Improving Your Tennis Performance Through Fitness
Similar to other sports, people spend countless hours practicing technique trying to better their game. What most people are un-aware of is that their true potential to excel is being hampered by what is often referred to as muscle imbalance. Muscle imbalances are postural deficiencies that will cause faulty movement patterns, discomfort or even pain during activities such as tennis.
When one group of muscles is tight and shortened the opposing muscle group becomes weak and lengthened creating a postural imbalance. By stretching the tight muscles and strengthening the weak lengthened muscles we are able to correct the postural deficiencies and perform at our true potential with much less probability of injury.
Unleash your true tennis playing potential by correcting the following common postural deficiencies.
Forward Head Position
Anterior (front) neck muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch
Posterior (rear) neck muscles (weak/lengthened) - Strengthen
Rounded Forward Shoulders
Pectoral (chest) muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch
Rhomboid (upper middle back) muscles (weak/lengthened) - Strengthen
Anterior Pelvic Tilt
Illiopsoas (hip flexor) muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch
Quadriceps (front thigh) muscles (tight/shortened) - Stretch
Gluteal (buttocks) muscles (weakness) - Strengthen
Core Strength
In addition to muscle imbalances core strength plays a major role in the effectiveness of ones tennis game. The "core" of the body is often referred to as the "lumbo-pelvic hip complex" which consists of the pelvic floor muscles and the inner abdominal muscles. These muscles stabilize the spine during multi-planer functional movements such as tennis.
Some core strength exercises include:
• Floor Bridges
• Planks
• Side Planks
• Resistance Swings
• Medicine Ball Toss
• Etc.
A strong core coupled with a balanced posture will vastly improve ones tennis performance and greatly decrease the probability of injury.
A complete Tennis performance fitness program would consist of a corrective exercise program (posture balance), neuromuscular (joint stabilization) program, core stabilization program, strength program, and power program. Today's top athletes take part in similar fitness programs in order to compete at an elite level. Recreational athletes can take part in similar programs to also better their performance. If you would like more information about this article and article subjects similar to this one, please e-mail me at contact@fitnessprogramsplus.com or visit us at www.fitnessprogramsplus.com .
By Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT President of Fitness Programs Plus
Related Tags: fitness, exercise, sports, programs, tennis, workout, plus, specific
Craig is the President of Fitness Programs Plus and http://www.FitnessProgramsPlus.com a website that offers printable fitness programs, audio interviews/clips, video clips and a wealth of other information to the fitness enthusiast. Craig is a well respected professional of the fitness industry who has authored his own fitness and nutrition system as well as co-authoring the golf exercise book (Play Better, Longer - Golf). Additional work includes writing for a number of newspapers, magazines and websites. Craig has been dedicated to helping people reach their fitness goals for almost 15 years.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl