Tennis Fitness Exercises With Resistance Bands

Given the repetitive forceful moments in tennis, the muscles and joints in your body endure severe stress over time. Your elbows, shoulders, lower back, knees and ankles become vulnerable to injury. By doing strengthening exercises with resistance bands, you can condition your muscles and the connective tissues surrounding your joints. Before you engage in resistance training, perform a light cardiovascular activity, such as jogging or stationary cycling, for five to 10 minutes to boost your heart rate and warm your muscles. Given that bands are inexpensive and portable, every tennis player should carry a band in her bag.

  1. Lower Body

    • The lower-body strength of elite tennis players tends to be evenly balanced between their right and left sides, according to Paul Roetert and Todd Ellenbecker’s book “Complete Conditioning for Tennis.” When you perform resistance band exercises for the lower body, such as the leg press, leg extensions, partial squats or hamstring curls, begin your regimen by working both legs at the same time. Later in the workout, you can progress to isolation exercises that work one leg at a time. For example, to perform hamstring curls, secure one end of the band to a post or a sturdy object. Put a chair far enough away from the post to take out the slack in the band. Sit in the chair and loop the band around your ankle. Slowly flex your knee 90 degrees, stretching the band. Keep your back erect. Return the leg in a controlled way to the starting position, avoiding snappy or jerky movement. Begin with 10 reps, adding three to five more reps as you grow stronger.

    Upper Body and Core

    • Building your chest, back and abdominal muscles can help your forehand and serve. In addition, your core musculature plays a key role in the acceleration and deceleration of all tennis strokes. For example, a standing alternate-band chest press can strengthen your upper back and rotator cuffs, or the muscles that protect the shoulder joints. Tie resistance tubing with handles to a stationary object, such as a post. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and turn your back to the post. Hold the handles, positioning your elbows to your sides at shoulder height. Fully extend your right arm forward, holding the peak position for a second or two. Slowly draw your arm back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with your left arm. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

    Arms

    • Although a tennis player’s dominant arm has greater strength than the nondominant arm, you should aim for the balanced development of the right and left arms. To build your biceps, you can perform curls with a resistance band. Stand on one end of the loop and hold the other end of the loop in your hands, palms facing up. Keep your back and elbows straight. Slowly flex your elbows, contracting your biceps and working against the resistance of the band. Perform 10 reps for three sets.

    Rotator Cuffs

    • Shoulder injuries, such as rotator cuff tears and inflammation, are common among tennis players. The game requires not only a large range of motion but also the repetitive powerful movement of your shoulder. The connective tissue in your shoulder joint doesn’t provide enough stability through several planes of motion. Use a resistance band to strengthen your rotator cuff for internal and external rotation. Stand and hold one end of a resistance band with your left hand, keeping the upper pinned to your body. Anchor the other end of the band to your right hip with your right hand. Rotate your left forearm outward, keeping your wrist firm. Hold the peak position for a second before you return to the starting position. Perform 15 reps and then switch sides. Aim to complete two sets for each arm.