PHYSICAL TRAINING FOR TENNIS PLAYERS

Models of tennis fitness training

S.U.I.S.M. Torino

Prof. Luigi Casale

casale.luigi@davide.it

Why physical training in tennis sport.

Martina Hingis

Justine Henin

Rafael Nadal

Tommy Hass

Tennis is a SITUATIVE sport

(L. P. Matveev, 1977)
DURATION OF GAME: 9 17% actual time, 27, 65, 83 (R. Schonborn) 25% total time, 100 350 play actions (Le Deuff) STROKE FREQUENCIES: FREQUENCIES 6 (clay), 5 (hard), 2 (grass). SPATIAL DIMENSIONS: 1300 2500 m. SERVE SPEED: 248 203 Km/h BALL FLIGHT TIME: 045 090 15 LACTATE CONCENTRATION: 0,15 1,5. 5,5 6 mmol/l In 4 x 8 forehan/backhand drill: 4 14 mmol/l

ATP RE-SYNTESIS SYSTEM

Aerobic system (O2): for 10% Aerobic/anaerobic system (Al, O2): for 20% Lactacid/alactacid anaerobic system (Atp-PC, Al): for 70%
(Fox, Browers, Foss)

Aerobic system (O2): for 10% Lactacid anaerobic system (Al): for 20% Alactacid anaerobic system (Atp-PC): for 70%
(J. Chandler)

Very important: alactacid power and capacity,

Important : stamina, lactacid power and capacity,
No important: aerobic power. (Bellotti, Benzi, Dal Monte)

Biomechanics models of tennis (Play evolutions and physical training)

Preparation

Hitting phase

Follow-through

T.Hass: center forehand Wrist Elbow

Shoulder
Force

Trunk and back

Legs
Time

Juan Carlos Ferrero: center short forehand

Andr Agassi: inside-out forehand

Preparation

Hitting phase

Follow through

Gustavo Kuerten: side one-handed backhand

Elena Dementieva: side two-handed backhand

Choise of close stance, open stance or square stance depend-on play situation

Tennis physical skills

Speed, Rapidity, Endurance, Strength and balance (Jeff Chandler)

Flexibility, Strength, Endurance, Power, Agility and speed, Weight control, Aerobic-anaerobic capacity (Paul Roeter) Speed endurance, Strength, Balance, Explosive power, Flexibility, Agility , Eye-hand coordination (Pat Etcheberry)

Coordination, Power, Bioenergetics capacity, Recovery capacity. (Roche, Perrin, Laigret)

Maximal strength (dynamic and static), Quick strength, Endurance strength.

Strength skill

Safin

Rafter

List of the muscles involved:

Forehand:

(T. Ellenbecker, C. Tiley).

Acceleration phase: Calves (75% ST, 15% FTa, 10% FTb); Quad. (50% ST, 15% FTa, 35% FTb); Gluteus (50% ST, 20% FTa, 30% FTb); Obliques e abd. (46% ST, 54% FTb); Back extensor (50% ST, 50% FTb), Deltoid (60% ST, 40% FTb); Subscapular; brachial bicep (50% ST, 50% FTb); Serratus anterior; pectoralis major (42% ST, 58% FTb); Wrist flexors and pronators (50% ST, 50% FTb). Follow through phase: Calves; Quad.; Gluteus; Obliques; Back extensors; Abd.; Infraspinatus; Brachial triceps (33% ST, 67% FTb); Serratus anterior; rhomboid (45% ST, 55% FTb); Trapezius (54% ST, 46% FTb); Wrist flexors and pronators.

One-handed backhand:

Acceleration phase : Calves; Quad.; Gluteus; Obliques; Abd.; Back extensors; Infraspinatus; Deltoid; Rhomboid; Serratus; Trapezius; Brachial triceps; Wrist flexors and pronators. Follow through phase : Obliques; Back extensors; Abd.; Sub-scapular; Pectoralis major; Brachial bicep; Wrist flexors.

Serve and overhead:

Windup: Calves; Quad.; Gluteus; Obliques; Abd.; Back extensors. Cocking: Back extensors; Obliques; Abd.; Infraspinatus; Supraspinatus; Bicips; Serratus anterior; Wrist extensor; Sub-scapular; Pectoralis major. Acceleration: Calves; Gluteus; Quad.; Femoral Biceps (65% ST, 10% Fta, 25% FTb); Abd.; Obliques; Back extensors; Sub-scapular; Pectoralis major; Serratus anterior; Brachial triceps ; Wrist flexors and pronators; Brachial bicep. Follow-trough: Calves; Quad.; Gluteus; Back extensors; Obliques; Abd.; Infraspinatus; Serratus; Trapezius; Rhomboid; Wrist flexors.

Body areas stressed:

Shoulder, elbow, wrist, abdomen, spine, gluteus, thigh, calf, foot, ankle. (Herv Le Deuff).

Speed skill capacity. Simple and complex models of speed. Quick footwork. Legs and trunk independence movements. Quick movements of racquets-arm.
Psychophysics

Endurance skill
Central components Peripheral components

Muscles % engaged. z Sport specificity. z Muscles energy transformation. z Motor stress Type.
z

Vo2 max.

57- 60 ml./Kg.

(tennis) 80 (cycling), 65 (soccer), 53 (golf). (Hollmann, 1980)

4 training zone (E. Burke, 1998):

Very Light or Daily- Activity Zone (50 60% MHR) Exercise for Health Zone: (60 70% MHR) Aerobic for Fitness Training Zone: (70 85% MHR) Improved-Performance Training Zone: (85 100% MHR)
Heart rate below 100 Between 100 and 140 10 15% Between 140 and 175 25 50% Over 175

% in relation to the match duration

5 15%

20 40%

Anaerobic thresholds

Flexibility skill
9 9

Articulation mobility, Muscular extension.

AREAS STRESSED
Dynamic stretching

Static stretching (Bob Anderson) P.N.F. (Kabat)

Contraction Relax Agonist Contraction.

POSTURE TECHNIQUES

Coordination skill
Eye-hand coordination, Space-time coordination, Background perception, Static, object and dynamic balance.
z

(body scheme)

Motorial scheme.

Training Programme Components

FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISES

For strengthening:
Snatch

Neuromuscular quality

Load %
85/100 70/85 30/50 40/60 70/100 70/90 70/80 50/70 50/70 30/50 30/50 15/20

N of ripetitions
1-5 5 - 10 6 - 10 20 - 30 1-6 5 - 10 8 - 12 10 - 15 20 - 40 30 - 60 10 - 15 15 - 20

Sets

Recovery

Performance rhythm Slow Slow Max. speed Slow

D. Harre
Max strength Hypertrophy Quick strength Enduring strength 3-5 3-5 3-5 3-5 4-8 4-8 3-6 4-6 2-4 2-4 4-6 3-5 2 5 min 2 4 min 4 6 min 30 45 3 4 3 4 1' 2 3 4 45 90 45 90 3 4 3 4

Verchoshanskij
Max. expl. streng. Mid. expl. streng. Hypertrophy Quick strength high resistance Enduring strength high resistance Enduring strength mid. resistance Quick movement low resistance Quickness and frequency of movements

For quickness:

For Endurance:

For Flexibility:

For Agility:

SPECIAL EXERCISES For Strength

For Quickness For Endurance

SPECIAL EXERCISES

For Flexibility

For Agility

COMPETITIVE EXERCISES

PLANNIG AND PERIODISATION

Periodisation is essentially a PLAN for conditioning based on scientific principles of programme design.

The concept involves a plan for OFF-COURT and ONN-COURT training over an extended period of time.

Periodisation for tennis can be divided into 4 basic phases: Preparation phase Precompetitive phase Competitive phase Active rest phase

The player will focus on general athletic fitness items such as aerobic endurance, strength and muscular endurance. Resistance training may consist of a hypertrophy phase progressing to a strength phase with moderately heavy resistance. Hypertrophy phase is important if maximal strength is to developed in subsequent phases.

The athlete will gradually increase on-court practice time and decrease the overall volume of off-court training. The resistance training programme will begin with a strength phase (higher res.) and progress to a power phase (moderate res.). Short sprints and agility training are performed to increase on-court quickness.

The player will remain active to avoid detraining but will not play tennis. Is a good time to begin longer distance runs at a low intensity. Cross training.

The main goal of this phase is to peak for one of the major events of the year. Most of the training time is spent playing tennis, however, there is still some off-court training being performed to maintain the gains made in earlier phases. Focus on continued speed, power and agility training. 3 4 weeks is the longest period of time an athlete can maintain a true physiological peak.

Example of periodisation training programs

MONVISO TENNIS TEAM (current season)

120 100 80 60
Load

40 20

?
0
January February May March April July November October August June September December

Volume

Intensity

Competitive periods

Example of physical periodisation plan for junior tennis players (current season):
Triple periodisation with 8 macro cycle of conditioning training:
2 fundamental

3 specially 3 competitive 1 rest period 4 weeks of Test (25 Tests) 2 secondary competitive periods 1 principal competitive period

Example of micro cycle

120 100 80

Load %

60 40 20 0

Th ur sd ay

Fr id ay

Tu es da y

W ed ne s

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Progressive decreasing trend (P. Bellotti, 2001)

at ur da y

on da y

da y

Main physical tests schedule for tennis

Italian Tennis Federation:
Height, weight, shuttle 6 x 8 m., medicine balls throwing, 1 sit-ups, S.& R., shoulder flexibility, 20 m. dash, 4 alternated jumps, force plate jump (S.J. C.M.J. Stiffness), Cooper test (Lger test).

U.S.T.A.:
Height, weight, body composition test, mile run, hexagon test, 5 ball drill (spider), 20 yd dash, vertical jump, medicine ball, push-ups, sit-ups, grip strength, S.& R., shoulder flexibility, shuffle.

I.T.F.:
Musculoskeletal examination; Functional movement testing (deep squat, pelvic stability, in-line lunge, hand behind back, hand behind head, trunk stability push-up, rotary stability). Height, weight. Aerobic endurance (Cooper, 1 mile, max. oxygen uptake test). Anaerobic endurance field test. Strength test (push-up, grip strength, maximum bodyweight dips, 3RM Squat or Bench divided by bodyweight, medicine ball throw, vertical jump, standing long jump). Speed test (20 m. sprint, 5 m. sprint). Agility and Coordination Tests (sideways movement, backwards movement, hexagon test)

Main physical tests schedule for tennis

F.F.T.:
50 m. dash, shuttle, vertical jump, medicine balls throwing, 5 jumps, VO2 max, ankle shoulder hip flexibility.

Sanchez tennis academy:

Lger test, spider run, hexagon test, push-ups, maximal strength, vertical jump, standing long jump, 5 m. shuffle 30, 400 m.

Suisse Tennis Federation:

Cooper test; Sit and Reach; 10 m. dash; Zig-zag run; Seated taping; Drop jump; Grip strength; 4 jumps hop; Medicine ball throw; Shuttle run; reaction time. Roger Federer in 1993 (11 y.old): 3100 m. (Cooper test) 77 (50 m.) 154 (6 x 10 m.)
(Freddy Siegenthaler)

Bibliography

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