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Player to Player: Building Strength at a Young Age

Real Tennis Players - Like You! - Asking For, and Offering, Advice on the Sport They Love

Player to Player is USTA.com’s regular feature in which everyday tennis players are given a forum to ask advice on the sport they love – and their fellow players will dish out advice. We’ll post a number of the best responses we receive to our question of the week.

PLAYER TO PLAYER DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT YOUR QUESTIONS, so please send any queries you’d like answered, or responses to other players' questions, to Player@USTA.com.

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Last week’s question from bogdon
(Please note: There's no need to send additional responses to this question)

"I am 13 and a current USTA member. I have some difficulty hitting with good topspin. Is it becuase I am a bit weaker? I am 5'5" and I want to gain some strength. Does anyone know how to gain a bit more strength at age 13?"

PLAYER RESPONSES

From Corey, Bala-Cynwyd, PA

At 5'5" you probably have the strength, you just need to use your body more in your shots! My Coach tells me to "turn the knob" on my shots. Just make sure that you are really using your wrists to roll over the ball, and if you want more strength, make sure you lean into those shots. It works for me!

From Tim T.

Strengthen your core as that is where you will get your biggest advantage. You can work on arms and shoulders too but that is more muscling your way through. Everything starts at the core. An easy one and very effective is to get in position like a push up then drop to elbows on the floor and up on your toes. Body in straight line. Hold that position for 1 minute and do 3 times to start you will feel it and then work up from there. Do it during commercials on TV. Once you can do have friends try and they will think it looks so easy but can't do it!!!

From there look at some Pilates DVD's or online for others. Also great for flexibility which will keep your overuse injuries down!!

I wouldn't do too much with heavy, heavy weights as you are still growing and don't want to hurt any growth plates. YOu can do a lot using bands, and your own weight in this type of work. Also try using the total gym and exercise balls a lot.

Have fun. It is a great lifetime sport.

My daughter is now 22 and had a trainer while doing sports in HS for 5 years and this is one of his favorites. He also works with many pro athletes in Tampa area.

From Paul, Pleasant Prairie, WI

Nothing beats sit-ups and push-ups. No equipment is necessary and they build a variety of muscles.

From Bill W., Grapevine, TX

I am 5’6” and I can hit a ton. Not because I am strong but rather I have racquet head speed and good technique. But this sport is not about power but about consistency. It is about using your strengths and taking advantage of your opponent’s weaknesses. It is just as important to know when to go for the power and when not to. You could use foot speed, conditioning and/or brain power rather than physical power. Look at Justin Henin-Hardenne. She is 5’6” and about 130 lbs. She can knock the cover off the ball, but she is, more importantly, smart. She knows her game and she chooses the right strategy to defeat her opponents. Most players do not know their true strengths, so they can not promote them. Rather than lift weights get a consistent game that matches your strengths. You will be hard to beat.

From Tom F., Pittsburgh, PA

Your size has little to do with hitting topspin. Make sure you are using the open stance with a semi-western grip. Make a loop backswing with SHOULDER AND HIP ROTATION. Then drop racket below the oncoming ball. Strike the ball at waist height using your shoulders to swing the racket. Your rackuet MUST be moving foreward from low to high through the hitting zone toward your target. Let the racket follow through naturally.

From Rance, Bronx, NY

Well, I feel your pain on this one, being only 5'6" myself. If you want a little more depth and power on your groundies, bulking up and trying to overpower the ball isn't necessarily the best way to go. What you want to do is work on your footwork and racket prep. On the forehand side start leaning into your shot upon contact. The key is getting there ready to strike the ball early and out in front. You want to be taking a step foward into the court upon contact. On the backhand side I'm guessing you have a bit of trouble with high balls so instead of waiting for the ball to bounce and then drop into your hitting zone, take an extra couple of small steps in and catch it on the short hop. Try to visualize a clock on the ball. To go crosscourt you want to hit the ball between 5 and 6 o'clock on the forehand side 6 and 7 o'clock on your backhand side (reverse it if you are left handed). Also if you hit with a wide open stance try to close it up some. A wide open stance can give the illusion that you have more time then you actually do to hit the ball. So instead of catching the ball in your power strike zone you hit it late thus causing your ball to drop short into the opposite court. I worked on leaning into the ball on the forehand side and catching it of the short hop on the backhand side against the wall. Remember, speed is power, so try wearing a wrist weight (about 1 lb) when you are practicing your strokes. Work on your leg strength and midsection area. Your legs provide the stability with your torso providing your torque. This will help you to take your time, set up and explode through the ball. Most importantly, you are still only 13 so if you keep your technique tight and polished you will start to get the power you are looking for naturally as your body starts to mature. So don't overdue it with the weights. I do a lot of push-ups, sit-ups, calf-raises and lunges working on my forearms twice a week with light weights at higher reps.

*Please note that any advice given out in this forum should in no way be confused with actual medical advice. Before starting any new exercise regimen or altering your existing one, we strongly urge you to consult with your regular physician.

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