16 reasons why boxing can make you a better tennis player

[paranday]

Tennis, anyone? I don't play, but admit that watching players like Federer or Serena during intense championship play is a turn on for the pure athleticism. The author of the article below thinks boxing training has much to offer the tennis player, for example:

3. The speed bag is a good way to improve your timing, focus and your hand-eye coordination. In boxing, you need to know where your hands are all the time. In tennis, the ball travels in the direction of your hands. The speed bag can help you to improve focus, timing and awareness of your hands. Mastering the speed bag can be quite helpful in improving your volley and your reactions at the net.

Be Better at Tennis by Training Like a Boxer (http://www.northjersey.com/community/family/reflections/121687113_Be_better_at_tennis_by_training_like_a_b oxer.html)

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[Avadia]

As an avid tennis player, and speed bagger, I'm going to have to say that this is mostly BS. Speedbagging is mostly about timing and rhythm. Tennis, at least the volleying at net part, is all about instant reflex. There is no rhythm involved and you don't usually have the time to time anything. Your hands just have to react at a moment's notice to put your racquet in a position to block the ball back. I haven't noticed any drastic improvement in my volleying skills since I started seriously speedbagging.

[novaspeedbagger]

Tennis, anyone? I don't play, but admit that watching players like Federer or Serena during intense championship play is a turn on for the pure athleticism. The author of the article below thinks boxing training has much to offer the tennis player, for example:

3. The speed bag is a good way to improve your timing, focus and your hand-eye coordination. In boxing, you need to know where your hands are all the time. In tennis, the ball travels in the direction of your hands. The speed bag can help you to improve focus, timing and awareness of your hands. Mastering the speed bag can be quite helpful in improving your volley and your reactions at the net.

Be Better at Tennis by Training Like a Boxer (http://www.northjersey.com/community/family/reflections/121687113_Be_better_at_tennis_by_training_like_a_b oxer.html)


.http://www.speedbagforum.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=86&pictureid=646

Interesting Paranday! After high school and a year of college I decided to venture into competitive racquetball. I made a fairly quick journey from the C division to Open which is equivalent to A/Elite today. I was regularly trying to figure out ways to improve my quickness, agility, reaction time and ability to anticipate my opponents next move to increase my confidence and winning percentage in tournament play. It was during that time in the early 80's, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to train like a boxer in my Preparation for Racquetball tournaments minus the sparring (I had a hard enough time thinking straight as it was without someone else beating my head in) LOL! Luckily, I received a complementary Membership from the Manager at the New Orleans Athletic Club to help promote racquetball there. It was then that I started Speed bagging on the set ups in the pictures below. The rest is History! Ha Ha!

This Place was established in 1872 and was and all men's club when I trained there. It was truly like walking into a time machine and stepping back into the past. These pictures show a refurbishing has taken place along with female members. Bravo for that! This link shows some interesting history of the NOAC. http://www.neworleansathleticclub.com/history.html

This is where I developed my desire to speed bag.

http://www.speedbagforum.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=86&pictureid=647


At that time I had no idea how to hit the bag other than straight and circle punches, however, I truly believe that the speed bag, skipping rope, using dumbells for shadow boxing, stadium work, Heavy bag workouts, Extreme Rocky IV style sit ups and the like, all made for quicker advancement in my racquet sport.

So, your post tended to hit home for me, even though my sport of choice back then was a little different than tennis!

On another note, I really believe that Offensive and Defensive lineman as well as all the other positions in football could truly benefit from having speed bag work as a regularly scheduled part of their regimen in Training camp as well as during the season.

Thanks for Posting this Paranday and for a bit of "Personal Nostalgia"!