WARM-UPS FOR TENNIS PLAYERS: GET READY FOR THE COURTS Competitive tennis is getting more physically demanding. Doing a thorough warm-up improves your performance and reduces the risk of injury. Here’s a series of simple warm-up exercises for tennis players. PREPARING YOUR BODY AND MIND Warm-up simply means preparing your body for training or a match by warming up your muscles. Moreover, a warm-up also prepares your mind by focusing on technique and coordination. Some tennis players pay an almost obsessive amount of attention to their warm-up, while others just do a few chest twists and shoulder-loosening movements before starting to play. But both professional and recreational players benefit from doing a structured series of warm-up drills, including both striding and dynamic stretching exercises. The following series of exercises are recommended to prepare for tennis training and matches in the best way possible.
SKIPPING Skipping is something you can do almost anywhere with a bit of space, so you can do this exercise both at the courtside and in the locker room. Carry out 30 to 50 jumps and vary the type of jump. Repeat for 3 to 5 sets. Easy skipping variations include:
With your feet together, apart or alternating
On one foot or alternating
Bringing your knees up or to the sides
Standing still or skipping while jogging
ATHLETIC STRIDES