Once upon a time, I ruptured a tendon in my racquet hand wrist. The orthopedic surgeon recommended six weeks off, but the best I could do was three due to some tournament commitments that I was unwilling to break. After the doctor conceded that if I taped it properly, I was unlikely to do additional damage, he brought in his physical therapist to teach me how to do the self-application. They both continuously rolled their eyes at me throughout the appointment.
What ensued was some of the most painful tennis of my life. I quickly learned that my Singles matches followed this basic pattern: A first-set loss with excruciating pain, a second-set win after my wrist went numb, and a third-set loss as my wrist flopped around uselessly after stiffening up during the set break.
As a result, I take wrist activation and strengthening exercises pretty seriously. I don’t want to be tempted to ever play through that kind of pain again.
In Season 1, Episode 5 of the Netflix docuseries ‘Break Point,’ Felix Auger Aliassime is seen performing wrist circles for muscle activation. However, he did something immediately before that clip that also demands comment. In the “don’t try this at home, kids” department, FAA did side shuffles on a treadmill.
Unlike some of our previous “Maria Sakkari” grade bad ideas for off-court training that most people intuitively know they shouldn’t try, this one looks easy enough to be tempting. This is a good time to remind people to consult with a medical professional or qualified personal trainer before adding these types of exercises to their fitness routine. In particular, don’t do side shuffles on a treadmill unless you just want to injure yourself falling off it.
That brings us full circle (I really can’t help myself) back to the wrist activation exercise that FAA subsequently does. It is basically performed by clasping the hands together and rotating the wrists in a figure-eight pattern. I created a short animated gif that illustrates exactly how to do it.
While warming up the entire body is essential in any sport, focusing on the wrists is especially relevant for tennis players. That is why many players start on-court sessions by hitting short court before transitioning back to the baseline. It is also a great idea to activate the wrists before ever stepping onto the court.
I wasn’t surprised to see FAA doing this exercise but rather at how deep into the series we were before this particular technique popped up. In fact, while I don’t immediately recall seeing any other pro performing this specific activity, I am confident that all professional players are doing either this precise thing or a close equivalent.
Tennis players who don’t activate the wrist muscles are flirting with injury. This exercise can greatly reduce the odds in about 30 seconds. Why risk it?
