feature
about the
AUTHOR
Mark Kovacs, PhD,
CSCS is the Senior
core training
The Role of the Core
Musculature In the Three
Major Tennis Strokes:
Serve, Forehand and Backhand
Mark Kovacs, PhD, CSCS, Pat Etcheberry, and Dave Ramos, MA
Tennis players, like athletes in most ground-based sports,
ittal planes. It is important to highlight the need to also
utilize the core/torso extensively throughout all move-
include ample lateral trunk flexion training (3). It is also
Science/Strength
ments on the court, but specifically during each tennis
important to note that research has shown a strength im-
& Conditioning for
stroke. This article will highlight the three major tennis
balance in competitive tennis players between the ante-
the United States
strokesserve, forehand and backhandwith specific
rior (abdominals) and posterior (lower back) muscles (5).
Tennis Association
emphasis on the core/torso involvement in each of these
Player Development
strokes followed by exercises that are specifically intend-
Forehand
Incorporated. He
ed to improve stroke performance on the court.
The forehand typically has four major variations of stanc-
Manager of Coaching
Education, Sport
was previously was a
full-time strength and
conditioning coach
and former university
professor.
es: open, semi-open, square and closed (Figure 3). It must
Typically the major core muscles include the following:
be understood that these forehand stances are situation
transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external
specific, time specific and all use a combination of linear
obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae. However, oth-
and angular momentum to power the stroke (4).
er muscles in the hips and torso also contribute to core
stability and due to the dynamic multi-planar movements
The loading position on the forehand varies slightly be-
of tennis, the core must be considered the link between
tween the four different foot positions. However, the
of Sport Science/
the lower and upper body and not simply individual mus-
obliques (internal and external) are eccentrically contract-
Coaching Education
cles.
ed during the loading stage of the stroke and the trunk is
for the United States
Tennis Association
Tennis Serve
Player Development
The core muscles are highly utilized in the service motion
Incorporated. He
of all tennis players. The loading stage of the service mo-
is a USPTA/PTR
tion (Figure 1) results in horizontal twisting of the trunk
The follow-through after ball contact requires eccentric
professional with 20
(in the transverse plane) which elicits a stretch-shortening
strength especially in posterior muscles of the core (i.e.,
cycle response with muscles of the trunk (3). For a right
multifidus and erector spinae) and this is an area that typi-
handed player this would predominately involve the stor-
cally receives less training and needs to be fully trained
age of potential energy (via eccentric contractions) of the
and considered when planning tennis-specific training
left oblique muscles, left erector spinae and multifidus.
sessions (1).
David A. Ramos,
M.A. is a Coordinator
years of experience
specializing in video
analysis.
Pat Etcheberry, M.A.
is the Director of the
During this position, sometimes referred to as the rear lat-
required to rotate significantly around the pelvis to store
the potential energy which will be released during the remainder of the forehand stroke.
eral tilt, the shoulders and the hips are tilted down and
Backhand
Performance Division
away from the net. This is the major stage where power is
The backhand is performed in a very similar manner to
at the Mission Inn
stored during the serve (i.e., loading stage).
the forehand stroke, just on the opposite side of the body
Etcheberry Sports
(i.e., left side of the body for a right-handed player). The
Resort, where he
develops both world-
In the shoulder cocking stage of the serve (Figure 2) the
four stances are utilized, but more preference is usually
class professionals and
leg drive has commenced and rotation occurs in the
given to the square and semi-open stances (Figure 4). The
aspiring athletes.
sagittal plane. Some coaches have a misconception that
open-stance backhand is usually used on wide balls when
tennis players only need to train in transverse and sag-
the athlete has very limited time. The majority of male
nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 9 issue 5
Core Training
Figure 1. Loading stage of the serve
Figure 2. Cocking stage of the serve
Figure 3. The Four Major Forehand Stances
(1. Semi-Open, 2. Open, 3. Square, 4. Closed)
and female players now utilize a two-handed
grip on the backhand stroke as opposed to a
single-handed grip. There are differences in the
core/trunk utilization between the one and twohanded backhands. Greater upper trunk rotation
has been observed in two-handed backhands
than in one-handed backhands and this needs
to be trained appropriately based on whether
the athlete utilizes a one-handed or two-handed
backhand stroke (2).
Conclusion
Backhand and forehand tennis strokes, as well
as most movements on the tennis court, incorporate use of the core. So a weak core could be
detrimental to the performance of an athlete if
not addressed in their workout program. Included in this article are examples of tennis-specific
core exercises that could be included in a tennis
Figure 4. Two Major Backhand Stances: 1. Square, 2. Semi-Open
players workout program to help improve core
strength and stability.
nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 9 issue 5
Core Training
References
1. Kovacs M, Chandler WB, and Chandler
TJ. Tennis Training: Enhancing On-Court
Performance. Vista, CA: Racquet Tech
Publishing; 2007.
2. Reid M, Elliott B. The one- and two-handed
backhand in tennis. Sport Biomech. 2002;1:47
68.
3. Roetert EP, Ellenbecker TS, and Reid M.
Biomechanics of the tennis serve: implications
for strength training. Strength and Conditioning
Journal. 2009;31(4):35 40.
4. Roetert EP, Kovacs MS, Knudson D, and
Groppel JL. Biomechanics of the tennis
5a.
5b.
5c.
5d.
groundstrokes: implications for strength training.
Strength and Conditioning Journal. 2009;31(4):41
49.
5. Roetert EP, McCormick T, Brown SW, and
Ellenbecker TS. Relationship between isokinetic
and functional trunk strength in elite junior tennis
players. Isokinet Exerc Sci. 1996;6:15 30.
Figures 5a d. Serve-Specific Medicine Ball Exercise, Rotational Overhead Medicine Ball Service Throw
nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 9 issue 5
10
Core Training
6a.
6b.
6c.
6d.
Figures 6a d. Forehand-Specific Medicine Ball Exercise, Single-Leg (Right Leg) Medicine Ball Catch and Throw
nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 9 issue 5
11
Core Training
7a.
7b.
7c.
7d
Figures 7a d. Backhand-Specific Medicine Ball Exercise, Single-Leg (Left Leg) Medicine Ball Catch and Throw
nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 9 issue 5
12
