International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences Vol. 9(6), pp. 1403 - 1419
DOI: 10.13189/saj.2021.090637
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Tennis Home-Training during First Italy Lockdown COVID-19: A Pilot Study in Young Athletes

Michela Montorsi ¹, Alessandro Solmi ¹, Alessandra Vezzoli ², Renato De Donato ^3,4, Gennaro D'Angelo ², Simona Mrakic-Sposta ^1,2,*
1 Department of Human Sciences and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele Roma Open University, Italy
² Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (IFC- CNR), Italy
³ Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, School of Exercise Sciences, University of Milan, Italy
⁴ Heracles Gymnasium SSD S.r.l. Fortitudo, Italy

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 pandemic has imposed an Italy national lockdown between 9 March and 3 May 2020, limiting the ability of individuals to exercise/training outdoors. The aim of this study was based on the construction of remote-personalized-training protocols in tennis and examined the effects of a home-based intervention. Sixteen young athletes, divided into four groups in accord with the level of play and the pre-existing technical-tactical preparation, were trained by tennis-coach using simple equipment (i.e., balance board, medicine ball, steps). Physiological parameters (HR, SaO₂), the ability to execute technical gestures in conditions of stress/fatigue, development of adaptation and motor reaction skills, as well as eye-manual coordination; execution of movements at high speeds and precision, prevention of muscle and joint injuries, were monitoring. A questionnaire able to evaluate the subjective perception was administered. Athletes have demonstrated, by means of this latter, the beneficial effects of home-training during the lockdown. Concluding, the remote home-training, offered to athletes one option to maintain "normal" training practices, in view of a return to the tennis court. Furthermore, at today, in post-pandemic environments and behaviors, the results suggest that remote home-training intervention may help foster meaningful improvements in young athletes, strengthening intrinsic/subjective motivation.

KEYWORDS
Pandemic, Remote-Home-Training, Tennis, COVID-19, Lockdown

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Michela Montorsi , Alessandro Solmi , Alessandra Vezzoli , Renato De Donato , Gennaro D'Angelo , Simona Mrakic-Sposta , "Tennis Home-Training during First Italy Lockdown COVID-19: A Pilot Study in Young Athletes," International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 6, pp. 1403 - 1419, 2021. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2021.090637.

(b). APA Format:
Michela Montorsi , Alessandro Solmi , Alessandra Vezzoli , Renato De Donato , Gennaro D'Angelo , Simona Mrakic-Sposta (2021). Tennis Home-Training during First Italy Lockdown COVID-19: A Pilot Study in Young Athletes. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 9(6), 1403 - 1419. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2021.090637.