Yoga to Compliment…Tennis.

Tennis is a game that requires strength, flexibility and mental concentration and really works the shoulders, spine and legs. It’s fundamentally a one-sided sport therefore the dominant side will always do more work as your serve, volleys, overheads and forehand shots are hit with your dominant side only, so what happens to the opposite side? Well it doesn’t get much action/movement therefore it can become undeveloped in comparison, leading to muscular misalignment resulting in persistent pain in the back, hips, legs, and knees.

So how can Yoga can help your tennis game?

It develops:

·        Flexibility in the hips, back, ankles, shoulders, and wrists

·        Better range of motion to enable more strength and racquet speed

·        Better balance and core strength

·        Stronger, injury-prone joints

Tennis players use the same arm for forehand and backhand strokes, which creates imbalances in muscle development on the left and right sides. Yoga can help build balance and symmetry on both sides of the body making players stronger and less prone to injury.

Every time you hit a ball, you put great force on your shoulder, arm, and wrist. Add in the quick, multidimensional movements as you move across the court and this impacts your legs, hips, and spine. A yoga practice can be an important recovery tool to stretch tight muscles, encourage tissue resiliency, and address muscle asymmetries.

Yoga also helps with focus and concentration, essential in a tennis match. By using the breath with movement in a yoga practice this translates well onto the court, whether it’s a friendly or a competitive game, keeping your eye on the ball mentally and physically will set you apart from your opponents.

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams all believe yoga plays a big role in their success within the tennis world. It adds those extra margins to their performance, recovery and ability to prevent injury.

Here are 5 poses to try out as they specifically target the areas of the body that tennis takes its toll:

1.      Cat/Cow

2.      Downward Facing Dog

3.      Cow face pose

4.      Chair pose

5.      Side Plank