How Pilates Can Help With Tennis

Pilates is a great way to level up your tennis game! It reduces injuries and improves biomechanics which leads to better performance over all. Read further to learn more about how pilates can help your tennis game!

Reduce Risk Of Injuries

Injuries often occur in tennis because of overdominance in one area. Pilates helps this by balancing out muscles that tend to be weaker and gets movement and mobility in the muscles that are tighter due to overuse. It builds strength in the deep stabilising muscles while also increases flexibility. Tennis requires repetitive rotation through spine and extension with one sided movements.

If you look closely when watching the top tennis players in the world, you can see their dominant side tends to be more muscular (biceps and shoulders) Pilates assists in releasing tight areas improving overall mobility while strengthening key stabilising muscles upon which power can be developed.

Another way Pilates can help alleviate or prevent injuries is because it is so low impact. Joints can take a battering with tennis due to the fast dynamic movements on hard surfaces. Knees, hips and ankles are especially at risk. Pilates can help support joints by strengthening stabilising muscles around those joints. For example, Glute Medius and Minimus help stabilise hips and Rotator Cuff helps stabilise shoulders.

Improve Your Game

Returning the ball from an imperfect position demands agility and the ability to maintain dynamic balance, often requiring the body to stretch to its limits. Pilates strengthens core muscles, which are essential for maintaining dynamic balance, while boosting flexibility in the hips and spine, allowing players to reach for shots effortlessly.

Additionally, Pilates emphasizes breath control and concentration throughout its exercises, sharpening mental skills that are crucial for success on the tennis court.

Tennis is just as much of a mental game as it is physical. With Pilates, it requires high concentration and complete control with a mind/body connection.

So to recap- focus on these areas to improve performance and reduce injuries.

Core: Mastering your core in tennis is key for better control and balance during shots. A strong core improves hip rotation, shoulder movement, and back stability.

Glutes: Strengthening your glutes supports your knees and increases power, particularly in side movements.

Spine: Tennis uses power from twisting and extending the spine. Pilates effectively combines strength and flexibility to meet these needs.