Bailey’s Blog

Flexibility is the range of motion that your muscles can stretch at a joint or a sequence of joints.

Stretching is a part of a tennis player’s fitness that is often neglected. Players should be streching after a match as well as before it. Stretching is important for tennis as it is a game of short , sharp bursts where you have to twist and turn, but never extend the muscles out fully i.e. like a 100 meter sprint. With lots of explosive directional changes and short range movements, tight and sore muscles are an inevitable result of match play. 

Playing tennis leads to muscular imbalances due to the fact swinging patterns are uneven. A game of short, undersized lunges with unusual postures and stances mostly completed in short range motions, tennis decreases flexibility especially in the shoulder region of the playing arm, hamstrings and lower back.

Several misconceptions exist about stretching, for example the more pain the greater the gain, or to shake is great, are common views held by tennis players. These players are over stretching and creating a negative picture towards stretching. Overstretching can lead to tears and scarred tissue. It is important to feel the stretch but don’t overdo it.

Stretching is a time to cool down and concentrate on controlled, deep, rhythmical breating. Flexibility training helps the body to relax so thoughts can be clear and calm before a match. It is also, excellent to put the body into recovery mode after a match.

1. Always warm up with a 10 minute all body aerobic activity which will raise the body’s core temperature to at least a light swaet. Get the heart rate to about 120 beats per minute.
2. Develop a positive attitude towards the routine.
3. Know what muscle you want to stretch and isolate it. Start at the feet and work at stretching every body part including the forearms and the neck. Every muscle is used in tennis, the major working muscles being the hip flexors, abductors and adductors, buttocks, lower leg, shoulder, lateral trunk and lower back.
4. Move slowly and smoothly into the stretch, hold for approximately 20-30 seconds and relax.
5. Stretch for 10 minutes before a match (not including the warm-up), using one stretch from each of the muscle groups and holding for 20 seconds. After the match stretch for 25 minutes hoding the stretches for 30 seconds, restretching any muscles which are particularly sore or tight. Once the day is complete stretch for 45 minutes to relaxation music. Stretching in a hot bath is great.
6. Breath normally and freely, breathing out when moving deeper into the stretch.
7. Concentrate and feel the stretch, but enjoy the process making sure you do not bounce or jerk. Always come out of the stretch slowly and carefully. 

• Stretching can reduce a player’s risk of injury.
• Stretching can lesson a player’s muscle soreness and make them feel fresher the next day by relieving lactic acid bulid up
• Stretching can increase a player’s ability to physically and mentally relax
• Flexibility enables you to obtain a better level of skill. It promotes racket head speed and increases your reach for the ball. It enables stride length when running thus increasing first step effectiveness and court recovery skills, and it also enhances improvisation skills as you can twist into unusual positions if needed.
• Stretching can be used to relieve signs of muscle tension and fatigue such as stitches, cramps and muscle spasms.
• Stretching helps the player to be in tune with their body and promotes a development of body awareness. 

Never stretch if you think you have strained a muscle, sprained a joint or if there is a loss of function or decreased in the range of motion. In these instances it is important to follow the R.I.C.E method of treating injuries. Rest, Ice, Compression (with a bandage when not icing) Elevation, and seek medical advice (X ray if still painful with no function after 48 hrs). In many instances stretching only aggravates the problem. If unsure it is better to ice than stretch.

If the you enjoyed the above articles above on stretching e-mail me at david@thebaileymethod.com and at the cost of $20.00 US, I will send you at stretching manual of my favourite 51 stetches for tennis which in a sense is a 45 minute stretching routine that of course can be modified  to your 14 favourite daily full body stretches.

It was once said that “Nerves are energy that definitely propel you towards trying to accomplish your goal”

I think this is a great way to look at nervous tension. If you look at nerves as a form of energy, then experiencing them is a great thing. If you are nervous about something, then you are doing something important to you and you are putting yourself out there. And even if it doesn’t work out as planned then you have learnt something and that is always positive.

Isn’t it better to go through life and get butterflies in the stomach, than live a life that is sad and boring because you didn’t have the guts to have a go?