Below are some guides written by our own coach Murray Henry with some great information regarding fitness and general well being.

 

Warm up

 

Warming up before playing tennis is important because it prevents injuries. Recent research suggests warming up the muscles by some form of exercise such as running and then stretching is the preferred method. Stretching by itself without warming up has been found to be less effective in preventing injuries. Balancing exercises are also beneficial as they help strengthen the muscles around the joints, which is especially beneficial for children going through rapid growth spurts. Balance and co-ordination exercises are always advantageous due to tennis requiring both these skills.

 

 

Diet

 

Like any other aspect of life to be able to perform well on the tennis court a healthy balanced diet must be obtained. Foods that include B1, B2, and B3 are very important as they are required for energy metabolism and also proper neural development. Foods high in B vitamins include green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. It is also important to get adequate amounts of fluid to prevent dehydration, which can adversely affect your performance and also be dangerous health condition. Drinks such as Gatorade which contain electrolytes such as potassium and sodium can be taken to replace these minerals which you lose through your sweat. If you are dreaming of becoming a professional tennis player it is important to limit the amount of junk food you eat. The majority of junk food is laden with sugar or fat. Sugar is stored as fat within the body so best to avoid foods these types of food. If you are carrying extra fat on the tennis court it make life a lot tougher as you have to carry around these extra kilograms which in turn affects mobility. A good guide is to eat foods that have a low glycaemic Index (G.I) Foods with a low G.I are absorbed into the blood slowly and are able to provide a feeling of fullness for longer periods. Foods such as vegetables, whole grains, fish and basmati rice are low G.I foods. It should be noted, however sometimes food companies are deceiving when they market their products; Some products such as ice cream and chocolate have low G.I due to their fat content which slows down the absorption of sugar. These are not healthy options for you even though they have a low G.I.

 

 

Murray Henry; Bachelor of Physical Education; Degree in Naturopathy.

 

Any information above should only be used as a guide it is always important to seek advice from a health practitioner if you have any questions about diet.