I have used Bungi Cords (also known as Elastics) provided by SAQ for just over two years with professional tennis players of all ages. Previously I had also used them for my own training during my junior tennis career. This is useful because I experienced the benefits and gains that can be made to my on court movement, balance and awareness. The elastics give you the ability to create a realistic simulation and help in using easy power on your shots.

Currently I am in Turkey with TEAMBATH-MCTA. I take the elastics everywhere we travel because it's a great way to continue improving the player's movement and their work against resistance. I use them with Samantha Murray (one of the players I coach) in her warm ups before matches as it helps her feel light in her legs as well as teach her how the muscle chain must work into the shot. She can also simulate how low she must be before a shot and how quick and sequenced the hip drive (hip extension) must be when going through the shot.

I also find it beneficial to warm up her serve with the elastics. Samantha has to go through her normal service action at full speed speed but with me holding the elastics down so that she has to resist against them when jumping up into the serve. She must go through the motion of sequencing the jump and the hit to feel perfect contact and easy power, which is created by using the right muscle chain up into the serve.

After five repetitions she takes the elastics off and does the same exercise without them which allows Samantha to feel very light and often her jump can be 5cm higher or more. This takes the pressure off of her arm because she is using her legs more and she had to hold her posture when she had the elastics on. As a result, she doesn't find herself collapsing after contact which eliminates the net out of play.

When I am working on any player's movement and they feel comfortable, then I like to use the elastics with them. They can really feel how their muscles are moving because they have to resist against, and exaggerate their movements. They also seem to learn a lot quicker because it is so specific and enjoyable which is a key part of the learning process.

Another great way of using the elastics is when a player is working alongside their tennis coach. Whilst they are learning what the racket is doing they also learn the right movements in their feet and legs as they move into the shot. This helps to relax the upper body and creates the easy power I mentioned at the beginning and will increase there speed up to the ball and recovery too.  

I strive to come up with new ways to incorporate the elastics into tennis. I hope more people in the industry will start to use them during tennis lessons, as elastics are very effective and can accelerate an athlete's progress.

Roxanne Sammel