The study titled ‘Strength and Conditioning Practices in Competitive and High-Performance Tennis: A Survey-Based Investigation’ aims to describe and benchmark contemporary strength and conditioning (S&C) practices among strength and conditioning coaches (SCCs) working in elite and competitive tennis.
Ninety-four SCCs from 19 countries participated in an online survey that covered various aspects of their work, including background information, planning and periodization, strength and endurance training, speed and plyometrics, flexibility, physical testing, technology use, and programming.
Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentages, median, and interquartile range (IQR), were employed to summarize the responses. The results indicated that the coaches were well qualified, with 58.5% holding a master’s degree and 22.3% holding a PhD. Furthermore, 88.3% of the coaches had a sport-science-related qualification, although only 40.4% reported any professional S&C accreditation.
Most SCCs described their programs as evidence-informed, and 75.5% considered their planning to be training periodization. A significant majority, 95.7%, distinguished between off-season, preseason, and in-season phases in their training.
The median frequency of strength training sessions was reported as 2 (IQR 2-3), 3 (2-4), and 2 (2-3) sessions per week during the off-season, preseason, and in-season, respectively. Endurance training typically occurred 2 (2-3), 2 (2-3), and 1 (1-2) sessions per week during these phases.
Almost all coaches (98.9%) utilized plyometrics, primarily throughout the year (85.1%). Physical testing was common, with 92.6% of coaches conducting tests; however, only 43.6% reported year-round testing practices.
Technology use was prevalent among the coaches, with 96.8% employing various tools, including heart-rate monitors (73.4%), mobile applications (58.5%), and velocity-based devices (54.3%).
This survey represents the first tennis-specific investigation into the practices of SCCs working in elite and competitive tennis, indicating that they are generally well qualified and implement structured, periodized S&C programs with regular strength, endurance, plyometric, and testing practices.
What this study does not show
This study does not establish a direct correlation between the reported practices and performance outcomes in tennis.
Evidence scorecard
- Analytic validity: not established
- Clinical validity: not established
- Clinical utility: not established