SF Tennis Freak

This week’s question comes from Peg S. of San Francisco.  Though it’s directed towards the ladies, I think everyone can benefit from Marla’s reply.

Question: You’ve coached a lot of women. What are the top three upper body strength exercises you would recommend?

Answer: Upper body strength, with a focus on the shoulders) is extremely important in achieving good racquet control and preventing injury. Here are my top three suggestions:

1.  Push-ups

2. Seated Rows (machine or band)

3.  Internal/External Rotation with a band.

And I can’t stress enough the benefits of simple push-ups. That is, regular push-ups, not “girl” push-ups! 🙂

SFTennisFreak Note: Both women and men can benefit from exercises that can help protect the muscles of the shoulder, like the rotator cuff. Take it from someone who’s had shoulder surgery! Instructional videos to help with the above exercises tips are readily available online, like this one for internal/external rotation with a Theraband.

Thanks Marla!
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Send it via email or tweet for “Ask Marla”, a (hopefully) weekly (or biweekly) question-and-answer with Marla Reid of San Francisco’s City Racquet Shop.

About Marla Reid

Marla Reid is a respected tennis pro/coach in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s coached nationally-ranked teams and players at Occidental College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, University of Kansas, and Florida Tech, and has over 15 years of experience at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels. Marla has an M.A. in Exercise Physiology, and is a seasoned racquet stringer.

About City Racquet Shop

City Racquet Shop offers, superior products/services, outstanding customer service, and a community-oriented destination for tennis players to shop, hang out and talk about tennis.

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