Injury prevention · Level 1
Pronation and supination
Hold a dumbbell by one end (or your racket) and turn the forearm from palm up to palm down.
- Suggested dose
- 2 × 12 rep per side · 30s rest
- Equipment
- Dumbbells · or · Racket
- Works
- Forearms
- Pattern
- Forearm and wrist
How to do it
- Forearm supported, elbow at 90°, dumbbell held by one end like a hammer.
- Rotate slowly to palm down and then palm up.
- For more load, hold farther from the weight.
Key points
- Slow movement
- Elbow still
Common mistakes
- Using the shoulder to rotate
Why it helps your tennis
Pronation finishes the serve: these muscles suffer from repetition.
Source: Complete Conditioning for Tennis, ch. 8
Related exercises
- Hammer curlElbow flexion with a neutral grip (thumbs up).
- Overhead triceps extensionWith a dumbbell overhead, bend and straighten your elbows.
- Eccentric wrist extensionForearm supported, palm down: lower the dumbbell slowly with the wrist.
- Wrist curlForearm supported, palm up: flex the wrist lifting the weight.