Friday, May 29, 2015

Marco Bitran: Tennis Stretching

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Q: Why is tennis such a noisy game?
A: Because each player raises a racket

I enjoy playing tennis, but it is a sport, which is very demanding and that requires flexibility, strength, endurance, and agility. In order to play well at any level, exercise and stretching should be a part of your routine. Tennis stretching exercises maximizes performance, while also reducing your risk of injuries.

The main muscle groups that are used consistently when we are playing, includes:
• calf muscles
• hips
• quadriceps
• upper arm and forearm
• pectorals
• rotator shoulder cuff muscles
• trapezius

Even though Roger Federer is considered a natural tennis player, his #2 World Championship wins are not without an intense work out. Stretching and workout exercises for tennis player are different for a 19 year old, then a 30+ year old player. When you are younger, you are building a strong body foundation, with exercises that include dynamic and static stretching, cardio, weightlifting, and for power, plyometrics. When you become an older tennis player, you are concentrating more on a full body workout with specific attention to the muscles and joints that are under constant stress.

I find that not stretching before playing not only gives me more pain afterwords but I find that I'm very stiff and don't hit through the ball as well. Also, I have noticed that even the simple tennis stretching routine has improved my coordination, it will improve your blood circulation, and it will give you better mental alertness.

Do you have enough mental alertness to get this joke?

Q: What is a tennis players favorite city?
A: Volley wood!

When you finish laughing, let's start your stretching routine by stretching those wrists with rotation, stretch the chest with the reverse chest stretch, then stretch your Achilles heels. To further prevent any injuries, include lateral lunges, the cross shoulder stretch, and the tennis elbow stretch. Remember, to stretch before and after every practice and game. I want you to remain healthy when playing the "sport of Kings." A regular stretching exercise gives you good posture, lowers back pain, increases your muscle balance, that can lead to pulled muscles.

If you are like me and you play a lot of tennis, don't forget to use ice as a part of your muscle and joint recovery treatment. For 20 minutes, apply ice for about 20 minutes to reduce the inflammation in your body that may be giving you trouble. Occasionally, do the same to your wrist, shoulder and elbow - even if you don't feel any pain. Doctors and trainers state that pain is a sign that the inflammation has reached a high level, so use ice to bring it down again, to keep us ready to play again.

Learn more about Tennis Elbow:
http://tennismethod.blogspot.com/2015/05/tenniselbow-introduction-background.html

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