Tennis players around the world are traveling and utilizing Tennis Functional Training Bands and Mini Exercise Bands because of their portability and ability to target 5 key areas during the dynamic tennis warm-up. The bands are lightweight, versatile, and easy to stick into your racket bag for travel. They provide multiple exercises and strategies to target the key areas which will enhance on-court player performance.

Dynamic Warm-up

Using bands for dynamic warm-ups will provide the player with lightweight exercise tool to loosen up, prep and stretch the body prior to a practice session or match. Bands help to get the fast twitch muscles firing and activated so the player is ready to go right from the first point. They increase the activation of the central nervous system for better neuro-muscular reaction. They help lead to fewer overuse injuries because they bring blood flow and circulation to the muscles, connective tissue and joints for better physical preparation and mental preparedness.

5 Key Benefits 

Prehab/Injury Prevention

The last thing any player wants or needs is to injure themselves, whether that’s at practice, a training session or even during a match. Bands are extremely effective because of their ability to target and prevent potential sport specific injuries. The Functional Training Bands provide you with specific exercises that are focused not only toward warming up but preventing injuries. This is called Prehab which is preventative stretching and strengthening exercises which protect the body from a potential injury.

Shoulders

We all know how important shoulders are in tennis. Strengthening and stretching the shoulders, especially the rotator cuff muscles is so important for shoulder health. The shoulder area is very vulnerable to injury and the resistance bands are a perfect tool to use when warming up the shoulders because they are joint loosening and have a strengthening effect.

Core

Often referred to as the powerhouse of the body, it is wise to fire up and engage the core prior to practice or a match. Because of their ability to be looped over the net cord, the bands are a very functional way to work core stability drills. You can go through your core warm-up standing versus lying down on the ground which is much more tennis specific and functional. Simply performing a series of core stability exercises to activate the muscles around the pelvis is great way to get the trunk and low back loosened and prepped.

Lower Body/Hips

Another great feature to bands is they offer loading and/or deloading resistance to squats, lunges and mini band walks. They are also great for dynamic stretching. Bands can provide just enough resistance to activate the quads, glutes, hamstrings and hips without overworking them prior to practice or a match. Mini bands are a very popular smaller looped band that goes around the ankles or knee’s and are used to activate and strengthen the hip complex area.

Movement Prep

If you’re looking to get the body moving the Functional Training bands are a perfect way to do it. Because of their longer lengths they allow for a range of movement to perform agility drills like slides, crossovers and high knees. You can also work in some tennis specific footwork patterns to really get the body woken up, activated and ready to go.

17 x Grand Slam Champion Leander Paes uses the bands on tour for his strength-training workouts as well as dynamic tennis warm-up. He says, “The ligaments and tendons, and the smaller muscles, and the whole joint itself are essential components of a complete stretch before physical activity to prevent injury. The bands also aid in the dissipation of fatigue-causing lactic acid which helps in the recovery process. The band allows the stretch to traverse all possible angles that static stretching can never emulate.”

Paes goes on to say, “The bands build and protect the whole muscle group and not just the major muscle, the way most conventional gym machines do. Our muscles do not look as good as those of body builders or film stars. But talk explosive power and, baby, we are on a different planet from the world of looks.”

 Stay loose with Bands!

Dave Herman