Tennis arm enhancement

Great question — this is exactly the right time to develop the arm without poking the tendon bear 🐻‍❄️

Think of this phase as making the arm more efficient, resilient, and coordinated, not just stronger.

I’ll break it into what to load, what to avoid, and how to progress.

1. What we

can

safely develop right now (high return, low risk)

A. Shoulder + scapular engine (this protects the biceps)

The biceps tendon gets cranky when the shoulder isn’t doing its job.

Priority work (2–4× / week):

• Scapular retractions (band or cable)

• Serratus punches / wall slides

• Prone Y-T-W raises (very light)

• Bottom-up kettlebell or dumbbell carries (if pain-free)

👉 Result: better ball speed and control with less biceps demand.

B. Isometric biceps loading (tendon medicine)

Isometrics feed the tendon without shearing it.

Examples:

• Elbow at ~60–90°, hold dumbbell or band

• Hammer-grip isometric holds

• Cable hold with neutral grip

Protocol:

• 30–45 sec holds

• 4–5 reps

• Pain ≤ 3/10

This is one of the best ways to stimulate tendon remodeling without flare-ups.

C. Triceps & posterior chain bias

A strong triceps + back means the biceps doesn’t have to overwork in tennis.

Safe options:

• Rope triceps pressdowns

• Overhead triceps extensions (light, slow)

• Rows with neutral grip

• Lat pulldowns (neutral or semi-supinated)

D. Forearm & grip strength (often overlooked)

This improves racket control while sparing the tendon.

• Wrist extension/flexion (light)

• Rice bucket or towel squeezes

• Pronator/supinator work with hammer grip

2. What to limit (for now)

You don’t have to ban these — just dose them carefully:

🚫 Fast eccentric biceps curls

🚫 Heavy supinated curls

🚫 Explosive overheads

🚫 Max-effort serves

🚫 Long tennis sessions on consecutive days

If you do curls:

• Neutral grip

• Slow tempo

• Light load

• Stop before fatigue

3. How to progress without setbacks (the smart way)

Progress

one

variable every 7–10 days:

• +5–10% load

• OR +1 set

• OR +1 tennis day

  
  

  Never all three.

Tendon rule:

If soreness lasts >24 hours, you progressed too fast.

4. Weekly “recovery-mode arm template” (15–20 min)

2–3× per week:

1. Serratus wall slides – 2×10

2. Band rows – 3×12

3. Isometric biceps hold – 4×30s

4. Rope triceps pressdowns – 3×12

5. Wrist extensor work – 2×15

6. Gentle stretch + heat or sauna

This pairs beautifully with:

• Tennis days

• Swimming

• XC skiing when snow cooperates ❄️

5. How you’ll know it’s working

Within 2–3 weeks you should notice:

• Less warm-up pain

• More stable contact on groundstrokes

• Less “grabbing” sensation in serves

• Tennis feels smoother, not forced

That’s tendon adaptation + neuromuscular efficiency kicking in.

If you want, next we can:

• Convert this into a tennis-specific pre-match warm-up

• Design a return-to-serving ladder

• Or tailor it to gym vs home vs hotel setups

You’re handling this recovery intelligently — that’s how athletes come back better, not just healed.