Specificity of Resistance Belts or Bungee Cords for tennis?
Recently I bought a bungee cord/resistance belt whatever you want to call it. Then browsing through some websites and articles I added a few “specific” exercises to the routines of some tennis players. Gee wihiz looks like you know what you are doing when the belt comes out. But how relevant?
On an ITF site there is a video of some player running out under resistance with a racquet then doing a split step and then lunging into a shot. This to me is about as relevant as jumping off a massive bungee cord and maybe that is more relevant given it is so scary and thus trains the fight or flight response as against a slow resistance exercise.
When one explodes into a shot a player might take 2 or 3 100% steps, then decelerate and then get into position for a shot. So why do this under resistance when all the motor patterns will be different. Have to be. Probably a little bit of core work involved and maybe some dynamic balance! But I am sure one can do better work in formal core and balance work anyway.
Yes we do outsmart ourselves in Strength and Conditioning these days and sometimes it is done so as to look good. As I said it looks pretty professional but how specific?
In the end it is probably just better to lunge, and side lunge and get low. That is critical. Maybe catching medicine balls at 100% pace is good exercise but again a very different exercise relative to running into a shot or trying to “dig” a ball out in Volleyball.
Hey I am just thinking out aloud so invite comments.
loris bertolacci 