The Relationship of Yoga to Tennis

By Jane Claire

Tennis is not that easy to perform since you need to have fast reflexes. Without enough exercise, you are unable to let your muscles be stretched further. Moreover if your muscles are overexerted without sufficient stretching, chances are their elasticity would deteriorate. That's because without enough movement can let the joints and muscles become inflexible and the person would be the one to suffer. Fortunately, yoga can help a person maximize his or her range of motion.

With proper yoga methods, muscles can be trained and intensified. Tennis players cannot avoid their muscles experiencing tension when playing. That's why many of them do yoga to relieve this tension. By being relaxed at the start of the game, it can be advantageous until the game ends.

Muscles contract each time the player makes the ready stance. Once the person moves, the muscles should be relaxed and must contract again for the person to move to another direction. Your reaction hastens when you train your muscles.

Yoga breathing exercises can help improve endurance and stamina. When exerting in sports or exercise we often hold the breath as a way to create strength. Yoga trains the body to create strength through breathing control. Holding the breath at points of exertion takes a great deal of energy that could be used during long sets or matches.

It's not that difficult when applying a yoga pose. You need to exhale when doing a pose until your muscles have been fully stretched. It's a no-no to hold your breath. Instead, breathe in a normal way while listening to your body. Be in that pose for about 30 seconds then release. If you do this consistently, breathing exercises while doing various poses would be a walk in the park for you sooner or later.

For players requiring a lot of rotations during their games, the spine twist is important for them to master. This technique increases the flexibility of one's back, hips and shoulders. Remember the right breathing method when doing this pose. To start, sit on the floor and straighten your legs whilst maintaining the straightness of your spine. Afterward, bend your left leg to place your left foot on the outer part of your right knee. Next, put your left hand behind you and make sure it's straight while placed on the floor. Your right elbow should be bent too. Then, put your right hand on your left hip.

After doing the steps mentioned above, exhale slowly as you turn your upper body and your head on the left. With your right arm's pressure, it should keep your left leg still while your body and your left arm's pressure would allow you to twist. The twist would depend on how strong your arms are. Be in that pose for 30 seconds and repeat the same steps on the opposite side. This kind of routine is perfect for tennis players.

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