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Intro to Soft Tennis 101

Basic Warm-up Exercises

Proper warm-up is crucial for soft tennis players. This section will introduce some basic and effective warm-up exercises to help you prepare for training or competition.

Full-body Warm-up

  1. Jogging

    • Duration: 5-10 minutes
    • Purpose: Increase heart rate and blood circulation

  2. High Knees

    • Action: Lift knees high while stationary or moving forward
    • Repetitions: 20-30 times per leg
    • Purpose: Activate hip joints and thigh muscles

  3. Lateral Movement

    • Action: Move sideways left and right, maintaining a low posture
    • Distance: 10-15 meters each side
    • Purpose: Simulate lateral movement on the tennis court, activate leg muscles

  4. Dynamic Stretching

    • Includes: Arm circles, waist twists, leg swings
    • 10-15 repetitions for each movement
    • Purpose: Increase joint mobility, warm up muscles

Specific Area Warm-up

  1. Shoulder Warm-up

    • Action: Large arm circles, forward and backward swings
    • Repetitions: 15-20 times for each movement
    • Purpose: Prepare for serving and overhead shots

  2. Wrist Warm-up

    • Action: Wrist rotations, flexion and extension
    • Repetitions: 15-20 times in each direction
    • Purpose: Increase wrist flexibility, prevent injuries

  3. Core Warm-up

    • Action: Standing waist twists, side bends
    • Repetitions: 15-20 times for each movement
    • Purpose: Activate core muscles, improve body stability

  4. Leg Warm-up

    • Action: Walking lunges, squat jumps
    • Distance/Repetitions: 10-15 meters or 15-20 times for each movement
    • Purpose: Strengthen leg muscles, improve explosive power

Tennis-specific Warm-up

  1. Shadow Swings

    • Action: Mimic forehand, backhand, and serving motions
    • Repetitions: 15-20 times for each type of shot
    • Purpose: Familiarize with hitting motions, improve neuromuscular coordination

  2. Light Rallying

    • Action: Gentle rallying with a partner or light hitting against a wall
    • Duration: 5-10 minutes
    • Purpose: Get a feel for the ball, gradually increase hitting intensity

Precautions

  • Warm-up intensity should increase gradually; don’t start with high-intensity activities
  • Adjust warm-up duration and intensity based on personal condition and daily state
  • If discomfort is felt, stop immediately and seek professional advice
  • Maintain adequate hydration, especially in hot weather

By performing these basic warm-up exercises, you can effectively prepare for soft tennis training or competition, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury. Remember, good warm-up habits are an important step in becoming an excellent tennis player.