Body Composition
Body composition is the ratio of body fat to lean tissue in your body--referred to as a "percentage of body fat."
It can be measured in several different ways. The skin fold test is quick, inexpensive, and fairly accurate. Obtaining your measurement will help you determine personal goals in this area.
The lean tissue (muscle) drives your body and gives you the ability to perform tasks, such as tennis, requiring strength and power. Combining strength training with a consistent cardiovascular exercise regimen will help you reduce body fat and increase your lean tissue.
This strategy can help you develop more strength, power and speed for playing tennis.
Flexibility
The quick starts and stops in tennis, reaching for overheads and serves and lunging and stretching for wide shots, all test your body’s flexibility. Having a consistent stretching routine as part of your tennis preparation will help you avoid injuries associated with these movements and improve your overall health.
Most teaching professionals will tell you that being loose is key to producing fluid tennis strokes--and being loose means having flexibility. An effective stretching routine includes both dynamic stretching before practice or competition and a slow controlled stretching routine after.
Take the time to address each of these five components of fitness and you will soon find yourself "fit for tennis and fit for life!"
Always check with your physician before undertaking any exercise program such as those covered in this article.