(NOTE: This review compliments "Tennis: An Overview".)

In today's world of competitive tennis, athletes do a lot more all-around conditioning than in years past. Players like Kim Clijsters, Lleyton Hewitt, and Rafael Nadal epitomize fitness. Martina Navratilova is legendary for how hard she worked on her fitness. Lindsay Davenport, Andre Agassi, and Martina Hingis each made a resurgence after working on their fitness in the second half of their respective careers.

So, what exercises are ideal for tennis players? To be fit enough to play competitive tennis at any level requires a mixture of aerobic conditioning and strength-training:

AEROBIC CONDITIONING FOR TENNIS PLAYERS

Even at the club level, some tennis matches can last 3 hours (or more). Thus, it is imperative that tennis players do lots of aerobic conditioning.

• Biking: Biking is a good mode of aerobic exercise, however, riding a bike does not train the legs like running does. Running develops not only the front of the thighs, but the back of the thighs (hamstrings), and muscles of the feet and lower legs much better than biking.

• Running: Generally, the best form of aerobic conditioning for tennis involves running. Both tempo runs and intermediate-distance running should be included in the weekly routine. Running distances of 10-K or half-marathons is not necessary. Develop your cardiovascular capacity by running distances of 1-2 miles at a relatively brisk pace. Mix in some quarter-mile runs at near-maximal effort.

However, tennis requires more than simple straight line running. An excellent running drill for tennis is the modified shuttle run: Run from the fence to the service line, then back to the fence, then up to the net, then back to the fence. This up-and-back cycle can be repeated over and over uninterrupted. To add variety, hold your racquet while doing this drill. Another variation is to face towards the net while running both up and back (ie., this involves alternating between forward and backward running).

Agility and mobility drills are also important. One way to do this is to start by standing in the center of the court, where the service line meets the center line. From this point, run to one of the 4 corners of the court, then, back to the center, then to a different corner of the court, then back to the center, and so on. At each corner, touch your fingers to the ground. This will get you used to bending low for volleys and ground strokes.

You should do this 4-corners drill while always facing towards the net during your trek to each corner. This will mimic what you need to do when moving forward at an angle to cut off a volley, and will emphasize proper positioning when retreating to the back court. Doing this 4-corners drill while always facing forward requires you to run at angles, both forwards and backwards. This drill will also enhance your ability to change direction, something that occurs constantly in a tennis match. Once you have developed your fitness, have your partner hit a ball to each corner and see if you can return it. This will force you to get in proper hitting position when you reach each corner.

The Killer Drill:

When I was at the University of Florida, I used to hit regularly with 2 buddies, Jim and Greg. We would do the following drill:

• First, make sure your hitting partner is good at feeding balls and start with a shopping cart full. Your partner will be feeding balls, but not trying to return them.

• Begin at the baseline. Your partner should start by feeding 2 balls to your backcourt, setting you up to hit 2 ground strokes. You should drive these balls deep, to opposite corners. Approach the net after hitting the 2nd ground stroke, but only if both of your shots landed in. If either goes long or into the net, keep hitting ground strokes until you hit 2 in a row that stay in.

• Next, your partner should feed you 2 balls that you can volley, one from each side. After you hit the 2nd volley, touch your racquet to the net and begin retreating to nail an overhead.

• Your partner should hit a lob towards the center of the court. Take this out of the air with a firm overhead (don't nail your partner!).

• Move in again and have your partner hit a ball that you can volley away for a winner.

• Now, run back to the baseline and start the whole series over.

This drill goes on continuously until you run out of balls, or, are completely exhausted. It's a tough drill, but it simulates match play.

RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR TENNIS PLAYERS

John McEnroe, in his prime, kept his game sharp by playing lots of doubles matches with Peter Fleming but did very little weight-training. Even though a tennis racquet isn't heavy, weight training is now considered a core element of a serious tennis program. When Andre Agassi wanted to take his game to a new level, he hired strength coach Gil Reyes to be his personal trainer and installed a complete gym in his house. He began weight-training and eventually regained the world's number 1 ranking in 1999 (and probably would have held it for several more years, had it not been for one minor detail: Pete Sampras).

• Dumbell Exercises: Dumbell exercises are ideal for tennis players. Exercising the dominant shoulder with windmill circles while holding a light dumbell will improve the muscles used for serving and hitting overheads. Doing wrist curls will improve forearm strength. Bench press and flye exercises will improve the forehand and forehand volley.

• Cable-pulls are a great way to improve arm and shoulder strength for hitting ground strokes. These exercises allow for a wide range of motion which recruits a variety of muscles used in the tennis stroke.

• Core Training: A really important part of resistance training for tennis is core training. The serve and the overhead require a lot of strength from the abdominals and the obliques. Crunches on the floor or using a stability ball are ideal for this. But don't forget to incorporate twisting crunches so that you can train those important obliques.

• Plyometrics: Once a good base of leg strength and cardiopulmonary conditioning has been achieved, add some plyometric exercises (see related story "Plyometrics"). Plyometric jumping exercises will help you jump up and back to nail that overhead smash.

If you find jumping exercises like this boring, consider playing some 2-man sand volleyball. You'll get a fantastic workout and not even realize that you are doing those very same plyometric jumps.

CROSS-TRAINING FOR TENNIS PLAYERS

Swimming, in particular, the crawl, is an excellent exercise for strengthening the muscles used in the serve and the overhead. Swimming involves lots of repetitive movement against minimal resistance, which helps to build muscular endurance.

Martial arts can fine-tune your balance and timing, which helps the net game in tennis. Basketball is good for maintaining agility, leg strength, and aerobic conditioning. Martina Navratilova loved to play basketball. Soccer is also a great aerobic compliment to tennis (just ask Rafael Nadal!). Volleyball can develop reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

And yoga is another activity that tennis players should consider. The December 2000 issue of Tennis magazine discusses this. An example of a yoga routine designed for tennis players can be found at www.YogaMovement.com.

Jumping rope is currently popular in health clubs, but, when looking for an aerobic activity to enhance performance on the tennis court, I think soccer or basketball is a better choice. These activities are highly aerobic and provide much better total body conditioning in a manner that closely mimics movements in tennis.

However, tennis players should avoid racquetball, badminton, and squash. In my opinion, playing these sports really messes up your tennis game. The racquetball stroke forces you to snap your wrist, which is generally what you are trying to avoid when hitting a solid ground stroke in tennis. And badminton and squash racquets are a lot lighter than tennis racquets. If you get used to these lighter-weight racquets, this will hurt your tennis stroke.

TEACHING PROS

Practicing with a teaching pro can make a huge difference in your game. To find a tennis pro in your area, consult your local tennis club or pro shop. Or, go to the web site of the US Professional Tennis Association (www.USPTA.org).

TENNIS PROGRAMS

If you are serious about taking your tennis game to the next level, consider one of the following tennis programs:

• Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Bradenton, FL (www.IMGAcademies.com): Anyone who has been following tennis for any length of time is familiar with Nick Bollettieri. But, you don't have to be a professional player to train here. The Academy offers 3-day and 5-day programs for adults who are serious about training.

• Human Performance Institute, Orlando, FL (www.MentallyTough.com): The Human Performance Institute (formerly known as "LGE Performance Systems") has been training pros and serious players. Led by Director of Tennis Lorenzo Beltrame, HPI has trained Jim Courier, Monica Seles, and Pete Sampras.

• Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, FL (www.Saddlebrook.com): Harry Hopman was the coach of Australian greats Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, and John Newcombe. When Hopman came to the States, he set up his rigorous tennis program at Saddlebrook, just north of Tampa, FL. Although Mr. Hopman has since passed on, his program and philosophy remains. Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis have trained here. I trained here a couple years ago and I loved it.

TENNIS ACADEMIES

If your son or daughter wants to pursue top level competitive tennis at the collegiate or professional level, they'll need good instruction beginning at an early age. Consider one of these tennis academies:

• Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Bradenton, FL (www.IMGAcademies.com): As described above, Nick Bollettieri is a legendary coach. The list of current and former touring pros that have trained here is very impressive, most recently, Maria Sharapova. The Academy, part of the IMG Academies network, offers a variety of junior programs.

• Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (www.SolomonTennis.com): This facility opened in January 2006. Harold Solomon is a former top-10 player. He has teamed up with Andy Brandi, the former tennis coach of the University of Florida Lady Gators. I have personally taken lessons from Andy Brandi and I really like his no-nonsense, practical coaching style.

• Hopman Tennis Academy at Saddlebrook Resort, Wesley Chapel, FL (www.Saddlebrook.com) (see description above).

• International Tennis Academy USA, Delray Beach, FL (www.itausa.com): This academy is for serious juniors and touring pros.

• Rick Macci Tennis Academy, Deerfield Beach, FL (www.RickMacci.com): Rick Macci is a 7-time USPTA Coach of the Year. He has trained Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Mary Pierce, Andy Roddick, and other touring pros.

TENNIS AS AN AEROBIC EXERCISE

Even if you're not interested in competing in tennis tournaments, at the very least, tennis is an excellent aerobic exercise. When playing singles tennis, the average player burns about 7-8 times the calories used while sitting. Doubles tennis burns about 5-6 times the calories used at rest (Ainsworth BE, et al. 2000). According to Consumer Reports '05 fitness issue, tennis is the #5 ranked sport for most calories burned per workout.

If you like tennis, and you're more concerned with getting in shape than competing, consider a Cardio Tennis class. Cardio Tennis (www.CardioTennis.com) is a concept that blends aerobics with tennis. It's certainly bound to be more fun than jogging. Please consult with your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

QUESTIONS

Q: How much weight should I lift if I want to add weight-training to my tennis program?

ANSWER: Tennis players need to develop muscular "endurance" more than muscular "strength". The key principle in developing muscular endurance is to keep the weight low enough so that during each set, you can do 15-20 reps. This concept is explained more thoroughly in the review "Resistance-Training Principles Part 1: The Basics".

FOR MORE INFORMATION

In January 2006, the USTA announced their strength-training program for tennis players. You can download dynamic warm-up exercise descriptions, as well as other strength and conditioning exercises, from the USTA Player Development website.  These can be found under the Sport Science - Strength and Conditioning link at www.USTA.com.

In addition, the USTA, in conjunction with Human Kinetics, has produced a DVD on Dynamic Tennis Warm-ups.  This DVD outlines the importance of a warm-up for tennis players and presents 30 different exercises, as part of three routines, that can be incorporated into an effective warm-up.

Readers may also be interested in these topics:

• Core Training (coming soon)
• Exercise and Heart Rate
• Fluids and Electrolytes During Exercise
• Plyometrics
• Resistance-Training Principles Part 1: The Basics
• Tennis: An Overview

PERSONALIZED FITNESS COUNSELING

If you'd like some help designing your personal fitness program, or have questions regarding exercise, or simply want some regular motivation, sign-up for our Fitness Counseling Service. It may be the best investment in your health that you'll ever make.

DISCLAIMER: Neither the author, nor AthleteInMe, LLC has any financial relationship with any of the products or services mentioned in this review.

REFERENCES

Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, et al. Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;32:S498-S516. Abstract

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan Reents, PharmD, is a former healthcare professional. He holds Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Counselor certifications from the American Council on Exercise and has been certified as a tennis coach by USTA. He is the author of Sport and Exercise Pharmacology (published by Human Kinetics).  He can be reached at: Editor@athleteinme.com.