Players build muscle through conditionings

By: Nanki Hura

  We have numerous athletes who strive to do their best in their chosen sport. Tennis is amongthosemany,andfeatures a program to help players strengthen their bodies off-season.
   This program consists of morning conditionings, which are held and led by Coach Michael Teets. Teets is the coach of both the girl’s and boy’s Varsity A tennis teams.
   The conditionings are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. in the Gregory Fitness Center. Attendance is optional, but highly recommended by Coach Teets.
   Inside the Center’s gym are many stations that are aimed to strengthen different muscles in the body.
   One of these stations is the ‘domes’. The domes are brightly colored semi-spheres placed in a large circle on the ground.
   “I honestly don’t think they’re that bad, and if done correctly, they are good for me,” said Alec Hershey, 10.
   Players bend their knees and reach down to lightly touch the tops of each dome with both hands. Then, they stand up straight again and shift to the left, continuing the same process.
   When asked about her opinion of the domes, McKenna Buckley, 10 said, “I dread doing them, but after awhilethey don’t seem that bad.”
   The purpose of this station is to build thigh muscles through repetitive movement into a squatting position. Although the stations are only one minute in length, the domes tend to leave students with their legs throbbing.
   “It (the domes) hurts after awhile, but I can feel the improvement,” said Dahlia Afeef, 11.
   Since tennis involves running forward, backward and across the court, as well as jumping and bending your knees, it is important for the players to develop strong leg muscles.