Research Article

Effective Conditioning Program for Junior Tennis Players

Garg Isha¹, Khurana Sonal²*, Kadyan Gaurav³ and Tyagi Pragalbha⁴

¹Physiotherapist, Aktv Ortho, India

²Senior Physiotherapist and Assistive Technology Analyst, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, India

³Assistant Professor, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, India

⁴Physiotherapist, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, India

Submission: May 10, 2018; Published: May 21, 2018

*Corresponding author: Khurana Sonal, Senior Physiotherapist and Assistive Technology Analyst, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, India, Tel: 9891789887; Email: sonal8khurana@gmail.com

How to cite this article: Garg I,Khurana S,Kadyan G,Tyagi P. Effective Conditioning Program for Junior Tennis Players.J Phy Fit Treatment & Sports. 2018; 4(1): 555629. DOI: 10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.04.555629

Abstract

Speed, agility and quickness are some of the most significant & visible components of athletic success. An improvement in the ability to react quickly and to redirect that force if needed is the ultimate goal of a program to improve speed, agility and quickness.

Purpose and Significance: The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of 4week SAQ protocol on agility and aerobic capacity in junior tennis players.

Methodology: Research was carried out on a sample of fifty healthy tennis players from the sports complexes (aged: 14.2±0.9; height: 160.6±6.2cm; weight: 57.3±5kgs). The players were randomly divided into training group and control group. The training group received four weeks of speed, agility and quickness protocol three days per week and the control group performed their regular training under the direct supervision of the therapist. The pre and post testing for the agility (t-test) and aerobic capacity (cooper test) was done at 0 week and after 4 weeks.

Result: The pre-test readings of t-test {training group (11.246±1.09) and control group (10.933±1.093)} and post-test readings were {training group (10.1712±0.93) and control group (10.6848±0.85)} which concluded a significant improvement (0.05). Similarly, with aerobic capacity, training group (24.3152±6.7 vs 30.1176±8.1) and control group (22.9±6.54 vs 23.7±6.6).

Conclusion: The study concluded that SAQ protocol can improve both the agility and aerobic capacity in tennis players.

Keywords: SAQ protocol; Agility; Aerobic capacity

Introduction

Tennis is a sport that requires a variety of physical attributes: speed, agility, power, endurance, flexibility and strength as well as tennis-specific skills. Speed, agility and quickness are some of the most significant and visible components of athletic success. An improvement in the ability to react quickly and to redirect that force if needed is the ultimate goal of a program to improve speed, agility and quickness [1]. SAQ training involves learned motor skills. Although the magnitude of proficiency will vary with each individual learning the efficient and effective execution of these skills can improve overall athletic activity [2]. The training is intended to increase the ability to exert maximal force during high-speed movements. Some benefits include increased muscular power in all multiplanar movements, brain signal efficiency, kinesthetic spatial awareness, motor skills and reaction time. Many athletes and coaches do not realize that SAQ training can cover the complete spectrum of training intensity from low to high [3]. Although tennis is one of the most popular sports worldwide; however few studies have been conducted on physical demands during play. A better understanding of the demands, estimation of energy expenditure is required that enables a comparison to be made between tennis & other forms of physical activity from a health perspective [4].

It is recognized that aerobic capacity (maximal oxygen uptake, VO₂ max) is an important component of tennis performance & enables the player not only to repeatedly generate explosive actions, but also ensures fast recovery between allies, especially during long matches [5]. Evidence suggests that motor skills such as power, strength, agility, speed and explosiveness as well as mental strength & a highly developed neuromuscular coordinating ability are strongly correlated with tournament performance. Therefore, improvement of these attributes is indispensable to reach the international performance level. The processes of adaptation in top ranked players induced by years of training and match play include changes in heart size, maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max), onset of lactate production, heart rate, blood pressure, and hormonal regulation [6]. Since the effectiveness of SAQ protocol on performance of junior tennis players has not been proved previously, so the study is focused on determining the effectiveness of the protocol.

Materials and Methods

50 subjects were taken from sports complex. Out of which 5 subjects could not complete the training. The players taken were under-16 national level who have been playing for last 2 years and were able to complete 12min walk/run test. Before the initiation of training, experimental and control groups underwent a pre-testing procedure for aerobic capacity using 12 minute cooper walk/run test and agility using T-test. Before training, subjects completed their regular warm up session of 10 minutes. Experimental group underwent speed agility and quickness training for 3 days x 4 weeks. Control group continued with their regular training program. Post-testing was completed after 4 weeks of training program. After completion of the training, data was collected and analysed (Tables 1-4).

Data Analysis

The data was managed on excel spread sheet and was analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software, version 17.0. For all statistical tests, the level of significance was set at p value ≤0.05. All values were expressed as mean and standard deviation (Figures 1 & 2). A paired t-test was applied to analyze the difference of t-test and aerobic capacity between pre- and post- intervention of junior tennis players in both experimental and control group. An independent t-test was applied to analyze the difference of t-test and aerobic capacity among the experimental and control group (Tables 5-7).

Conclusion

Several studies have been performed in the past few years emphasizing on utility of speed agility and quickness training. This study shows that four weeks of speed agility and quickness training program was found to be effective in improving aerobic capacity using cooper test and agility using T-test in junior tennis players. This study shows a significant improvement in agility in experimental group (p<l;0.01) as compared to the control group (p<l;0.05). The reason for improvement in agility in experimental group may be due to effect of training on neuromuscular control and motor skill function. The participants initially executed the exercises at low speeds to ensure the development of appropriate technique. It seems that specific focus of training augmented neuromuscular control over the 4 weeks period. Improvement in strengths, therefore, improves game related activities such as changing of directions. Motor learning and physical conditioning as according to principle of specificity is the key to enhance neuromuscular control [4].

With training, improvement can be either due to better motor recruitment or neural adaptation. Neural adaptation occurs when athletes respond or react as a result of improved coordination between the CNS signal and proprioceptive feedback. Training challenges the player’s neuromuscular efficiency to maintain COG over changing base of support with constantly changing directions at varying speeds. Thus training to improve movement not only increases functional capabilities, but also helps in advanced integration of the neural and muscular system while moving at different speed and in different planes of motion [2].

Speed agility and quickness training also develops an athlete’s ability to be more skillful at faster speeds and with greater precision. This enables to become better at reacting to stimuli, starts more quickly and efficiently, move effectively in multiple directions and change of directions or stop quickly to make a play in a fast, smooth, efficient and repeatable manner. This specific focus of training augments neuromuscular control over four week training period. The training re-enforces motor programming through neuromuscular conditioning and neural adaptations of muscle spindles, Golgi tendon organ and joint proprioception. Neural adaptation occurs because of improved coordination between CNS signal and proprioceptive feedback [4].

SAQ training also decreases fatigue time in sprints, agility drills and increased vertical and horizontal jump distances. Thus, training improves proprioceptive ability of the joint which influences neuromuscular firing pattern leading to reduced risk and thereby augmenting performance [2]. Also according to the SAID, the exercises that mimic motions in the sport have the greatest impact on performance. In the protocol, the exercises that include change of directions such as in zig-zag running may help improve the agility scores of the players [7]. There is also an increment of agility score in control group. The reason for improvement in control group may be due to their regular supervised tennis training sessions. On comparing the result for aerobic capacity in healthy junior tennis players it was found that aerobic capacity increases in experimental group. Although a small increase in aerobic capacity occurred in the control group but that was not statistically significant. The aerobic capacity in players increases as they covered a larger distance area in a limited time period. The capacity of covering the greater distance improves with less fatigue in a player after the training. Thus, improving player’s ability to perform several sprints within a short period of time. The improvement in running of players is expected because of running training carried out during the training program. Thus covering large distance in less duration and thus improving the aerobic capacity of the players [8].

Though it cannot be judged objectively through this research but the results from the present study state a significant improvement in aerobic capacity in the age group (12-16 years). The SAQ program for 4 weeks laid stress on cardiovascular system of the subject that can be attributing for the improvement in aerobic capacity. Training might have resulted in increased skeletal muscle blood flow and vascular conductance, lactate transport capacity and H+ ion release from active muscle, ionic regulation and sarcoplasmic reticulum function. Training also enhances mitochondrial enzymes that increase the rate of fat oxidation, sparing muscle glycogen and blood glucose and decreased lactate production during exercise that influence the VO2 max [9]. McArdle also states that an exercise duration that is for more than 10 minutes put stress on the aerobic system.

Due to exercise, there also occurs a physiological enlargement of the heart which is paralleled by an increase in stroke volume and maximum cardiac output. This, together with

peripheral vascularisation and muscular substrate utilization, form the basis for increased oxygen uptake, VO2 max. The values for female tennis players reach up to 55ml/kg/min and for male tennis players reach up to 65ml/kg/min. Studies have shown the importance of conditioning programs in improving aerobic performance. The increment in aerobic capacity may be due to a greater muscle involvement and increased time of contraction, thereby utilizing greater degrees of aerobic energy pathways [6]. Thus the SAQ training program helps in improving the performance of junior tennis players [10-17].

Clinical Relevance of the Study

From the present study we found that there is an improvement in agility score and aerobic capacity of junior tennis players [17- 26]. Thus the protocol can be used in enhancing the performance of athletes and it may also be used in future in reducing the injury rate of the athletes.

Future Research

a) Additional research is required to establish whether improvements seen by speed agility and quickness training on selected physical fitness tests would also result in improved tennis performance.

b) The protocol may further be used in detecting the decrease in rate of occurrence of injuries in athletes.

c) The protocol can be used in different athletic populations for enhancing their performance.

d) The effect of protocol can also be tested on core strength, dynamic balance [27-38].

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