Why Tennis:

I started playing tennis at 5 years. I played all through college & USTA and I still love it! I grew up in a tennis playing family, my mom being a tennis instructor and coach for a local college. (Dad was a child actor and had movie contracts with 20th Century Fox & the “Charlie Chan” Series, so I suppose at a young age, I loved sports & being on camera!?)

I love playing outdoors on asphalt, grass and clay. One of my favorite experiences include playing on a clay court in Peru, while we were there to hike up Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas” located 8000 above sea level.

I also loved playing on grass, at the Tennis Hall of Fame, while I was in Newport, Rhode Island to host the X Games.

Tennis is such an amazing workout for the calves, legs, core & arms. I love the fact that it’s competitive and you are having so much fun, hours of exercise fly by before you know it! It’s a fabulous way to improve your hand eye coordination, timing and burn so many calories!

Kiana’s Flex Appeal: Tennis Segments:

On Kiana’s Flex Appeal, some of my favorite workout segments were sports specific workouts. Tennis, being one of my favorite sports, was such fun to do! I met, played and interviewed many top athletes including John McEnroe and John Austin when we filmed at the La Quinta Resort and Spa. Here are some of the exercises I led Flex Appeal viewers through on ESPN.

BENEFITS of TENNIS:

Playing the game greatly improves hand eye coordination, timing, balance, strategy and patience.

MUSCLES STRENGTHENED:

• Lower Body: quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and glutes.
• Hitting the ball requires upper body strength: chest, shoulders, arms, forearms, hand strength and core.

Here are some strength training exercises that will help strengthen the muscles used in tennis.  The Plyometrics exercises will help build muscle speed & power.

Click on the hyperlinks to view a video tutorial / demonstration of the exercises: Enjoy!

• Lunges, Squats, Calf Raises

• Plyometric Hops

• Star Crunch

• Figure 8 Squats

• Lunge & Reach

• Jump Squats

• Fitness Band Chest Press

• Fitness Band Rotator Cuff X

• Core Ball Lunge Rotation

• Forearm Rope Rolls

• Wrist Curls

• Farmers Walk holding plates

• Calf Raises

  
  

  

 

exercises, sports, tennis