Paul Roetert - Tennis Anatomy

T his book is written for serious competitive and recreational tennis players. Many tennis books emphasize fitness or strength and conditioning. Tennis Anatomy takes the next step and focuses on why and how you should get fit to play tennis. In this book, we highlight the different muscle groups involved in each of the strokes and show you how to best train those specific muscle groups as part of a comprehensive approach to tennis-specific training.

With the support of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), we provide the most up-to-date, relevant information on tennis conditioning available. As the national governing body of tennis in the United States, the USTA has a responsibility to grow and develop the sport. Through its player development program, the USTA shares the latest training techniques with competitive players in the United States. That mission encouraged us to take on this project and provide you with these training methods based on the anatomy of tennis.

Tennis was once considered a sport that could be played by people from age 8 to 80, but that range has expanded because of new training methods. The USTA offers 10 and Under Tennis for players age 10 and younger, who learn the sport while using modified equipment. In addition, national-level tournaments are offered for players age 90 and over. This shows the tremendous health, fitness, coordination, and psychological benefits that can be derived from the sport. Clearly, being a well-conditioned tennis player can assist in a long tennis career.

Of course the number of years someone can play is only one aspect of enjoying the game. The quality of play also is greatly enhanced by good training and conditioning. That is the true focus of this book. Whether you are getting in shape for league play, trying out for a high school or college team, or wanting to perform at a higher level in tournaments, this book provides you with up-to-date, practical training information based on the latest research available.

The first chapter provides an in-depth overview of the demands of the sport, the relationship of court surfaces and playing styles, the anatomy of each of the tennis strokes, and the physiological considerations of designing a training program. Chapters 2 through 7 systematically explain the role of each major body part in tennis play, focusing on muscle anatomy and its relationship to the strokes and providing specific exercises. Each exercise includes a tennis focus section that highlights how the exercise directly translates to improved on-court stroke performance or movement. Chapters 8 through 10 follow a similar format but highlight the importance of body rotation, movement skills, and injury prevention, respectively. The anatomical illustrations that accompany the exercises are color coded to indicate the primary and secondary muscles featured in each exercise and movement.

You will enjoy and benefit from this information. Challenge yourself to learn more about the anatomy of your body as well as the tennis strokes, and improve your game by adding tennis-specific conditioning methods to your training. By incorporating these training techniques, you will surely be able to take your game to the next level.