23rd Annual Student Research Conference
Effect of conditioning with and without a racquet on the agility of college tennis players
Anna R. Greenwald
Dr. Jerry Mayhew, Faculty Mentor
Coaches appear divided concerning performing conditioning drills with or without the racquet. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of performing agility drills with and without a racquet on timed agility trials. Men (n = 8) and women (n = 9) varsity tennis players performed 3 pre-training trials under each condition. Scores were ranked and used to produce training groups using a matched-pairs design. The groups completed a 7-week conditioning program consisting of different lateral agility drills performed 3 times a week for a 10-minute time period. The control group performed all drills without a racquet; the experimental group completed all drills with a racquet held in proper playing position. Both groups increased their times by 2.9% to 6.3% following training, with no significant difference between them. In conclusion, it appears that changes in short-term agility times appear comparable whether done with or without the racquet.
Keywords: conditioning , tennis
Topic(s):Exercise Science
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 4-2
Location: SUB-GEO
Time: 4:15