Shoulder Readiness for Tennis and Pickleball: Essential Exercises for Peak Performance
BY BECKy nardi, PT, DPT
Are your shoulders ready for the courts?
As tennis and pickleball season kicks off, ensuring your shoulders are in top shape is crucial for both performance and injury prevention.
Long hours at the computer or behind the wheel can leave our thoracic spines stiff, impacting our ability to raise our arms overhead without straining the rotator cuff. Incorporating specific exercises into your weekly routine can improve shoulder mobility, strength, and overall function, keeping you in the game and feeling your best.
Let’s dive into some targeted movements designed to get your shoulders court-ready and maintain optimal health throughout the season.
🎾 Thoracic Mobility
In order to fully raise your arm over head without impinging the rotator cuff we must have full extension of our thoracic spine.
Long days at the computer, lots of driving, or hunching over our phones can leave our thoracic spines lacking mobility.
Thoracic spine Mobilization Exercises can help restore movement, improve posture, and improve athletic performance!!!!
Some examples of exercises that increase Thoricic Spine mobility include:
Chair Thoracic Extensions
Begin in a sitting upright position with your arms crossed over your chest.
Slowly arch your trunk backwards and hold, then return to an upright position and repeat.
Keep your movements slow and controlled.
Do not move through pain.
2. Foam Roller Thoracic Spine Extension
Begin lying with your upper back on a foam roll and hands clasped behind your neck.
Let your back relax and head drop toward the floor. Pause briefly, then return to the starting position and repeat.
Slide roll up/down spine along area of ribcage.
Be careful not to arch your neck or lower back.
Do not move through pain.
3. Cat Cow Active Mobility
Begin on all fours with your arms directly under your shoulders and knees bent 90 degrees.
Slowly round your back up toward the ceiling, inhale. Then let it sag down to the floor, exhale. Repeat 8-10 breaths.
Make sure to use your entire back for the motion and keep your movements slow and controlled.
🎾 Create a Posteriorly Dominant Shoulder
Strengthening the muscles on the BACK of the shoulder. Especially eccentric rotator cuff exercises are important for any overhead athlete.
During swinging or throwing the rotator cuff is most active during the follow through phase to slow the arm down. It is often compromised due to muscle imbalances, postural alignment, body mechanics and joint mobility.
Strengthening the Scapular Stabilizers and Rotator Cuff Muscles is critically important.
Remember this quote: “proximal stability creates distal mobility.” Just as we need a strong “core,” our shoulders need a stable and strong upper back and shoulder blade complex to perform at their best.
Examples of Exercises to Strengthening the Posterior Shoulder include:
Reverse Flys
Begin lying on your front with your arms straight out to your sides, thumbs pointing up.
Raise your arms off the ground as far as is comfortable, then lower them back to the ground, and repeat 10x. Complete 3 sets.
Think of squeezing your shoulder blades together as you lift your arms.
2. Lower Trapezius Strengthening: “Y’s”
Begin in a standing upright position facing a wall.
Rest both hands on the wall with your palms facing inward, then slide them up the wall in a diagonal direction.
When your arms are straight, raise your hands a few inches from the wall, activating your shoulder muscles.
Bring your arms back to the wall and repeat 10x. Complete 3 sets.
Make sure to keep your back straight, abdominals tight and do not shrug your shoulders during the exercise.
3. Shoulder External Rotation with Band
Begin in an upright standing position with your arms by your sides, holding a resistance band in both hands.
Bend your elbows to approximately 90 degrees with your palms up.
Slowly rotate your forearms out to the side. As you do so, pinch your shoulder blades down and back together. Pause briefly, then return to the starting position.
Repeat for 3 Sets of 10
4. Scapula Wall Reaches
Begin in a standing upright position facing a wall, holding the ends of a resistance band in each hand.
Place both hands flat on the wall in front of you, then step your feet back into a plank position. Maintaining this position, slowly reach one arm diagonally upward, then return to the plank position and repeat straight out to the side, then diagonally downward. Repeat the movement with the opposite arm.
Make sure to tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles and keep your body in a straight line. Do not shrug your shoulders or let your trunk rotate during the exercise.
Repeat 10x on each side.
🎾 Chest Stretches
Racquet sports players use their chest muscles quite a bit to generate power during swings.
Opening up the front of the chest after playing is an important way to reduce stress on the shoulders, neck and upper back.
Keeping your shoulders healthy this season by adding a few tennis-specific exercises to your weekly fitness routine will make sure you play your best and prevent injury.
Some examples of Exercises to Stretch the Chest Include:
Pectoral Stretch at Door
With your elbows bent slightly, place your forearms on the sides of the doorway at roughly a 60 degree angle from your sides, then take a small step forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulders.
Hold this position for about 30 seconds or 3 rounds of breath. If any discomfort occurs back off the stretch and lower arms.
2. Chest Stretch Lying on Your Back
Begin lying on your back with your hands clasped behind your head and elbows together.
Bring your elbows apart toward the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lower your elbows. Hold 30 seconds and Repeat 3x.
3. Pectoral Stretch on Foam Roller
Begin lying with your knees bent and a foam roll positioned vertically along the middle of your back, hands resting on your stomach.
Slowly move your arms straight out to your sides, palms up. Allow shoulders to relax towards the floor.
Hold 30-60 seconds
Maintaining shoulder health is essential for peak performance in tennis and pickleball. By incorporating these targeted exercises for thoracic mobility, posterior shoulder strength, and chest flexibility into your routine, you can enhance your athletic capabilities, prevent injuries, and stay active on the courts. Remember, a strong and stable shoulder complex will not only improve your game but also ensure longevity in your sports activities. Stay proactive, stay fit, and enjoy the season with confidence!
