Andy Roddick has to be in the best shape possible to have a shot at being the number one tennis player in the world. Here are a few exercises that he regularly does to make that possible. It is easy to find a top U.S. player at the gym. Roddick’s athletic trainer Doug Spreen agrees, “The best thing about Andy is that he always wants to be doing something. Downtime gets boring for him, so it doesn’t take long, even in the off-season, and he’s ready to get back to work.” As an ex-ATP trainer, Spreen aids Roddick to keep up with his strength, nutrition, and injury prevention, wherever he goes. Spreen describes Roddick’s fitness plan – “We’ve tried to get him in better overall shape, which means getting his body fat down and converting it to muscle. We want to make his whole body stronger so it’s less susceptible to injury.” Specifically, Roddick concentrates on working out his shoulders and core muscles. Spreen realizes that “the shoulder is key for his serve, and the core keeps the entire body balanced”. Spreen also says that these exercises have “become a real priority of Andy’s”. Here are three of Roddick’s exercises.
1. Stability-Ball Crunch
Crunches have become the quintessential workout to gain strength in the abdomen. By adding in the use of a stability ball, the body must make use of additional core muscles, such as lower back muscles and the obliques, in order to remain stable. If you use a midsized stability ball, you should firmly plant your feet on the ground and keep your hands in a position beneath your head or above your chest. Once in position, you will want to raise your upper back and shoulders off the stability ball and then lower them back on, all in a slow motion. Typically, you should work as much as three sets of 20 reps, taking three to five seconds for each crunch.
2. Abdominal Leg Lift
In addition to crunches, abdominal strength can be gained through leg lifts. To get into position, lie down completely flat on the ground and place your palms at your sides. For some people, it helps to place their palms under their lower back or buttocks. Once ready, lift your legs up off the floor several inches, making sure you keep your legs completely locked together. Then, lift up slowly around 5 inches and return to the beginning position, again slowly. This can be done up to three sets of 20 each.
3. External Rotation
Roddick also performs various rotational exercises to keep his muscles around his shoulder strong and durable. To start off, find some stationary object, such as a bench, that is sturdy enough to hold your weight. Then, lean forward onto the object and place one hand and one knee on top of it. Take and hold a dumbbell with a bent elbow at your side, making sure that it is the right weight for you. Once comfortable, lift the dumbbell up and out to the level of your head. Hold shortly, then return your arm to the starting position. This can be worked up to three sets of 10 each.