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Last updated: April 04. 2007 12:31PM
 Sports Shape
Ways of the Pros
Here's some help to get you back into the game
What you'll need
John Klein, of The Tennis Connection on Wrightsville Avenue in Wilmington, can help get you started playing tennis.

1. The Racket: Klein suggests trying out the demo program at his shop. For $20, you can try any number of rackets until you find the one that’s just right for you. “Our goal is to find the racket that will land at or near the baseline with your particular swing.” Klein suggests beginners start with a racket such as a Wilson Ncode Fury, which is a reasonable $99. You may pay a few dollars more for a string upgrade, and if you expect to play any competitive tennis, you’ll need a backup racket.

2. The Equipment: If you plan to practice your serve and don’t want to turn your practice into a session of bent-over ball retrieval, invest in a wire cage. Simply place the cage on top of the ball, the ball will squeeze through the wires and you can move on to the next one. Big, bulky bags are available. Some hold up to six rackets and all your supplies from cans of balls to a light jacket to a water bottle. But the more fashionable player might choose a JetPac ($59), a stylish bag that’s lighter, but holds critical gear.

3. The Apparel: Guys definitely need shorts with pockets big enough to stuff a ball in, even if you’re playing a casual game. For women, some tennis skirts come with a handy Velcro strip around the waist for the second ball. After all, nobody wants to be seen picking a ball out of their underwear at match point. You’ll want to wear your favorite sneakers to the court, but you’ll need to invest in a good pair of tennis-specific shoes. Tennis shoes, such as Babolats ($100), are designed with extra support for lateral movement. Standard sneakers also have a tendency to chew up clay courts, which is a no-no at tennis clubs.
Kaitlin Burns probably doesn’t realize the social benefits of tennis. As a high school sophomore, she can chat with her friends between classes at Hoggard High School and has years to formulate a career plan that will no doubt leave little time for daily games with her friends. So for now, tennis is just, well, tennis. Kaitlin can play for hours, drilling crosscourt backhands deep into the corner, running the baseline to hit monster forehands, then rushing the net to finish off the short, defensive lobs with powerful overheads.

The affable Kaitlin is not just a strong tennis player – she’s the best high school player in the state. After losing in the first round of the state singles tournament as a freshman, she won the big-school title last fall. She’s clearly at the top of her game.
With her talent, it would be easy for her to just keep practicing her strokes and playing tournaments. But Kaitlin knows if she wants to get extra extension for the ball that’s bouncing just out of her reach, if she wants to add a little more umph to her ground strokes, she needs more than just practice. She needs training.

And she’s not alone. After years off the courts, many people find that getting back into the game isn’t so easy. It’s compounded even further as the years beyond high school and college drag on, until that game we once mastered in our youth is potentially dangerous, with threats of pulled muscles or slipped discs.

But don’t fear. The trainers are here to help. Chris McAbee of Fitness for Life has been training Kaitlin for a year, helping increase her strength, flexibility and quickness. She’s stronger, and she’s avoided any serious injuries since she’s been working with McAbee.

“My knees and ankles have been injury-prone,” Kaitlin says. Though she doesn’t always enjoy grueling lunges or a fatiguing set of bent-over rows, she knows this intense commitment to fitness is paying off.

McAbee recommends exercises that target muscles important to improving a tennis player’s game. You’ll have to keep at it to make visible gains. These exercises can be used to get in shape to play tennis, but may also be used for an overall fitness workout. Now if we could only find a way to fix that backhand of yours ...

THE REGIME
1. Bent-over Lateral raise Bend at the waist, keeping back straight. Lift weights parallel to shoulder. Squeeze shoulder blades together for a count of two. Lower and repeat, for a set of 15. Increases strength and stability of deltoids and shoulders, enabling a greater range of motion on strokes and ability to generate extra speed and power.

2. Lateral Lunges Start with feet shoulder width apart. Lunge laterally with left leg, keeping right leg straight. Do set of 15, then repeat with opposite leg. Increases strength and conditioning of legs to generate speed and power for groundstrokes and allow for greater acceleration for lateral runs and quick changes of direction. Advanced: Add a resistance band between the ankles.

3. Ball squats with up and over (optional chest pass) Start with ball between feet, thighs parallel to ground. Explode upward, sweeping the ball away from the body to an overhead position. Repeat for set of 15. Total body exercise works quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, deltoids and triceps. Generates core strength and explosion, working on conditioning and power. Adds power to strokes. Advanced: Lower to chest level and add a chest pass to a partner.

4. Reverse wood choppers with medicine ball Start with ball at hip level. Sweep medicine ball up and away from body until it is parallel with opposite shoulder, rotating the trunk during the movement. Repeat for set of 15, then switch sides. Increases core strength (abdominals, obliques) to help generate power and speed for all strokes.
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