Do you have to run fast for tennis?

Question

I really suck with miles, I gave up junk food to prepare my body but my breathing is still out of control.

Answer 1

Short burst of speed & quick reactions are helpful.  If you are going to stay on the baseline, you will do alot of running from side to side.  Speed will be important to get to the ball & in position quickly. BUT, ifyou want to approach the net more, placement on your approaches and moving to the proper court sites will be more important so you don't get passed or wrong footed as you shorten the court & your opponents reaction time.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

Not really, but you must have good footworks. Meaning you have good lateral movements and turns, so that you can easily change your direction towards the ball.

Answer 3

short bursts are the main form of movement in tennis

Answer 4

Well yeah.

Answer 5

i play tennis for 4 hours a week and i am the slowest person in my class with the exception of people that can't be bothered to run.  And i manage fine, you should try tennis its great fun.  Even if you don't want lessons you can play in club time.  If you don't feel ready for proper matches many tennis clubs have practice walls which really help!

Answer 6

YA!

Answer 7

Not really, but you just have to respond to things quickly.

Answer 8

Yes you have to be able to run fast for tennis or you'll never have success. If you can't run very fast then the opponent will see that and they'll always hit the ball cross court and you're finished.

Answer 9

thinking fast and reacting fast are more important than foot speed. I've seen overweight players and old players whip up on young fit types. The great thing about tennis is that 30 second rest period between points, and the 90 second rest period between games. Keep playing and you can't help but get faster. Your serve!

Answer 10

Not really you just need a quick reaction

Answer 11

sort of but you really have to have fast reflexes, and good balance

Answer 12

Interesting question!

I think most of us answered here.

The key is QUICK, instead of FAST.

The responsiveness in movement is vital important.  Answered your main question.

But your symptom about breathing is another issue than running fast.  

Strength and stamina are MUST, the physical demand is HUGE in tennis.  So, the good physical strength is prerequisite for being a competitive tennis player.

Answer 13

You have to sprint.

Answer 14

Speed is always helpful, but there are unfit players that can win matches with solid strokes alone. If you are seriously out of shape and love the game then I recommend playing doubles where there is much less of the court to cover and it is more of a finesse and reflexes match than one of fitness.

Hope this helps.

Answer 15

As everyone above me has mentioned, speed during sprints is critical to anyone's tennis play.

As you move up to the advanced level, endurance becomes an issue due to the longer rallies and faster shots. It would be a good idea to improve cardio. Personally, I do suicides(google it) on the court. They improve your explosiveness on court and your long term running ability.

Grr...I still eat junk food tho, so you'll probably be in better shape than I am.

G'luck!

Answer 16

not like long distance running. it's very different than side to said and front to back. u need speed and quick reaction times. u need to anticipate. u need more agility to get to places quickly. u need good foot work.

Answer 17

You don't necessarily have to run fast to play tennis. Being quick certainly helps but fast reflexes are probably just as important. You'll probably want to stick with doubles if you're a little out of shape and as your speed increases, you can play more singles.

Breathing is a big part of tennis and hitting strokes. That's why you hear players yelling as they hit the ball. It's also a forced reaction to help them breath better while playing.

Answer 18

yes there is a lot of physical activity involved with tennis if you are an asthmatic or REALLY out of shape , now I don't mean 5-10 pounds over weight that is not out of shape.  it is not necessarily running but quick sprints and stop and go action.  turns and quick pivoting action as well