Torso Strength for Rotational Power and Injury Reduction

Hitting a tennis ball involves a tremendous amount of torso rotation. Power generated by the legs is transferred to the racquet via rotation of the hips and torso. Changes in today's game, such as open stance forehands and backhands, racquet materials, and more powerful strokes, require a strong torso that can both generate power and withstand injury.

What can be done to strengthen the torso and insure a reduction of injury?

1. Proper Warm up
2. Strengthening the muscles in the same torso movement pattern as in tennis.
3. Strengthening the muscles in the opposite torso movement pattern as in tennis.
4. General core and back strengthening exercises
5. Stretching after play

1. Proper Warm up
The use of a proper warm up has been discussed several times before in this column. Besides the progressions for general warm-up (see Tennis Times Feb/Mar 2002) the torso warm-up should include easy rotation in multi-directional movement patterns. These warm up exercises include:

Torso rotation side to side: with hips stabilized and hands together at hip height, rotate from side to side 10-20 times.

Figure 8's: with hips stabilized and hands together, draw a figure 8 in front of you gradually enlarging the size, 10-20 times.

Rotational chopping: with the hips and legs moving in progression with the torso, rotate from low to high (as in a forehand or backhand) 10-20 times on each side.

2. Strengthening the muscles in the same torso movement pattern as in tennis.
If you think of your torso as a tube, the muscles that must be worked include: the abdominals in front (rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, and psoas) and the spinal muscles in back (erector spinae and quadratus lumborum).

The following exercises should be done as part of your workout routine, which ideally should take place after or apart from play. Once you have mastered the movement, be sure to perform each rep explosively.

Rotational Chopping: same as above from low to high, but do 2-3 sets on each side and use resistance via a dumbbell, medicine ball, power ball or pulley. Be sure to perform the movement explosively and at the same speed as your strokes. The weight is too heavy if it is slowing you down.

Medicine Ball Forehand and Backhand Throws: Find a partner and some space and throw a 6-8 lb. Medicine ball to each other 20 times on each side, using the same movement pattern as you do in your strokes.

If you can't find a partner, use a medicine ball or Power Ball (weighted ball with a handle) and execute your forehand and backhand (20X each) with both hands on the ball and don't release the ball, but swing through your strokes.

3. Strengthening the muscles in the opposite torso movement pattern as in tennis strokes.
These exercises, for muscular balance, should also be done as part of your workout.

Chopping Down: same as described in the warm up (from high to low) but perform the movement explosively and do 2-3 sets on each side and use resistance via a dumbbell, medicine ball, power ball or pulley.

Abdominal bicycling: Lying on your back, extend one leg out parallel to the floor and bring the other knee in. Touching the opposite elbow to the opposite knee, bicycle the legs as you rotate the torso. Be sure both shoulder blades are off the floor at all ties, and breathe.

Pulley Abdominal Pulldowns: On your knees, facing the pulley station, use the rope or similar handle with the pulley attached at the top. Grasp the handle with your hands together, above your head with your elbows bent. Your arms remain in this position as you perform a kneeling crunch. Be sure to use your abs to pull down, nit your arms. Return to a stretched position between each pull and repeat 10-20 times for 2-3 sets.

Lat Pulldowns: (while this exercise is not rotational, it is still important for muscular balance.) Grasp the bar at the point where it starts to bend with the hands facing forward. Pull the bar down in front of you, bringing the chest up to meet the bar. (Behind the neck pulldowns put unnecessary stress on the shoulder.)

General Core:
A series of core exercises can be found at fitfortennis.com if you click on the Newsletter Archive. These exercises also appeared in Tennis Times July/Aug 2001. Additionally:

Stability Ball/Medicine Ball Throws: Sitting on a stability ball facing sideways, have your partner throw the ball to your forehand and you return the ball as forcefully as possible while balancing on the Stability Ball for 10-16 reps. Repeat on the backhand side.

Stability Ball Russian Twists: sitting on the stability ball and leaning back at a 30 degree angle, hold a weight in both hands with the arms outstretched and twist side to side, supporting the movement by tightening the abs.

Opposing arm/leg raises: On all fours with the back flat and supported, raise the opposite arm and leg simultaneously and hold for 2-4 seconds stretching out as you hollow the stomach. Change sides and repeat 10-12 times.

Stretches:
There following are a few rotational stretches that should be performed after play.

Standing Rotation: as in the warm up, gently rotate from side to side with the arms bent.

Windmill Stretch: with the feet about 3 feet apart, bend forward and grab the right foot with the left arm and stretch the right arm up towards the ceiling, like a windmill. Hold for 10-20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Yoga Twist: Sitting on the floor, bend the left leg under you and bring the right leg over the left thigh with the foot on the ground. Twist in the opposite direction of the right leg as you hug theright leg to your body with your left arm. Hold for 10-20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Remember to warm up, strengthen and stretch in all directions and Happy Training!