets at least the legs (runner's stretch, hamstring stretch), the lower back (torso flexion and rotation), the shoulder (hug the body), the forearms and wrists, and the calves. Try to perform your stretching routine consistently and remember that stretching should only be done after the muscles have been warmed-up. Other great methods of stretching include yoga, Pilates, PNF, AIS (Active Isolated Stretching), dance classes, and specific stretching classes. There are also many stretching videos and books currently on the market.

Hopefully, all this information on tennis training has inspired you to improve your training. If you choose to work with a personal trainer at your club, find someone who is certified by the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) as a CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), a CPT (Certified Personal Trainer), or at least a certified trainer with continuing education in functional training.

All of the exercises, drills and concepts mentioned here are contained in two videos: Functional Strength Training for Tennis and Speed, Agility & Footwork for Tennis. These videos are appropriate for coaches, tennis pros, trainers and athletes from junior to senior. They both contain Basic, Intermediate and Advanced sections with an interface with the website: fitfortennis.com which provides programs to accompany the videos, as well as equipment information and additional resources. Also available by contacting Rose Bonomo.