The Squat is the most basic strength
exercise that every running sport player
should be proficient at. Its benefit to the
split is highly transferable. However a
players should first go through a programme
of specific core control exercises for
example glutes/pelvic floor musculature and
vastus medialis, in order that they can
stabilise these individual areas before a
tempting a gross motor movement such as the
squat.
2.
The Dead lift
The Dead Lift pattern is a great stabilizing
exercise for the lower spine. It is truly
functional because you are training the body
to derive strength from the floor upwards
using the ankle, knee and hip joints in
exactly the right order. This triple
extension occurs in many sports e.g. a
sprint start, a tennis serve and a slam dunk
in basketball.
3.
The Front Lunge
This is a simple well performed strength
exercise which has direct relevance to
strength in the
Powerstep. It is the first stage of
strengthening the body in order to
strengthen a specific move. I call this a
straddle lunge where the bar is held between
the legs, which keeps the bar as close as
possible to the player’s centre of gravity
as the lunge is performed. This would
progress into a single leg lunge which
stimulates the landing foot of the
Powerstep
even more precisely. Notice Deborah’s front
knee does not go past her front toe and that
her upper body posture is perfect.
4. The Bent Over Row
As tennis is a pull sport by nature it is vital that you
train the relevant muscles. The bent over
row is a good starting point for building a
player’s back musculature as it teaches the
player to put the shoulders in a retracted,
stable position and then demands that the
weight is lifted up to the lower chest while
this functionally correct position is
maintained. You will notice that the legs
are slightly bent and the lower spine is in
a neutral.
