Racquet Sports S&C — all lessons
Module 1 – Assessment & Evaluation
Assessment protocols for racquet-sport athletesModule 2 – Sport-Specific Movements
Movement patterns unique to racquet sportsMulti-directional load and movement analysisModule 3 – Strength Training
Strength exercise selection and integrationModule 4 – Power & Explosive Training
Upper- and lower-body power for racquet sportsModule 5 – Speed, Agility & COD
Speed, agility and change-of-direction drillsModule 6 – Endurance & Conditioning
Conditioning for match play: interval and sport-specific methodsModule 7 – Overtraining & Recovery
Overtraining, load monitoring and recovery strategiesModule 8 – Practical Application
Racquet-sport S&C case studies and programme designMulti-directional load and movement analysis
Analysing multi-directional loads in racquet sports — accelerations, decelerations, lunges and jumps — and their implications for injury and training.
Learning objectives
- Quantify multidirectional movement demands
- Relate loads to injury patterns
- Use video and wearables for analysis
- Translate analysis into training
Before this lesson
Why this matters
Understanding load patterns explains common injuries and guides training.
Demands
Frequent short sprints, decelerations, direction changes, lunges and jumps; match intensity is intermittent [fernandez2006].
Injury patterns (tennis)
Lower-limb acute injuries (ankle, knee, thigh) and upper-limb overuse (shoulder, elbow) [pluim2006].
Analysis tools
Video coding of movements; IMUs and stroke sensors [cardinale2017].
Training implications
Eccentric strength, deceleration drills, landing mechanics, shoulder and forearm capacity.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Case study
A squash coach codes 3 matches and finds ~10 deep lunges per minute of play. Eccentric strength work and lunge-specific conditioning are added.
Further learning: video lessons
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Multi-directional load and movement analysis
racquet-sport S&C coaches and federations (search)
You will understand: multi-directional load and movement analysis
Why: Practitioner content; verify the specific video.
Strength and conditioning in practice
racquet-sport S&C coaches and federations (search)
You will understand: applied S&C sessions
Why: Practitioner content; verify the specific video.
Knowledge check
Knowledge check · 0/5
1. Pluim et al. (2006) found common tennis injuries include…
2. Deceleration places high demands on…
3. IMUs can count…
4. A training implication of frequent lunges is…
5. Movement analysis should inform…
Short-answer & application questions
- Analyse a match video for direction changes.
- Plan eccentric training for a squash player.
- Track jump counts with a wearable.
Key takeaways
- Racquet sports involve frequent accelerations, decelerations and direction changes.
- Lower-limb acute injuries and upper-limb overuse injuries are common in tennis.
- Video and IMUs can quantify movement counts and intensity.
- Train deceleration and eccentric strength to tolerate loads.
Connected topics
Strength exercise selection and integration
racquet sportsOvertraining, load monitoring and recovery strategies
References
- Pluim BM, Staal JB, Windler GE, Jayanthi N (2006). Tennis injuries: occurrence, aetiology, and prevention. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(5):415–423. Narrative review check pending
- Fernandez J, Mendez-Villanueva A, Pluim BM (2006). Intensity of tennis match play. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(5):387–391. Narrative review check pending
- Cardinale M, Varley MC (2017). Wearable training-monitoring technology: applications, challenges, and opportunities. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 12(Suppl 2):S255–S262. Narrative review check pending
Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis or treatment.