Adjusting to clay means more than just hitting with extra topspin. You also need to train your body for it.
Long points, big strokes, endless running and sliding, stained shoes—that’s what clay-court tennis, the most physically challenging version of our sport, is all about. Are you ready for it?
Even though tennis in the U.S. is most often played on hard courts, there are many clay aficionados in this country, and plenty of clay courts, especially in the Southern states and at private clubs. “Hard courts take a toll on your joints, but clay takes a toll on your muscles,” says Mark Wellington, M.A., C.SC.S., a tennis-performance specialist at the International Performance Institute in Bradenton, Fla. “We usually see a higher incidence of muscle strains and pulls on clay,” he adds, “and players often complain about having ‘heavy’ legs when they start on clay.” According to Wellington, improving your strength, flexibility, and anaerobic conditioning (your ability to move explosively) will help you play better clay-court tennis even before you hit a ball.
To start, get some inspiration by watching Gustavo Kuerten next time he’s on clay. “He literally glides around the court, he’s in such control, and his play is so smooth even though he’s moving on a slippery surface,” says Jeff Newman, junior tennis director at the Wheaton Sport Center in Wheaton, Ill., home to some of the Midwest’s few clay courts. Here’s how to prepare your body for the rigors of clay—and maybe even begin to get yourself moving a little like Guga.
!In the GymIN THE GYM:
Strengthen Your Upper Body
Clay makes the ball bounce higher, so the chest and shoulders take more impact, Wellington says. A basic upperbody strength program that includes chest presses, lat pull-downs, and shoulder exercises that focus on the rotatorcuff muscles will help get you ready.
Anyone who lifts weights probably does both chest presses and lat pulldowns, but the rotator-cuff muscles tend to be ignored, according to Wellington. “Injury to the rotator cuff can keep you off the court for weeks, or even longer,” he says. He recommends external and internal rotation exercises using elastic tubing or bands. (See the following page for instructions.) “The exercises are simple, they’re effective, and they will help prevent soreness and injury,” he says.
SHOULDER THE LOAD: The high balls you hit on clay are tough on your rotator cuffs. To strengthen them, tie an exercise tube to a doorknob and try external rotation exercises by pulling the band away from your torso; and internal rotations, where you pull the band toward your torso. Do three sets of 10 rotations.
ON THE COURT:
Get a Dynamic Warm-Up
“Many players just hop on the court and start hitting,” Wellington says, “but that’s a bad idea, especially on clay.” Cold muscles are vulnerable to injury, so a 10-minute warm-up is a must. “My players use an active, dynamic warm-up that increases blood flow to the muscles and raises core temperature,” he says. How? By jogging for a few minutes and doing a series of movements that simulate
the motions required during play: lunges, squats, and core and upper-body rotations.
Wellington also recommends a series of stretches focusing on the hamstrings, inner thighs, quadriceps, buttocks, and calves. The key to these stretches, he says, is to make them “dynamic”: Rather than holding a stretch for 10 to 20 seconds, hold it for just three to five seconds and repeat it five times. For the upper body, he suggests doing arm rotations (windmill-like movements) and shot simulations and repeatedly throwing a phantom football.
To see a dynamic prematch stretching routine, visit TENNIS.com, select “Past Issues,” and find “Stretching: The Truth” in the May 2003 archive.
!During PlayDURING PLAY:
Maintain Your Balance
On hard surfaces you can change direction on a dime. “But on clay courts, it’s a very different story,” Newman says. “Sliding is part of the game, and you have to learn to get your balance and rhythm down so that you can slide, make contact with the ball, and then accelerate in a new direction, all without losing your balance.”
You can practice this by doing shuffle-steps quickly across a court (without holding a racquet), with your knees bent and your center of gravity low. “On a clay court, your control and balance are more important than speed,” Newman says.
AFTERWARD:
Recover and Relax
Are you suffering from the dreaded heavy-legs syndrome that can come after a long day on a clay court? Here’s one way that Wellington recommends combatting it: Flush your legs with some oxygenated blood.
Don’t be alarmed—it just means you should exercise your legs. After you play, jog or cycle for two minutes, then lie on your back and elevate your legs for two minutes. Do that two more times, then hold your feet and legs in cold water for one minute and walk around for two minutes. (If you think this sounds hellish, be glad that you’re not working with Wellington: He makes his players submerge their entire bodies in ice.) “The ice restricts the blood flow to the legs,” Wellington says. “When you get up and walk, the blood vessels dilate and lots of blood is quickly flushed through the legs.” Then again, Wellington’s other recovery option might be more appealing: “Massage is also ideal,” he says.