We’ve all done it –at the court just minutes before our match starts, do a couple of knee bends, and then think we’re ready to play. After dropping the first three games of the set we scratch our heads, wondering why we’re playing so lifelessly. If you want to come out firing bullets instead of blanks, you’ve got to come on the court warm and excited to play. The best scenario would be to practice a half-hour before you play, but you’re not always going to have the opportunity. So at the bare minimum you should try to get your heart pumping before you take the court. That way your blood is flowing, your muscles are loose, and you’re ready to compete. A quick and effective way to do this is jumping rope. A jump rope is inexpensive, ready for travel, and easy to use. You don’t have to go at a Rocky-like pace, but several minutes of steady jump rope will prepare you for a match in important ways because it:
Simulates Running: During warm-ups you tend to hit the balls directly at each other. This may help with your strokes, but during a match how often are balls hit in that fashion. Work the rope up to a good speed and you’ll feel like your sprinting for a drop shot.
Heats You Up: Watch a professional in any sport and you’ll see they start a contest already sweating. Jumping rope helps get a lather going. For those worried about tiring out, a moderate amount of jump rope will actually energize, not weaken you.
Entire Body Exercise: Jumping rope utilizes the wrist, forearm, shoulder, and whole leg, which are all crucial for playing good tennis. It also increases coordination and balance, two things a player can never have enough of.
So if you suffer from early match flatness, you can skip it by jumping rope.