If you don’t follow tennis then let me fill you in on a little secret. Shhhhh come closer. Inch your nose towards the screen. Ready? WIMBLEDON HAS STARTED!
Intense hours of competitive play from the top athletes around the world will be on display for approximately 485,000 spectators, 3,250 media accredited staff and personnel and over 19 million broadcast viewers worldwide. This year English fans are cheering for the hometown boy Andy Murray while others are camping out for tickets at this very moment for tomorrow’s games and suffering in utter disbelief over Rafael Nadal’s loss after the first round. But something else has slipped into the top highlights of Wimbledon news. Another phenomena is brewing. The New York Times sums it up in an article by stating the following, “Haas is not quite the oldest man in the Wimbledon singles draw….but Haas is the oldest man to still be a major factor.”
Tommy Haas is 35 years old and he is ready to compete.
35 years old does not sound as ancient as the press insinuates but the pounding a body takes at Wimbledon is much different than an amateur tennis player endures on a regular basis. So how does he do it? How does his body hold up under such high impact, strenuous play? Here are his top 3 tips you can adapt to your own routine to ensure you stay healthy and fit for tennis all year long regardless of your age.
Add Yoga, Massage and Pilates
Working on his endurance and strength is a major contributing factor to Haas’ comeback. This includes discovering activities off the court that help him achieve these goals. As Haas states on the ATP World Tour website, “I do so many things in the gym now, whether it’s weights, yoga or Pilates. Whatever it takes…. I’ve had a lot of injuries as well, so I’ve had to step back and try to get back into shape a number of times,” and these three activities help him accomplish these benchmarks. Let us take a closer look at each one starting with massage therapy.
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Tennis
A sports-specific massage therapy treatment revitalizes the body, boosts blood flow and reduces muscle tension. This is vital to a successful tennis match. It decreases inflammation and injury within the body allowing you to play longer at an elite level. As a result, you are able to deliver a valuable tennis performance without pain. This coincides with the common goal of keeping the muscles elongated and flexible permitting you to play without putting your body under strain. It is a significant benefit to obtain as we grow older. Our bodies aren’t as malleable as when we were young increasing risk of injury. But by taking this extra step to receive a neuromuscular massage therapy treatment, you abolish the chance of pain from developing and causing damage to your body and game.
Yoga and Pilates work together in a similar manner helping Haas triumph over the youngsters on the court. Both keep his core muscles engaged, strong, and stable allowing his body to move without forcing itself to overcompensate for weak spots. For example, if your core is weak while playing tennis then you may begin to feel repetitive pain, pull and strain in your IT Band, hips and calves. Each movement becomes a risky maneuver. But by partaking in yoga and Pilates the weak spots are replaced with strong, resilient, growing muscles and supple ligaments warranting a positive outcome.
Find out more about the numerous advantages of neuromuscular massage therapy including how it evades pain, assists with tennis playing skills and supports an effective tennis training regimen by calling Mike Hachey at Eclipse Wellness today.
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