Warm up in Tennis: But is it really necessary?

The warm-up phase is the basic prerequisite that allows us to be ready to compete to the maximum of our capacity and reduce the risk of injury. A correct warm-up schedule is therefore essential for a professional tennis player.

The scientific literature has amply documented the importance of a structured and individualized heating protocol. Among the most common and studied protocols, “FIFA 11+” represents a point of reference in the field of injury prevention, although its effectiveness may vary depending on the context and the individual characteristics of the athletes.

The warm up: Definition

The warm up represents the neuromuscular and metabolic activation protocol, aimed at preparing the body for the execution of specific and complex motor gestures. It therefore allows us to move from a state of rest to a state of exercise.

This procedure aims to optimize the athlete's physiological, biomechanical and psychological conditions, in order to maximize the efficiency of the movement before a competition or training, thus leading the athlete to compete to the maximum of their athletic abilities and respond to the performance demands that the activity requires.

The warm up is a strategy that is also aimed at reduction of the risk (relative risk) of developing injuries.

The effects of the warm up

An effective warm-up should induce:

● Increase in body temperature

● Pre-Muscle activation

● Increased muscle fiber performance

● Increase of muscle metabolism (increased blood draw of muscle and fascial tissue (tendons and ligaments)

● Post-activation enhancement (neural mechanism) given by alpha motor neurons and contractile fibers

● Better mental preparation (affect the fear of failure, engagement, positive and negative context factors, placebo and nocebo factors, all the mechanisms that decisively affect the activity, the outcomes and the quality of the sensations that the athlete can perceive (fatigue, stress, stiffness, pain, etc.)

● Better visual preparation (improving motor anticipation, peripheral awareness, rapid focus and fixation, and visuo-motor coordination).

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The warm up in Tennis

The data relating, for example, to the average distance of the movements, the average duration of the games and to the sport-specific motor patterns, make it possible to design a protocol of highly specialized and personalized pre-race warm up. This protocol must aim to selectively prepare the anatomical structures most stressed during the performance, taking into account the individual characteristics of each athlete.

The tennis player's warm-up must consider:

● Analytic-selective joint involvement: It should focus on the joints that are most affected and how they are affected (Mainly Ankle, Hip, Backbone, Shoulder, Wrists)

● Perform a specific muscle pre-activation: Create a Pre-Activation of the muscles most involved in specific technical gestures, especially those that are repetitive and performed at maximum power and intensity.

● Perform end-range active mobility exercises: Work gradually until you reach the maximum range of motion (end-rage) in key joints, subsequently ensuring effective, efficient and fluid technical execution.

The customization of the protocol, based on careful functional and postural assessment of the athlete, is essential to ensure effective preparation.

Another fundamental aspect in the high-level pre-race warm up is the adaptation of the routine based on characteristics of the opponent (ex: if he is left-handed or right-handed).

The rules for an effective warm up

The key principle of warm-up is progressivity. The warm-up must follow a gradual intensification, both in terms of load (which always remains low or medium level) that of velocity, to the point of replicating the metabolic and kinetic demands typical of sports performance.

The pre-race activation protocol must be designed to avoid early fatigue and compromise the quality of the performance. The progression of the exercises, starting from low-intensity, single-joint movements, performed with control, should culminate in wide-range and high-intensity movements. The routine should have a progression.”From bottom to top”. It is necessary to acquire proper proprioception of the body, starting from the feet to the shoulder girdle.

The individualization of the pre-race activation protocol is essential. The psychological profile of the athlete (e.g. level of arousal, introversion/extroversion) affects

significantly on the duration and intensity of the warm-up. Athletes with high responsiveness may benefit from a shorter and more intense warm-up, while those with a calmer temperament may require longer preparation time. The total duration, between 30/40 minutes pre-match and 10/15 minutes per workout, must be modulated according to the objectives of the session and the type of subsequent effort, always favouring a gradual and not prolonged activation. The warm up protocol must include a phase of neuro-visual preparation, aimed at optimizing the cognitive processes involved in the athletic gesture. The execution of visual perception exercises, peripheral awareness and hand-eye coordination, promotes a faster and more precise response to visual stimuli coming from the ball, thus improving the effectiveness of the blow.

Stretching YES or NO in the warm up?

The most recent scientific evidence Do not recommend the use of static stretching in the pre-race warm-up phase in tennis. Prolonged static stretching may result in a reduction in myotendinal stiffness, compromising the production of explosive force and the ability to generate power in blows. It is therefore recommended to use dynamic stretching.

Bibliography

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