For most of the past year, this site has been overthinking the exercise and training techniques that have made brief cameo appearances during the Netflix docuseries Break Point. This week, we are moving into a new episode of the show. During Episode 5 of Season 1, students training at Rafael Nadal’s Academy are seen performing agility training using an aerobic step.
Tennis agility requires the ability to accelerate and decelerate quickly. Getting to the ball is one thing, but slowing down to stop or change direction requires strength in the knees, hips, and ankles to absorb tremendous force. That’s where plyometric training comes in.
Plyometric training is sometimes called “jump training” because many plyometric exercises involve various types of jumps. The emphasis is on rapid contraction and extension of muscles, specifically targeting the stretch-shortening cycle to enhance power, strength, and speed.
The aerobic step is a training device that is frequently used for tennis agility training. Jumping up and down from the platform develops the explosive power required for acceleration and deceleration in the sport. Even though most tennis courts are fairly level, there are not many times during play when both feet are on the court at the same time. The step supports the development of balance when only one foot is on the ground.
The students at the Nadal Academy who briefly appear during this episode are performing short forward and reverse sprints. They move both feet to the top of an aerobic step between the forward and backward directions. From the looks of it, many reps are performed in quick succession.
These forward and backpedal sprints improve agility and the ability to change direction. This exercise is also effective for building aerobic conditioning.
The aerobic step can be used in tennis functional training both on and off the court. Consequently, I am somewhat surprised that it has taken this long for a post that involves this specific piece of equipment to emerge on this site. It is an essential piece of equipment in my home gym.
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