A warm up is necessary before fundamental weight exercises are performed. This includes a ten-minute light aerobic exercise. It is not advisable to start the exercise immediately after the warm up. Allow your body to cool down for ten minutes using a stretching exercise.
This phase of tennis weight training exercise should be followed strictly. To get the best result, you have to do this training for 6-8 consecutive weeks and 2 days a week. It is not ideal to do these tennis weight training exercises in two consecutive days but do it at different regular day intervals.
For best result, the exercises below should be performed with the following program: 2-3 sets, 12-15 repetitions, 40-50% (repetition maximum – 1) and 90 seconds rest intervals.
Dumbbell Squats
This tennis weight training exercise is important in developing your legs and glutes muscles. Stand with your feet and spread them at about shoulder-width with your toes pointing a little bit outward. Place two dumbbells on each side of your feet. Then bend your knees (without bending your back) to hold the dumbbells with palms facing your body. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your toes should also be in line with your knees. With your head straight up, your lower back in arched position and your abs tight, straighten your legs up bringing the dumbbells until standing position. Once you reach the standing position, quickly do the squat position again and repeat the process.
Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is performed if you want to develop your chest and triceps muscles. What you need for this exercise is a flat bench press machine. Lie flat on the bench and hold the barbell with your two hands spread at shoulder-width. Next is to lift the barbell from its holder and gradually bring it down up to 3 inches above your chest. Never allow the bar of the barbell to touch your chest. Then push back the barbell to its initial position. If your movement in bringing the barbell down was gradual, the upward movement should be done in an explosive manner.
Single Arm Dumbbell
This tennis weight training exercise is important in the development of your upper back and biceps muscles. To do this exercise, the first step you need to do is put your left knee and left hand on a flat bench and put your right leg steadily on the floor. Bend your body is such a way that it is parallel to the floor and with your back flat. Then hold the barbell with you right hand, bring the barbell up until the outer side of you ribcage. Lower the barbell down to its initial position. Make sure that the palm of your right hand is facing towards your body.
Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
This tennis weight training exercise targets your shoulder and triceps muscles. The first step of this exercise is to let your right and left hand hold one dumbbell each, then set on a bench with a structure to support you back. The second step is to put your feet steadily on the floor and spread them at hip-width. Third step is for you to bend your left and right elbows bringing both arms with the dumbbells above. At this point, the barbell should be at ear level and your palm should be facing in front. Then do the fourth step is to pull your abdominals to create a space between your back and the bench. Then put your head on the head support provided. The last step is to bring up the dumbbell up to the point that both ends of the dumbbell touch each other. Repeat the routine by pulling down the dumbbell at your ear level and push upward again.
Standing Barbell Curls
This exercise is important in developing your biceps muscles. This training is done while you are in standing position. The first thing you need to do is hold the barbell with your both hands, with your palm in upward position. Spread your arms at shoulder-width. Arch a bit your back so that so that the barbell is positioned at your middle thigh level. Lift up the barbell up to shoulder height then repeat the routine from the initial step (the barbell at middle thigh level). Avoid stressing your back by bending your knees slightly.
Maximal strength training exercises
Maximal strength training exercises can only be performed after you have completed the fundamental weight training. For best results, do this routine for 2-3 times a week for a period of 6 weeks. Like the fundamental, it is ideal not to do this for two consecutive days but at regular interval. Again, these training exercises can only be done when there are no competitive tennis matches.
Same as the other exercises, a warm up exercise is necessary before the actual training is done. Ten-minute light aerobic warm up exercise is ideal. Then allow yourself to cool down for ten minutes by doing stretching exercises.
For best results, the exercises below should be performed with the following program: 2-3 sets, 4-8 repetitions, 80-90% (repetition maximum – 1) and 3-2 minutes rest intervals.
Barbell Squats
see above description on how to execute it and what muscles is its target.
Dumbbell Bench Presses
The dumbbell bench press is a tennis weight training exercise that is used to strengthen the upper body. Start with the dumbbells lowered so that they are directly beside your chest on each side of your body. Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are completely extended, and then lower them back to the starting position. This tennis weight training exercise is done by laying down in a bench and holding both dumbbells next to your side and lifting straight up to reach full extension of the arm.
Lat Pull Downs
This tennis weight training is done to develop your upper back and biceps muscles. The initial step of this exercise is for you to sit on a seat and make sure you adjust the pads in such a way that the quads are placed comfortably above your knees. This is very important to steady your knees when you do the actual exercise. Hold the cable bar with stretched arms (upwards) and spread your hand at shoulder-width with you palm facing in front. Make sure that the height of the bar should be just enough to reach out when you are in a sitting position.
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs
This tennis weight training is done to develop shoulder and triceps muscles. Hold two dumbbells one each arm and let your both straight arms relax at your side. Then shrug your shoulder (as you normally do). This can be done by bringing up your shoulder towards your ears. Once your shoulder is touching (or almost) your ear, hold it there for one second then relax your shoulder to its normal position.
Dumbbell Bent Over Rows
This tennis weight training exercise is done to develop your low back and hamstrings muscles. Stand with your legs at shoulder-width. Hold the dumbbell in each hand with your palms positioned toward your body. Then bend your body (forward) and knees slightly. The dumbbells should be kept apart at shoulder-width. With you abdominal muscles pulled, your back flat, body and knees bent, pull up the dumbbell up to chest level. Then bring them back to the initial position and repeat the process. When you do this exercise, you have to avoid legs movement and minimize wrist twisting as much as possible.
Weighted Crunches
This tennis weight training exercise is performed to develop you abdominals. To do this exercise, place a mat on the floor. If you don’t have a companion or a partner to hold your feet when you do the actual exercise, you can use a heavy bench Just make sure that you can be put your feet under it. Now, you have to lie down with your feet bent. Let you partner hold your feet firmly or put your feet under the bench. Then place the weight plate just on top your chest and put your arms above it. Next is to pull up your shoulder blades from the floor using the power of your abdominals instead of your shoulder. Once your shoulder if off the floor, hold it for several seconds and then gradually lower it down to the floor. Repeat the same process.
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