Want to skip the trip to the gym? Here's everything a tennis player needs to get a great workout at home.
How many spare minutes do you have in a day to work out? Chances are, just driving back and forth from a gym and waiting to get on the machines eats up a big chunk of that time. One solution: Cut out the middleman. In other
words do your exercises at home, right in your family room while you watch the pros play on TV.
"You can set up a home gym in a couple of days, and for less than the price of a new racquet," says Gray Cook, M.S.P.T., a physical therapist and author of Athletic Body and Balance (Human Kinetics) and Power, Speed & Stamina for Tennis (Kendall/Hunt). Cook has worked with a number of top-ranked players, including Andy Roddick.
A full array of bulky machines isn't required for a tennis player to get in shape, but that doesn't mean you can get away without doing a comprehensive routine~. Once you have the gear in place, keep in mind what sport you're training for. According to Cook, too many recreational players "focus most of their attention on aerobic exercise and ignore anaerobic conditioning and functional strength training."
Because tennis is a stop-and-start sport, you need to work in quick, powerful bursts, he says.
The five pieces of equipment below, all recommended by Cook, will help you get a well-rounded workout. To get you started, we've also included an exercise for each.
1. Jump-Rope
Why it’s a good tool for tennis: Jumping rope is great for interval training, which gets you moving in explosive bursts, and builds equal leg strength and balance. Look for a lightweight rope. “Weighted ropes are easy to turn, but you can’t turn them as fast,” Cook says.
One great move: Single-leg 30 second intervals. Try to skip rope on your right leg 40 times in 30 seconds. Repeat with the left leg. Rest for one minute, repeat. Alternate until you’ve jumped on each leg five times.
Where to get it: Go to www.lifelineusa.com or call (800) 553-6633. The Speed Rope is $5.
!2-32. Mat
Why it’s a good tool for tennis: Flexibility is the most overlooked component of any fitness regimen, Cook says. Having a comfortable mat at home may inspire you to get down on the floor and stretch.
One great move: Tree pose. Stand tall, with your feet together and arms at your sides. Lift your right foot and place the sole as high as possible on your inner thigh o your left leg. Keep your stomach muscles relaxed. Bring your hands together in a prayer-like position, and then slowly raise them above your head. (To aid balance, focus on one point in your line of vision.) Hold for 10 seconds, and then lower your arms and repeat, trying to hold it for 30 seconds or more. Switch sides.
Where to get it: Go to www.yogasite.com or call (877) 964-2748. The Deluxe Classic Mat is $16.
3. Inflatable Medicine Ball
Why it’s a good tool for tennis: You have to use your whole body to throw the ball and then move fast to catch it, which helps to develop your reflexes and build power in your trunk muscles, which is a key for all strokes.
One great move: Bounce back. Holding the ball with both hands in front of your chest, bounce it toward a wall and catch it as it comes back to you. Throw quickly and with each catch take one step back. The challenge will be to launch the ball so that it continues to come all the way back to you. As you get stronger, let a little bit of air out of the all. This will force you to throw harder to make the ball come back to you.
Where to get it. Go to www.lifelineusa.com or call (800) 553-6633. An inflatable 2.2-pound medicine ball is $15.
!4-54. Dumbbells
Why they’re good tools for tennis: The exercises you can do are countless
One great move: Kneeling windmills. Kneel down on your left knee, right foot flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell of comfortable weight (start with the 2.5 - 5-pound weights) in each hand at your sides. Lift your left arm straight out in front and up overhead; at the same time, pull your right arm behind you. Lower with control and repeat. Do 15 repetitions; switch sides. Do two sets.
Where to get them: Go to www.sportsunlimitedinc.com or call (800) 693-6368. The York Adjustable Chrome Dumbbell Set is $54.
5. Gym Ball
Why it’s a good tool for tennis: It aids in building stability and core and upper-body strength, all of which are essential on a court. To find the right size for your height, go to www.fitter1.com and check the ball sizing chart.
One great move: The crunch. Lie back on top of the ball with your feet planted on the floor and your fingers behind your head for support. Slowly lift your shoulders and upper back off the ball, and then lower them back down, taking five full seconds to complete the crunch. Work up to three sets of 20 reps.
Where to get it: Go to www.fitter1.com or call (800) 348-8371. The 65-centimeter Burst-Resistant Exercise Ball is $25 (for a ball that will fit a person 5-foo-7 to 6-foot-4).
Photos by Ken Karp