Effects of a 12-Week Functional Training Program on the Strength and Power of Chinese Adolescent Tennis Players

Functional training is any type of training designed to improve a specific movement or activity for fitness or high performance sports. This study examined the effect of functional training on the strength and power of young tennis players.

40 male tennis players were assigned to the functional training group (n = 20; age, 16.7 ± 0.4 years) or the conventional training group (n = 20; age, 16.5 ± 0.6 years). The functional training group received three 60 min sessions per week for 12 weeks, while the conventional training group participated in three sessions per week of mono-strength exercise for 12 weeks. Strength and power were measured according to the International Tennis Federation protocol at baseline, 6 weeks after the intervention, and 12 weeks after the intervention.

Both forms of training increased (p < 0.05) push-ups, wall squat test, over medicine ball throw, and standing long jump after 6 weeks of training, and the effect improved further as the 12-week mark approached. Except for the wall squat test (left) at 6 weeks, functional training showed no advantage over conventional training. After an additional 6 weeks of training, all measures of strength and power were better (p < 0.05) in the functional training group.

Improvements in strength and power could occur after as little as 6 weeks of functional training, and 12-week functional training could outperform conventional training in male adolescent tennis players.