Strength for Tennis

As with all sports, overall strength development can help improve one's game. A group of exercises that seem particularly well suited to tennis are presented below. As with the descriptions of exercises for golf, in the December 1995 issue of the Newsletter, previously described exercises will include a reference to the appropriate Issue. New or modified exercises will be described in detail.

• Lunge - For details about this exercise, see the March 1995 Newsletter, page 4.

• Leg Press - This exercise is essentially a "squat" done on a machine. There are many types of machines which are designed for doing the leg press. Some have you in a seated position, some in a lying position, and some more-or-less in between. For simplification, let's assume a lying leg press machine.

  This gadget is normally found in a gym, so you can get instructions on how to set it up for your body dimensions from the staff. Use is as follows: lying in a supine position, with your shoulders against the pads, feet against the metal plate, and with knees bent approximately 90 degrees; press against the plate until your legs are fully extended. Don't snap your knees into a locked position (move at a speed slow enough so that you are always in full control of the weight), and press from your heels. Slowly return to the starting position. A good target is 12-15 reps per set. The higher you place your feet on the foot plate, the more your gluteal muscles (you know - those wonderful butt muscles) will be involved.

• Reverse Trunk Twist - This abdominal exercise (specifically the external and internal obliques) is performed from a lying (supine) position, with legs extended straight up in the air, feet together. It helps if you have something to hold on to. I wiggle all over the floor without an anchor, but it may work for you to just put your arms out from your shoulders (you are in the position of a cross). Now rotate your legs to one side until the side of your thighs nearly touches the floor, then reverse directions and move to just off the floor on the other side. You are rotating your legs through a near 180 degree arc, while keeping your shoulders flat on the floor. You only twist your lower body. Do what you can do , up to about 50 reps, then you may want to increase your resistance, with ankle weights, for instance; or maybe not.

• Crunches - See the February 1995 Newsletter, pages 2 and 3. And note that it is recommended that you exercise the entire abdominal cavity, not just the front.

• Back Extensions - See the May 1995, issue of the Newsletter, page 6.

• Bench Press - See page 2 of the April 1995 Newsletter.

• Bent-Over 1-Arm Row - See page 5 of the May 1995 issue of the Newsletter.

• Wrist Curl - See page 2 of the April 1995 Newsletter.

• Reverse Wrist Curl - See page 5 of the July1995 issue of the Newsletter.

• Reverse Wrist Curl - See previous exercise.

• Aternate Upright Row - This exercise for the upper back (including the posterior deltoid muscles of the shoulders) is performed as described in the June 1995 Newsletter, page 3; but with dumbells rather than a barbell. Pull the weight up under your chin, but one arm at a time. As with the barbell version of this exercise, keep the weight close to your body as you pull it up, and move your elbows as high above your shoulders as you can.

Stretching for Tennis

Following is a series of stretches suitable for tennis.

• For a good triceps stretch, try this: grasp one elbow - your upper arm is vertical, and the elbow is flexed - and pull it gently backwards. If you bend slightly sideways, you will get a stretch from your triceps all the way down one side of your trunk. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat on the other side. [See Figure 1-1]

• To stretch your arms, shoulders, and upper back; interlace your fingers (your arms should be straight overhead, with palms facing up); then gently press your arms up and back. [See Figure 1-2]

• To stretch your calves, stand back from a support (like a wall), and lean against it. One leg should be forward, and with the knee bent. The other leg is straight, with the foot flat on the floor, and behind you. Press your hips toward the support, and feel the calf stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat the stretch. [See Figure 1-3]

  A variation is to slightly bend your rear leg - to stretch the Achilles tendon and soleus muscle, which is behind the more visible gastrocnemius muscle in the calf.

• A good groin stretch, which also stretches the lower back; is to sit on the floor with you knees bent and the soles of your feet together. Holding your feet, gently press your knees down with your elbows, by leaning forward. Remember to keep your back "flat," and never, with any stretch, move to the point of pain. Never. Never. Never.

• For your hamstrings and lower back, sit with one leg straight out in front of you, and the other leg bent so the sole of the foot rests against the inner thigh of the straight leg. Hold a foot, ankle, or a towel looped around your foot; then lean forward (flat back) as you simultaneously pull back on your foot, or . . . . Keep the foot of the straight leg pointing up. Keep your neck "neutral." Hold for 20 seconds, then increase the stretch and hold for another 20 seconds. Repeat on the other leg. [See Figure 1-5]

• For your back and rib cage, do the following spinal twist. Sit on the floor with one leg straight out in front of you. Bend your other leg and cross it over the straight leg. Your foot should be flat on the floor, and just outside of your knee. Now twist your trunk and place your elbow against the outside of your flexed knee, and press against it so your trunk is twisted sideways, as far as you can comfortably go. Your head should turn in the same direction as your trunk. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. [See Figure 1-6]

• For forearms and wrists, start on all fours, but with your fingers pointing backward (thumbs out). Lean back slightly to intensify the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds. [See Figure 1-7]

• For the front of the thigh (quadraceps), hold the top of one foot with the opposite hand, and gently pull your heel toward your buttocks as you simultaneously try to extend that leg (but don't). Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. [See Figure 1-8]

Figure 1-1   Figure 1-2

Figure 1-3   Figure 1-4

Figure 1-5   Figure 1-6

Figure 1-7   Figure 1-8

Following is a discussion of the brain's immune system. White blood cells are a major part of our immune systems, but a microscopic view of cells from the brain or spinal cord ordinarily shows no white cells. The reason is that, in addition to fighting infection or disease, they can also secrete substances which can kill nerve cells. The body tries to circumvent this self-destruction by keeping immune cells from passing from blood vessels into the Central Nervous System (CNS, which includes the brain). Normally, this is only circumvented when blood vessels are damaged. As a result, it was once thought that the CNS is devoid of any immune protection. But cells called microglia, that perform an immune function, have been discovered in the brain. They are normally harmless to the CNS, but recent findings suggest that sometimes microglia turn vicious and may cause or exacerbate several diseases (e.g., Altzheimer's, stroke, MS, and other neuro-degenerative diseases).

Normally, microglia live in the brain, and comprise its immune system. They can rapidly move to injured brain tissue, where they essentially gobble it up. And it they may be that they are important to the development of the CNS in an embryo, by secretion of proteins that provide a growth factor. This theory is very speculative at present, but interesting, I think. They may also help repair damaged neurons (nerve cells). Microglia appear to be very versatile little critters.

Here is an update on one of our favorite topics: obesity. Currently, Americans are more obese than ever, despite all the warnings about what nasty things it can do, and all the press about what to do about it. Today, 35% of women and 31% of men are considered obese. That is up from 27 and 24% just ten years ago. There is a new medical concensus that obesity is a physiological disease rather than a psychological phenome-non. [If the problem is genetic, why is the incidence rising? This sounds like one of those issues where a gene can predispose, but not force, a condition.

In most cases, there are obviously ways to combat the problem. But it must be more difficult in some than in others - by virtue of a nasty gene?] Obesity in this report is measured as those whose weight in kilograms is more than 27 times the square of their height in meters. [How's that for a handy measurement?] The bottom line is that the author was suggesting medical solutions for obesity, but insurance companies don't like to pay for weight control programs. [The discovery of the ob (obesity) gene may require a change in thinking on this issue, which seems to be more complex than once thought.]

On the cholesterol front, the following comes from Dr. Robert Superko, a world renowned cardiovascular disease (CVD) researcher who is the Director of the Lipid Institute at Sequoia Hospital (at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, at U.C., Berkeley). Cardiovascular disease has a genetic link. While that is not new, a discovery of a gene called the Atherosclerosis Susceptibility gene (ATHS) is. It is reputedly in about 25-30% of the U.S. population. The ATSH gene is thought to increase a person's risk of getting heart disease by three times. However, this gene can possibly be "turned off" by exercise, nutrition modifications, and lipid-lowering drugs.

New fractionation techniques (your guess about what they might be is at least as good as mine) have found that the now familiar HDL and LDL components of cholesterol are further subdivided: HDL into two subfractions - HDL-2 and HDL-3 [Note that studies which attribute increased HDL level to alcohol consumption, it appears to affect HDL- 3, but not HDL-2, which is the most important HDL subfraction.] ; and LDL into four subfractions - LDL-I ( the largest and least dense) through LDL-IV (the smallest and most dense). In healthy people, mainly LDL-I and II are found. On the other hand, the LDL-IV particles can fit between smooth muscle cells (as in artery walls), where they cause "bumps" in the arterial wall, which can "trap" plaque and narrow arteries. People with high levels of LDL-IV are classified as "LDL pattern B _ an inherited trait that can lead to CVD.

Dr. Supergo is emphatic about the need to treat CVD, again, via exercise, diet, and medication (see your doctor). He affirms the standard lipid levels:

Total Cholesterol = <200
LDL               = <100
HDL               = >50
Triglycerides     = <140

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

(Q) What, exactly, is the spleen, and what does it do? My question is motivated by curiosity about the daughter of a friend of mine,who was in an accident, and, as a consequence of injuries received, had her spleen removed.
H.W.F., Roseburg, OR

(A) To answer the question, it is necessary to talk a bit about the lymphatic system, of which the spleen is the largest organ (about the size of your fist). This system consists of two parts; 1) the lymphatic vessels, and 2) the lymphoid tissues and organs (lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus, Peyer¹s Patches - in the small intestine, and the spleen, located behind the left side of the stomach; it kind of curves around the stomach).

The lymphatic vessels are located near blood vessels, and carry a material called lymph. Unlike blood, lymph is moved in only one direction - toward the heart. There is no circulation. The lymphatic vessels are highly permeable, and pick up ³stuff² like excess fluid in body tissues, and blood proteins that leak out of blood capillaries. The lymph vessels return this to the blood vessels. An essential function that is performed here is to help maintain proper levels of body fluids. The extreme permeability of lymph vessels makes them vulnerable to bacteria, viruses, and even cancer cells. Once in the lymphatic system, they are transported throughout the body. This is where the lymph nodes come in. It is their job to kill ³invading² bodies (called antibodies). The whole system, other than vessels, produces something called a lymphocyte, which is the primary cell in the immune system (more-or-less synonymous with the lymphatic system).

Now, back to the spleen. It has two primary blood-cleaning jobs: 1) removing invading ³things² (bacteria, viruses, etc.) - its immune function, and 2) removing old or defective blood cells.

What are the consequences of a spleen removal? Removal of the spleen, called a splenectomy, usually doesn't cause a serious problem because "warriors" from bone marrow and the liver can more-or-less take over the spleen's job; although spleen removal does make one more susceptible to infections. But, in recent times, it has become common to leave undamaged parts of the spleen during removal, or sometimes healthy portions of a removed spleen are immediately reimplanted, and can sometimes regenerate.

(Q) How much water should I drink during exercise?
Y.F., Las Vegas, NV

(A) You should drink 10 oz. every half hour of exercise. If you sweat a lot, it is a good idea to weigh before and after your exercise, and drink a pint of water for every pound lost. That is in addition to the eight 8-oz glasses that you should drink every day, whether you exercise or not.

(Q) My mom is alergic to bee stings. Are there any special precautions she should take?
N.F., Las Vegas, NV

(A) Yes, some relevant information just recently crossed my desk. First, about the type of bee. The honey bee presents a unique problem. Unlike the wasp or hornet, both of whom have a straight stinger - it goes in, then comes out, like a needle; the honey bee's weapon is barbed, hence it tends to remain where it is stuck. The stinger can continue to inject venom for up to 20 minutes after the perpetrator has left. The stinger should immediately be removed by gently rubbing it off. Tweezers should never be used because they squeeze the stinger, causing it to inject more venom.

Next, anyone who is allergic to bee stings should always have a sting kit at hand. The reason being that, for an allergic victim of a sting, death can occur within an hour.

If a sting kit isn't available, a quick trip to a hospital is necessary. It would also help if people who are typically with an allergic person know how to administer CPR. A mother should talk to her kids about this whole issue.

Beginning January 1, 1996, new subscriptions to this Newsletter will cost $12.00 per year. Payable to: M.A. Fenner.

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