Play tennis and improve your technique with training

Tennis is certainly one of the most popular and played sports in the world. The 2014 Wimbledon final, in which Novak Djokovic clashed and won against Roger Federer, attracted 10 million spectators in front of the screen. The elegance of the strokes, the physicality of the athletes makes you think about how much care of the technique and physical preparation that this sport requires. Attention, tactical thinking, quick reactions and explosiveness. Activities that can generate new neurological connections and thus promote the continuous development of brain and physique. By playing the heart pump the blood faster, the body and mind will be more agile and responsive.

Improve your physical condition and game

Strength training is essential to improve performance in today's tennis environment. In a recent study, the effectiveness of two different training methods was tested. One based on the use of medical balls, the other on the use of heavy racquets during traditional training. The results showed that both improve the speed of the ball in the backhand of the adult tennis players.

Physical fitness in tennis is therefore very important both to prevent injuries and to ensure the right endurance for any type of performance. Each race can be different in intensity and duration. That's why training for strength and flexibility is so important.

HIIT to improve your physical condition and your tennis skills

Due to the characteristics of tennis, HIIT seems to be an optimal training method to improve physical performance.

Tennis is characterized by high intensity actions followed by low intensity phases, where the player has to run, stop, change direction and jump. Six weeks of HIIT training done 3 times a week leads to an improvement in peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) and specific and useful aerobic capacities in tennis.

HIIT raises the anaerobic threshold, lowers resting heart rate and post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). All important characteristics for the performance in the game. A high-intensity workout could be performed in conjunction with MYRUN treadmill, for example. Alternating a few minutes to 65% of maximum heart rate, with 30 seconds to 85% of maximum heart rate.

Tennis and mind

For players who want to improve their game, there are many exercises and workouts that develop speed, agility, strength and coordination. However, the key to be a great player is more about how you approach the game and especially about your mental attitude.

In general, it is advisable to play regularly and with different opponents. Playing with experienced players or people with a higher level, or style different from ours will be an incentive to always improve and vary your shots by learning new ones. Playing with different players will force you to develop new strategies to respond to their tennis style. A vital component of becoming a serious player is knowing and recognising different styles of play so you can respond to attacks and adapt the same strategies to your strengths.

Main tennis styles

• Great defence from the back of the field: the player who hugs the baseline but returns each shot and generally waits for the opponent's error;
• Aggressive from the back of the field: the player who plays long powerful shots, with a very strong service and master of the starboard and the reverse especially in long exchanges;
• Serve&Volley: a fast move that moves directly to the network after a powerful service, constantly looking for the winning point without prior exchanges;
• Full Field Player: Versatile and unpredictable, this player has full control of all previous styles.

The right mental attitude is as important as the game you play. A less skilled player who is concentrated, confident and self-confident can easily beat a brilliant technical player who doesn't believe in his or her abilities.

Tennis shots

Looking at a professional player, you can learn several basic skills. Generally, however, it is essential to improve tennis performance:

• improve your technique
• increase your physical condition

First, in many phases of the game such as when you need to receive service, professional players stand with their knees bent and their heels slightly off the ground.
This simple position not only improves balance, but also prepares the body for explosive movements. For this reason it can be particularly suitable for receiving a fast service. It seems obvious, but many beginners and sometimes even experienced players forget to bend their knees: maintaining this position over time is tiring.

On the contrary, when doing the service, the advice is to indicate with a free hand the ball. This small precaution prevents the premature descent of the shoulder, and reduces the chances for the ball to end up on the net.

As for the volley, the best advice is to keep your racquet in front of your body. This position reduces the chances of error, improves stability and increases shot accuracy.

In modern tennis it is the backend, the most used shot in the construction of the point. For this reason, increasing speed, while maintaining control, plays a key role in achieving optimal performance.

Cardio Tennis

While conventional tennis is played in single or double play, cardio tennis is a new approach to the game, which is practiced and played among groups of people. These are music-lit lessons held on the tennis court. The purpose and background of this activity is the well-being of the person. Sessions include dynamic stretching, aerobics and tennis. Playing and hitting numerous balls during the activity, improving and putting into practice their tennis skills.
Open to all ages, cardio tennis is a fun way to approach sport and an opportunity for families to "play" tennis together.