Minimal Shoes for Tennis?

September 17, 2012 | By Frank Dolan
77295766
Photo credit: Polka Dot Images

If you are in any way connected to the fitness or running world, you know that there is quite a bit of hype around the idea of using a minimal shoe for training and running. From Vibram Five Fingers to the New Balance Minimus, you can see athletes everywhere utilizing these shoes to strengthen their feet, as well as create a more natural feel in athletic movements. But, the question still remains: Are these shoes good for playing tennis?

If a minimal shoe can help improve functional movement, wouldn’t it make sense that it could improve your movements on the court? In this case, the answer is no. Tennis is a sport in which the shoe becomes part of the equipment. The lateral support, wide base and hard bottom of the tennis shoe will support multi-directional cutting, as well as allow the athlete to transfer adequate force into the ground to be fast and explosive.

With a minimal shoe, most of the energy is dissipated through the natural absorption of the foot musculature. This creates a great “training” situation because you can feel your connection to the ground through the proprioceptors. These proprioceptors dictate balance, stability and motor control. In a strength and movement training environment, this could be very beneficial to the long-term development of athleticism. But, with that being said, when you hit the court, you want to be in a proper tennis shoe to minimize the risk of injury, as well as express your game optimally.

 


Frank Dolan
Strength and Conditioning Specialist/Owner of Sports and Fitness Performance

Frank Dolan is a Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner of Sports and Fitness Performance in Islip, NY. In addition to studying directly under such industry luminaries as: Gray Cook, Mark Verstegen, and Mike Boyle, Frank consults for organizations such as Equinox Fitness Clubs, Major League Strength, The Baseball Factory, and several local colleges, high schools and sports organizations. He is an expansion team presenter for Functional Movement Systems (FMS) and in 2008 he worked as consultant to the NY Yankees during Spring Training. He may be reached by e-mail at coachfrankdolan@gmail.com or at the facility by phone (631) 650-7140.

Century
Bethpage

March/April 2024 Digital Edition