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One of the most
neglected areas in any sport is the warm-up routine.
Most tennis players make the cardinal mistake of heading straight
for the tennis courts and trying to serve aces right from the first
point. Research has shown that one of the biggest causes of
injuries, nagging aches and pains, is an improper warm-up routine.
Look at the professional athletes. Have you seen a boxer warm-up
before a bout? Many times you will find them throwing imaginary
punches in the air, work on keeping their feet moving and just focus
on getting their breathing and mental focus correct. You will find
them working on moves that simulate the very actions that they would
be doing inside the boxing ring.
A good warm-up off the tennis workout does not require much. This
would include a few minutes of light jogging, a few side steps, few
crossover steps and then some half paced sprints. A good warm-up
should always be based on actions and footwork similar to that on
the tennis court. The purpose of the warm-up is to prepare your body
for more rigorous and intense action on the tennis court.
Traditional warm-up on the tennis court involves a few minutes of
polite rallying, volleys, serves and overheads. Tennis etiquette
also requires that you do not hit your warm-up shots away from your
opponent, so gradually increase your own movements and then start to
retrieve your opponents errant practice shots.
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The first few
shots you hit on the tennis courts are perhaps the most
important. Watch the professionals warm-up on the tennis court.
Their focus will never be on hitting the ball hard. Rather their
focus will be on getting their timing and breath control
correct, their feet moving all the time, synchronizing their
mental focus and their focus on the ball and most of all judging
the pace and bounce of the tennis court. Watch the professionals
in action. You will find them gradually step up the pace and
towards the end of the five-minute warm-up period they will be
ready to play the match. That is the essence of a good warm-up. |
What about
stretching? A lot of academies and coaches, perhaps out of
ignorance, might teach you to stretch and then do the mandatory
rounds around the tennis court. Contrary to popular belief,
stretching does not play a very important part in your warm-up
routine. Research has now shown that it is more important to stretch
after a match or a workout than prior to it. We’ll discuss the
importance of stretching and the post workout routine in the
forthcoming newsletters.
Whether you are a recreational player or an aspiring professional
you would do well to get to the courts a little early and spend some
time on the warm-up routines.
BE LIKE THE PROFESSIONALS.
WARMUP BEFORE YOU PLAY AND BE A STEP AHEAD. |
