Former competetive tennis player will it carryover to boxing/mma?

[Comperko]

Hi Im really interested in mma although Im a complete beginner (I did wrestling for one season in high school though but that barely even counts). I competed in tennis since I was 7 until I graduated high school and I was a decent player (not the best but decent). I was honestly always interested in martial arts but my parents never supported it because "its too dangerous" so they put me on tennis because my father is former tennis player too.

I always had a good swing and could hit powerful shots in tennis but the technique is probably completly different than in punching. I was also pretty fast and athletic. My question is will it have some carryover to punching power as a beginner fighter or will it be the same as for everyone learning from scratch?

 

[j123]

Hi Im really interested in mma although Im a complete beginner (I did wrestling for one season in high school though but that barely even counts). I competed in tennis since I was 7 until I graduated high school and I was a decent player (not the best but decent). I was honestly always interested in martial arts but my parents never supported it because "its too dangerous" so they put me on tennis because my father is former tennis player too.

I always had a good swing and could hit powerful shots in tennis but the technique is probably completly different than in punching. I was also pretty fast and athletic. My question is will it have some carryover to punching power as a beginner fighter or will it be the same as for everyone learning from scratch?

Depends

How is the technique in tennis when you swing and hit? Are you tensed like lifting, or loose & using momentum into it? If its the latter, that will come better as alot of striking, punching specifically is more of that motion.

How did you feel when you wrestled? Did it feel intuitive and similar to tennis?

 

[rmongler]

Depends

How is the technique in tennis when you swing and hit? Are you tensed like lifting, or loose & using momentum into it? If its the latter, that will come better as alot of striking, punching specifically is more of that motion.

How did you feel when you wrestled? Did it feel intuitive and similar to tennis?

Throwing swinging and punching is all about elastic rebound so he should have a spicy overhand at the least.

 

[Kirks]

I’d say being athletic and coordinated (which you would be if you were a decent tennis player) are the best indicators you’ll do alright at boxing/mma, rather than any direct skills transfer.

That said there would be some similarities as in punching the power starts with your feet and then your hip rotation and ability to generate torque through your torso, which can be quite similar.

 

[aerius]

Fomer tennis player here. I found what carried over the best was the footwork, the adjustment steps and hitting stance are similar in concept to combat sports where you need to move around and then punch/kick from a stable stance. The cardio & conditioning helps a lot too, but other than that I didn't think there was much carryover.

 

[Comperko]

Depends

How is the technique in tennis when you swing and hit? Are you tensed like lifting, or loose & using momentum into it? If its the latter, that will come better as alot of striking, punching specifically is more of that motion.

How did you feel when you wrestled? Did it feel intuitive and similar to tennis?

Its more about using that momentum.You also transfer your bodyweight into the shot and also do a slight hip rotation.Tennis however is a very one sided sport.Meaning you use one side of your muscles a lot more than the other side.That being said I can imagine having a decent punch/kick with right arm/ leg but feeling really awkward if I did it with left arm/leg.As far as wrestling I remember that doing a takedown leading with right leg was very easy for me to learn but if I tried to lead with left leg it felt extremely awkward and I generally sucked at it.Thats why whenever I went for a takedown I was always leading with right leg.Wrestling is a grapling sport only though and I never did a combat sport with striking involved (boxing,kick boxing etc.)

 

[j123]

Its more about using that momentum.You also transfer your bodyweight into the shot and also do a slight hip rotation.Tennis however is a very one sided sport.Meaning you use one side of your muscles a lot more than the other side.That being said I can imagine having a decent punch/kick with right arm/ leg but feeling really awkward if I did it with left arm/leg.As far as wrestling I remember that doing a takedown leading with right leg was very easy for me to learn but if I tried to lead with left leg it felt extremely awkward and I generally sucked at it.Thats why whenever I went for a takedown I was always leading with right leg.Wrestling is a grapling sport only though and I never did a combat sport with striking involved (boxing,kick boxing etc.)

That's actually pretty common

 

[Krimzon]

your main punch should be a superman punch

 

[shincheckin]

athelticism, cardio, hand eye coordination.

I wouldnt see anything else, like thinking "I have a powerfull serve so I'll have a powerfull punch"

 

[CFGroup]

Generating power from your hips and core.

That will happen from a strong base controlled by your footwork and timing.

Yeah, a lot will crossover, but it's more esoteric than specifics.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

The pimp slap is banned in boxing but you may be able to utilize it as your signature move in MMA

 

[Minnja]

Pretty random bump lol.

Funny thing is though, I have similar background as TS, although I was never that good at tennis I used to play it a lot. I don't think anything really transferred over aside from general athleticism. I don't have a monstrous overhand that naturally came from serving in tennis nor do I have some crazy haymakers or punches starting from the hip. Aside from athleticism I think the general 1v1 aspects of it mentality wise may also help but that's a pretty general thing too and not tennis specific.

 

[SandaKicker]

Most fighters in the UFC now are doing some kind of power training such as medicine ball throws/slams, you can see Brain Ortega do it here;



It has also been historically used in boxing, there's clips on youtube of Benny Leonard doing this type of medicine ball work in the 1920's.

I would say slugging the tennis serve is a similar type of "power" training to medicine ball slams.

The only problem is I think a lot of guys in tennis go for accuracy as much as power and the rallies tend to be quite long, I just googled it and it said a short match would have as many as 520 shots. That's shifting things into muscular endurance more than explosive power.

Just looking at this study tennis player's tend to be moderately fast twitch in the upper body and more slow twitch in the lower body;

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.00969.x

I would say it will give an edge in cardio and a slight edge in power/muscular endurance but it's not a huge benefit, probably hard to notice. It also depends partly on how you played, if you got into lots of long rallies and really hustled as retriever then you will probably have more of a cardio boost, if you slugged power shots all the time then you might have more of a power benefit and if you were a very accurate and technical player then there might not be much of a carryover.

 

[SandisLL]

Hard to tell. I played tennis just a bit, some tennis players are easily teachable to do some boxing punches and deliver them with decent force.
Footwork and cardio, if for boxe, more their advantage might appear in 8 rounders and longer: calibrated use of energy, slow - fast phase changes a lot, peace and engergy usage with proper attidude for longer contests.
Tennis is damn demanding to attention and calibrated usage of energy, footwork, opponent's stance reading starting from ground.
-
For MMA for me is hard to tell, but if about boxe: if someone can play with guys like Nadal 5 hours or more gas tank most likely might be enough for 12 rounder with a glance.
-
Flaws: too accented usage of the leading hand ( btw some punches from tennis players with training in fight arts really might have insane power ).

 

[Woldog]

Tennis is good for the reflexes too. As Sandis just pointed out.

 

[patos]

Hi Im really interested in mma although Im a complete beginner (I did wrestling for one season in high school though but that barely even counts). I competed in tennis since I was 7 until I graduated high school and I was a decent player (not the best but decent). I was honestly always interested in martial arts but my parents never supported it because "its too dangerous" so they put me on tennis because my father is former tennis player too.

I always had a good swing and could hit powerful shots in tennis but the technique is probably completly different than in punching. I was also pretty fast and athletic. My question is will it have some carryover to punching power as a beginner fighter or will it be the same as for everyone learning from scratch?

Coordination and a competitive/learning type of mindset are things that will carryover to anything. A strong fitness base will never hurt your chances either.

Don't worry about your punching power, it will be what it is. Try to practice your skills instead, it is the most important of all things.

 

[II Muchetto II]

Most people I've met who took to learning martial arts quicker than others, had competitive experience in other sports. I'm sure some aspects of it will transfer over well.