Effects of Plyometric Training on University Female Tennis Players' Physical Fitness and Serve Performance

Effects of Plyometric Training on Physical Fitness and Serve Performance Among University Female Tennis Players

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of upper and lower limb plyometric training on the selected physical fitness and serve performance among university female tennis players in China.

The main hypothesis of this study is to evaluate whether there are significant effects of 8 weeks of upper and lower limb plyometric training on selected physical fitness and serve performance among university female tennis players in China.

This intervention lasted for 8 weeks, two times each week, for 30-60 minutes of low-high intensity exercise. The content of the experimental group and control group of exercises mainly includes warm-up, primary content, and cool down. The intervention included push-ups and medicine ball exercises for the upper limbs and jumping, hopping exercises for the lower limbs. Exercises for the upper limbs were immediately followed by lower-limb exercises, with no intervening rest periods. all plyometric exercises, including those involving the upper and lower limbs, were executed with maximal effort, with the goal of reducing contact time during each repetition, and with no allowance for rest periods between jumps. During the intervention, the control group just continued with their regular training regime (e.g., normal fitness training, and injury prevention drills), twice a week, for the duration of the experiment.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. University female tennis players (aged 18-24 years old);
2. Players who had been trained professionally for more than three years
3. No history of recent surgery, no rehabilitation for the past 12 months;
4. Not systematically trained in plyometric training;

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tennis-specific training time less than 3 years;
2. Players with a history of recent fractures or any injury;
3. Presently involved in a plyometric training program;