Training With Andy Roddick

To keep at the top of the game, Andy Roddick needs to be at his physical best.

He aims to lower his body fat and convert it to muscle to make him not only stronger but less susceptible to injury.

He does a lot of work on his shoulders and core which are key for his serve.

Here are three exercises from Roddick’s routine.

STABILITY-BALL CRUNCH

A classic exercise for building abdominal strength and when you do them on a stability ball you force your other core muscles (lower back and obliques) to help you balance.

Lie on top of a stability ball with your feet on the floor and your hands either behind your head or in front of your chest.

Slowly lift your shoulders and upper back off the ball before lowering.

One repetition should take between 3 and 5 seconds and try to get upto 3 sets of 20.

Lie flat on the floor with your palms at your sides or under your buttocks.

Keep your feet together and lift your legs a few inches off the floor.

Slowly raise them up approximately 5 more inches and back down to the starting point.

Try to get to three sets of 20.

To strengthen and protect the muscles around the shoulders.

(a) Lean forward on a bench or other stationary object and put one hand and knee on top of it.

Take a comfortably weighted dumbell and hold it with a bent elbow at your side.


(b) Lift your arm out and up until the dumbbell is at head height.

Hold and slowly bring your arm back down to the starting position.

Work up to three sets of 10.