Effect of Developing Core Strength and Dynamic Flexibility on Accuracy and Velocity of Performance of some Essential Skills in Tennis

Document Type : Original Article

Author

at Dept. of Sports Training, Faculty of Physical Education for Girls, Al-gezira , Helwan University.

Abstract

Modern athletic training depends on science as a basis to obtain better results so the teacher should follow everything new in the field of training constantly to be able to present the best thing in this field and to raise the level of skill performance. Core strength exercises are considered the best training technique as many and various exercises are used that help strengthen core muscles. The core area leads to increase the ability of girls to achieve workouts very well that represent the origin of motion.
          Nadler & Akuthota (2004)(16) stated that core muscles worked to carry the whole power resulted from the lower extremity through the trunk to the upper extremities and sometimes the tool held in the hand and consequently, the core muscles weakness would not lead to carry the dynamic power fully from the bottom to the top and the athletic performance would be worse as well as the possibility of occurring injuries. For this reason it is postulated that improving the core strength will necessarily lead to improve the athletic performance. Hence, core strength exercises are commonly used among couches in all athletic games (16: 68)
          Flexibility plays a great role in avoiding several injuries as it is characterized by a dynamic range in a joint different from the same in anther. The ability of a muscle or a set of muscles to extend is different from another muscle or a set of muscles. It is important to develop the flexibility trait as it is different from other physical fitness components that the insufficient level of flexibility and the extent of its shortage can lead to injuries; motor performance becomes more difficult and slow down the velocity of perfection of skills.
          Tennis is the most common sport spreading in the progressed world countries as it has enjoyment and excitement and it is suitable for all ages, moreover, attacking performances in tennis have a special nature because they depend on acts of legs and arms and coordination between them and tools used, hence, the strength of performance is associated with velocity that is different from position to another together with the agility in carrying out essential skills throughout the time of performance.
          The researcher noticed through teaching the subject of tennis to girls at Faculty of Physical Education for Girls that the level of skill performance in tennis was low in general and the level of performance of straight forehand and backhand strokes in girls in the 1st grade in particular. The researcher noticed that faults were existed in body hardening and action was not performed freely and individual differences among girls were wide as they had no idea about tennis, moreover, the 1st grade represents the start of studying tennis that required from their performers to be free, to carry his actions, to do some velocityacts, flexibility and power exerted. The girl could not master the skill performance in case of the lack of physical abilities.
The abovementioned facts agreed with conclusions achieved by Marwan Ali (2003)(8) and Amr Saber (2008)(3)that training on the skill only was not enough to improve such skill and to obtain fruitful results as the improvement of the skill necessarily required improving dynamic abilities of the skill itself. Therefore, the researcher suggested conducting a workout to lay out core strength and dynamic flexibility exercises to help perform straight forehand and backhand strokes accurately and velocityin tennis.
Research objective: To identify the effect of improving exercises of core strength and dynamic flexibility on accuracy and velocity of performance of straight forehand and backhand strokes in tennis in girls in the 1st grade.
Terms and concepts: Core strength exercises: Previously were used in the name of core stability exercises in the field of physiotherapy widely until sports scientists have developed them and established training fundamentals for such exercises and finally they have been called core strength exercises to improve and to strengthen core muscles considered the origin of motion (24:198).
Flexibility: The ability to perform movements to a wide range without lacerations in ligaments or muscles (9:74).
Related studies:

Studies related to core strength

1-   Study of Justin Shinkle (2010)(22).        2- Study of Thomas et al. (2009)(32)
3-Study of Renee Zingaro (2008)(30)          4- Study of Stanton & Reabum (2004)(31)

Studies related to dynamic flexibility:

5-Study of Darin Mostafa (2009)(4)         6-  Study of Shirin Taha (2004)(15).
7-Study of Ahmed Anwar (2003)(1).        8- Study of Cohen et al. (2001)(18)
Conclusions from the related studies: They focused on the effectiveness of core strength exercises programs and exercises for extension and flexibility and their role in improving physical and skill abilities. The researcher could outline how to make benefits from such studies to follow them in the current study.

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