Effects of Body Mass Index and Full Body Kinematics on Tennis Serve Speed

• Authors: Francis Kh Wong , Jackie Hk Keung , Newman Ml Lau , Douglas Ks Ng , Joanne Wy Chung , Daniel Hk Chow
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Effective training to improve serve speed is important for competitive tennis players. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of anthropometric factors and whole body kinematics of elite players on ball speed and to propose possible training strategies for improving the quality of tennis serves. Body and racket kinematics of tennis serves of 12 male elite Hong Kong players were investigated. The tennis serve was divided into four phases: I) Back-Swing Phase, II) Lead-Leg-Drive Phase, III) Forward-Swing Phase, and IV) Follow-Through Phase. It was shown that racket-side knee range of motion during phases II and III (r=0.705; p<0.05), racket-side knee peak extension velocity during phase II (r=0.751; p<0.01), racket-side hip peak extension velocity during phase II (r=0.657; p<0.05), racket-side shoulder range of motion in the coronal plane during phase III (r=0.616; p<0.05), racket-side elbow peak extension velocity during phase III (r=0.708; p<0.01) and body mass index (r=0.577; p<0.05) were significantly correlated with ball speed. Body mass index and the identified kinematic parameters that were significantly correlated with ball speed could be used as training guidelines for coaches and players to improve serve speed. Players should pay particular attention in training to increasing the extension velocity and range of motion of the identified joints.

Keywords

EN

tennis serve; sport kinematics; ball speed

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Journal of Human Kinetics
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 40
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 21-28

Dates

published

1 - 3 - 2014

online

9 - 4 - 2014

Contributors

author

Francis Kh Wong

• Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

author

Jackie Hk Keung

• Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

author

Newman Ml Lau

• School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

author

Douglas Ks Ng

• School of Science and Technology, The Open University of Hong Kong

author

Joanne Wy Chung

• Department of Health & Physical Education, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

author

Daniel Hk Chow

• Department of Health & Physical Education, The Hong Kong Institute of Education

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/hukin-2014-0003