Cross-Training

Want to be stronger and faster, and improve your tennis skill? Play soccer! Swim! Go to a spin class! Cross-training in sports has been around for a long time, and is an important way to develop muscles that typically are underused in tennis but can help you become stronger and fitter. One of the best sports to cross-train with is soccer. This doesn’t mean that you should join a soccer league, but rather, use soccer as a warm-up or play with tennis friends over the weekend when you have a free chance. Not only is it intense and a good work out, but the footwork in soccer mimics the small steps necessary in tennis as well. Balance and coordination can improve, and, did I mention, it is fun! The only thing that you should adjust is the length of the field—play on the court from net to fence, constructing two small goals at either end, or mimic this set up on field. Make sure rules are very strictly enforced—oftentimes, players get overzealous with soccer and end up breaking a foot or twisting an ankle. A hard jab from an opponent from foot to shin isn’t pleasant, but when played right and carefully, soccer can be a great cross-training sport for tennis.

Swimming is another great cross-training sport. It’s low-impact, so players with injuries that prevent them from running for fitness can utilize water sprints that enhance upper body strength and fitness level. Any kind of swimming will do, but make sure you’re in the pool for extended amounts of time, between 30 minutes and an hour, and swim laps either as a replacement for a slow jog or court sprints, which necessitate high speeds and short breaks rather than continuous slow movement. If you’ve ever seen a swimmer’s body, you’ll notice their large shoulders and thin legs—tennis players need shoulder strength, but don’t necessarily need to lift a ton of weight to get these muscles. Swimming naturally develops these shoulder muscles, and can be a great cross-training tool.

Spin (otherwise known as biking) is one of my favorite cross-training tools. Spin is interactive because it’s typically done with music and an instructor in a gym setting, where the bikes are stationary and have adjustable weighting to push your legs as if you were pumping weights. The extended session and adrenaline rush is an intense work out, and not only burns calories but develops fast-twitch muscles and a great way to tone butt muscles, quads, and hamstrings without a million squats. I personally love spin and biking exercises because you still feel like you are working out but you also are low-impact on your joints. I was bike-bound in college because of a leg injury. I gained so much speed and explosiveness due to the bike sprints that I did with our trainers. 

Tennis is great, but it also can get intense, and fitness can become boring and tough. Cross-training keeps you fit, ready for the court, and also rests your head mentally from the sport while training your body. Soccer and spin typically are team-orientated, while swim and biking can be done for people who prefer to work individually.