Tennis: Physical Benefits

Unlike football, soccer and lacrosse, tennis is a non-contact sport that one can continue well into older age without the risk of major injury. One can play as often as they'd like, granted they aren't injured.

I have personally played tennis with individuals in their 50's and they were some of the toughest opponents I've faced. With continued play, tennis works several physical aspects of an individual.

Physical Benefits

1. Aerobic/Anaerobic Fitness 

Tennis matches can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. In that time a player is getting an intense cardiovascular workout that involves the entire body.

A player will also experience bursts of energy during points, especially during long rallies. Rest is usually followed after. This combination is great aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

This helps improve heart and lung health, lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

2. Agility 

A player is constantly changing directions and maneuvering around the ball to execute the best shots.

3. Hand-Eye Coordination 

Each tennis shot requires that a player look at the ball and racquet for execution. The best players will look at the tennis ball through contact to execute the perfect stroke.

Botching a tennis ball usually occurs when the player looked away from the ball before following through contact.

With practice, hand-eye coordination is worked to great lengths.

4. Flexibility 

The various motions involved in playing has the body stretching in many different positions.

From the serve to over head smashes a player is extending and moving their arms and legs.

5. Speed

A tennis player will run back and forth quite a bit during a tennis match. This helps a player develop speed and increase their ability to retrieve tennis balls.

This video outlines some great information on the benefits of tennis.

Player Profile: Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick was an American professional tennis player until his retirement in 2012. He is a former world number one and winner of the 2003 US open. He was the number one American player for 393 consecutive weeks, taking the record from Andre Agassi.

Play Style

Roddick relied heavily on his fast serve and powerful forehand to win points. His serve has reached speeds of up to 155 mph, the fastest at the time (2004 Davis Cup).

His serve is often considered unorthodox because of its "super-abbreviated windup" (Active). This coupled with a quick waist rotation proved to be a deadly serve.

The video below showcases the capability of Roddick's serve.

His second serve was a heavy kick serve. While he was mostly a baseline player, he would sometimes utilize the serve and volley technique to throw players off.

He favored using an inside out forehand to aim for corners of the tennis court. He used this in combination with slices to win points.

His two-handed backhand is often considered the weakest part of his game, often used to defend rather than hit winners.

Achievements 

Roddick is the winner of the 2003 US Open, besting Juan Carlos Ferrero in three sets. He went on to reach four more grand slam finals; Wimbledon ('04, '05, '09) and the US Open ('09), but lost each to Roger Federer.

Roddick has a 3 to 21 head to head record against Federer. He was able to defeat Federer in their final bout at the 2012 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami.

He has five Masters Series titles: Montreal ('03), Cincinnati ('03, '06), Miami ('04, '10).

Equipment and Clothing

• Racquet: Babolat Pure Drive (27.5 inches)
• Strings: Hybrid (Pro Hurricane Tour and VS Touch)
• Babolat Propulse III tennis shoes
• Reebok apparel ('00-'05), Lacoste apparel ('05-'12)

Court Surface

The tennis court surface can have a great impact on how a tennis player performs. Most recreational players will be exposed to hardcourts, as they are the most available, but let's not forget the other 2 popular surfaces; clay and grass.

Other court surfaces include carpet and wood, but they are much less popular and not used in professional tennis.

Hardcourt

Hardcourt Surface

This is the predominant surface on the professional tour. They are durable and weather resistant. If there is an outdoor court it is most likely a hard court. They are able to dry off quickly.

The foundation of a hard court is either concrete or asphalt. Multiple layers of synthetic material are then placed over the foundation. These layers come a variety of colors.

A hardcourt can play medium to fast depending on how it is constructed. The speed of a court is how fast the ball travels when making contact with the surface. Hardcourts absorb little energy from the ball upon contact, meaning the balls bounce high and fast.

Indoor courts will often be hardcourt. The layers can be rubber or a synthetic resin.

The US Open and Australian open both use hardcourt surfaces.

Clay 

Clay Surface

Clay courts are softer than hardcourts. They are made with a hard base, such as limestone and then a small layer of either crushed shale, stone or brick. Clay courts are not actually made with clay.

This surface allows for sliding and the speed of the court is more unpredictable. The surface changes with play. Movement and sliding moves the surface. The ball's bounce heavily depends on how much the court has already been played on.

Clay courts are known to play slow. The balls bounce high, but slower than hardcourts. Because of this, rallies are likely to last longer. It is more difficult to hit winners.

The French Open (Roland Garros) uses red clay courts. 

Grass

Grass Surface

Grass courts are most popular in Britain. They are usually made with 100% rye grass on tightly packed soil.

These courts play fast. The ball bounces low and very fast. Points are usually faster on grass courts because of the low bounce.

This surface is slippery and changes with use like clay courts. After much play the grass will often be worn and dirt will be visible.

Wimbledon is one of the few tournaments that uses grass courts.

The Backhand Part 2: Single Backhand

The single backhand is not as popular as it once was in professional tennis, but that does not mean that it should go away.

Roger Federer is a single backhand user and he is considered one of the greatest tennis players ever. That is in part do to his phenomenal backhand. Stan Wawrinka is another notable single backhand user. Coincidentally both players are Swiss. The Swiss may have a few tennis secrets worth sharing.

Here's a breakdown of the steps to perfecting a single backhand:

How to: Single Backhand

Step 1: Grip
Grip the bottom of the racquet with your dominant hand. The other hand will act as a guide when preparing to hit the ball. The non-dominant hand can lightly touch the frame when gripping.

Step 2: Foot Placement
As the ball approaches step forward with your dominant foot. Your foot should point in the direction of the ball.

Step 3: Shoulder Turn
Turn the shoulder enough to look over your dominant shoulder to the incoming ball and slightly bend your knees (the turn will bring your racquet back as well).

Step 4: Racquet Placement
Drop the racquet head below the ball. The handle end should be facing the ball.

Step 5: Accelerate
Accelerate the racquet forward into the ball in a forward and upward motion.

Step 6: Follow Through
Follow through contact, your dominant arm should finish high. When following through, your non-dominant arm should be held back to keep the shoulders sideways.

Step 7: Prepare
Prepare for the next shot by going into an open stance (body facing the net).

Roger Federer demonstrates the single backhand with ease. It may be tough for beginning players to execute each step, but this video is great when trying to see where any mistakes are being made.

The Backhand Part 1: Double Backhand

The backhand is a tennis stroke you will most definitely add to your arsenal of shots. The two methods of executing a backhand are the single and double backhand. This is a matter of preference.

Tennis has transitioned from being predominantly single backhands to a modern game where the double backhand runs supreme.

Eight out of the top ten currently ranked tennis players in the world use a double backhand.

How to: Double Backhand

Step 1: Grip
Grip the bottom of the raquet with your dominant hand and place your other hand above.

Step 2: Foot Placement
As the ball approaches step forward with your dominant foot. Your foot should point in the direction of the ball.

Step 3: Shoulder Turn
Turn the shoulder enough to look over your dominant shoulder to the incoming ball and slightly bend your knees (the turn will bring your racquet back as well).

Step 4: Racquet Placement
Drop the racquet head below the ball. The handle end should be facing the ball.


Step 5: Accelerate
Accelerate the racquet forward into the ball in a forward and upward motion.


Step 6: Follow Through
Follow through contact, your elbows should finish high and you will be looking over your non-dominant shoulder.

The follow through should end with your arms bent in an "L" (refer to the video for a visual).

Step 7: Prepare
Prepare for the next shot by going into an open stance (body facing the net).

Juan Martin Del Potro demonstrates this technique with each incoming ball. The trajectory of the ball changes, but his technique remains mostly the same. 

There are subtle tweaks that can be done to change power and distance. The key is finding a balance between shoulder rotation and racquet acceleration.

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How much should I be spending on a Racquet?

Tennis Companion

Low-end Racquets

If you've looked online for prices of tennis racquets you may be shocked at how pricey some of them can get. This can be intimidating if you're a  beginner looking to buy your first racquet.

Don't be too alarmed though because there are low-end racquets that may not be the best in quality, but are great for anyone just starting out.

 If you visit your local Wal-Mart or Target you'll find a tennis section with some of the most affordable racquets on the market. They can range anywhere from $15 to $40.

These are stepping stone racquets. You can learn the bare basics and get the hang of hitting, but you'll want to go with racquets a bit more expensive as your skill improves.

Mid to High-end Racquets

Dick's Sporting Goods has a variety of racquets to choose from once you've decided to go with a higher end racquet more suited to your playing style. Read my previous post on types of racquets to decide on what type will suit your needs.

For intermediate players you'll probably still want to buy pre-strung racquets. At Dick's you can get a decent racquet for as little as $40, but as cost goes up the quality normally does too.

A great source for making selections would be referring to customer reviews for a specific racquet you're looking at. Dick's hosts a number of top tennis brands including Wilson, Head, Prince and Babolat.

If you find that you want to try out other brands like Yonex and Prokennex you'll have to go to a local racquet shop or check them out online. If you're a recreational or club player buying a racquet between $60 - $100 will suit your needs just fine.

High-end Racquets

Advanced players will most likely have a feel for what type of racquet they like and how much they'd be willing to spend on a racquet, but this can be used as a reference for future purchases.

At this level of play pre-strung racquets are still a great option, but to optimize your playing style you may want to buy an unstrung racquet and choose the type of string and tension you'd like for your racquet.

There are a host of different strings to choose from, but that is the subject of another blog post. Tension is how loose or tight you want the strings.

As a general rule of thumb looser strings offer more power and tighter strings offer more control. Un-strung racquets can range anywhere between $90 - $230. Keep in mind that this price will go up with the cost of string and stringing of the racquet.

Choosing the Right Racquet

Choosing the right tennis racquet can be a daunting task with the many different types available. The range of racquets can be categorized into three main types.

There are power, control and tweener racquets. While these are the three main racquet types there is a vast amount of customization that can go into choosing the perfect racquet for a player.

 Brands like Wilson, Head, Babolat and Yonnex all offer racquets that fall into the three categories. The following descriptions are common characteristics of each racquet type.

Tennis Warehouse - Over-size, Mid-size, Small head

Power Racquets

• Over-sized head
• Longest of the three
• Lightweight build
• Recommended level: beginner, intermediate 

Power racquets allow for easy generation of power. The over-sized head offers players a larger sweet spot. This is the center of the racquet head.

The length offers more maneuverability and the lightweight construction allows for an easier swing. Power racquets are great for beginners because they offer more consistency when skills are lacking. 

Control Racquets

• Small racquet head
• Shorter length than power racquets
• Heavier build
• Recommended level: intermediate, advanced

Control racquets are for players who have developed their ground strokes and footwork. The smaller head means less power from the racquet, so the player must generate power from their swing. This allows the player to have better control over the depth and height of a ball. 

Tweener Racquets

• Mid-sized head
• Mid-sized length
• light to mid-weight 
• Recommended level: beginner, intermediate, advanced

These racquets are a middle ground for tennis racquets. They offer a combination of power and control to suit the needs of various playing styles.

They are great for players who want a well-rounded racquet. Due to the versatility of the racquet any level of play can benefit from using a tweener racquet.

You can check out a more in depth racquet choosing guide at this link from Tennis Warehouse. 

The Forehand

Imagine picking up a tennis racket for the first time. Your hitting partner hits a tennis ball your way and you decide to swing at the ball with your dominant hand.

You may return the ball inside the court or, more likely, it's now bouncing into another court. What you just attempted was one of the fundamental ground strokes of tennis known as the forehand.

Most beginner players will learn this stroke first because it follows a natural swing pattern. While the development of a forehand is personal to the style of the player there are a few key steps any good forehand will require.

How to: Forehand

Step 1: Position

With every stroke you will have to prepare for the ball coming at you. Without preparation you will be out of position and make a mistake while hitting.

You want to have an open position, meaning your body is facing outward toward the net. As the ball approaches, you will want to move until you are in place to receive the ball on your dominant hand.

Step 2: Bend the Knees

As the ball approaches you will want to bend your knees. The bending motion will help generate power in your stroke and keep the ball low so it doesn't go out.

It may seem that all the power in a forehand is generated from the arm, but it is a combination of bending the knees, hip rotation and swing pattern.

Step 3: Shoulder Rotation

This step is almost synchronous with the bending of the knees. As you bend the knees you will naturally begin moving your arm to strike the ball.

The most efficient way to begin the swing is by rotating the shoulder back and then straightening your arm out into a lock position.

Step 4: Forward Motion

Now that you're in the lock position you will begin to pull your arm forward to complete the ground stroke. As you swing forward be sure to keep your arm loose but firm.

Make contact with the ball where the racket is completely parallel to the ground. If the racket is tilted too high it will go very high, known as a lob, or very low into the net if the racket is tilted downward.
Once contact is made the stroke is not over. You  must follow through with your arm just as if you were hitting a baseball or throwing a football.

A general rule of thumb is when you swing and your elbow now faces forward you have successfully followed through.

Step 5: Hip Rotation

Once you have followed through you will rotate the hips and extend your knees. Now you will need to prepare for the next shot.

Check out Novak Djokovic's forehand technique. He is currently the world number one in tennis. The video shows his forehand during practice, so there will be a considerable change in power.