Calories on the Court: The Energy Expenditure Map

In racket sports, every stroke, lateral sprint, or recovery between points represents a specific energy demand. However, not all calories burned are equal nor are they consumed uniformly during a match. Understanding how and where energy is expended on the court is key to designing more efficient training and personalized nutritional strategies. This article breaks down caloric expenditure by functional body zones and phases of the game, integrating principles of advanced sports physiology and applied biomechanics.

Body Zones of Highest Energy Demand During the Game

Energy expenditure in sports like tennis, paddle, or squash is not homogeneous. Metabolic studies with indirect VO₂ analysis show that certain muscle regions have greater prominence:

• Lower limbs (40–50% of total expenditure):

• The quadriceps and glutes are responsible for most explosive actions (starts, stops).

• In repetitive lateral movements (split-step + displacement), the soleus and gastrocnemius work at almost 90% of their maximum contractile capacity.

• Core (20–25%):

• Dynamic postural stabilization requires constant activation of the transverse abdominal and obliques.

• During strokes like the two-handed backhand or defensive volleys, there are isometric peaks exceeding 60% MVC (maximum voluntary contraction).

• Upper limbs (15–20%):

• Although less demanding energetically than the legs, the shoulder and forearm muscles have a high frequency of activation.

• The rotator cuff can perform up to 300 eccentric micro-contractions per set.

This body map allows for better focus on both preventive training and post-match muscle recovery.

Types of Metabolism According to Match Phases

Energy metabolism varies according to the intensity and duration of each phase of the game. A long rally from the baseline is not the same as a quick volley in doubles.

1. Phosphagen System – Initial Explosiveness

• Duration: <10 seconds
• Typical use: Powerful serve, smash, or short sprint to the net.
• Main substrate: ATP-PCr (phosphocreatine)
• Technical observation: Players like Novak Djokovic maximize this system with short but intense patterns; their initial movements rarely exceed 6 meters without a change of direction.

2. Anaerobic Glycolysis – Intense Rallies

• Duration: 10–45 seconds
• Typical use: Prolonged exchanges with multiple directional changes.
• Limiting byproduct: Lactate accumulation → local neuromuscular fatigue.
• Common mistake: Training only general aerobic endurance without simulating specific intermittent efforts leads to real metabolic imbalances in competition.

3. Aerobic Metabolism – Recoveries Between Points

• Duration: >1 minute accumulated
• Typical use: Time between points, breaks between games.
• Critical function: Partial replenishment of phosphocreatine + lactate removal.
• Expert insight: A well-trained aerobic player recovers up to 80% of the ATP-PCr used in just 30 seconds if maintaining HR <140 bpm.

Practical Applications to Optimize Your Energy Expenditure

Knowing these critical zones and dominant energy systems, we can design specific interventions to improve real metabolic efficiency:

Exercise 1 – Lateral Sprints with Cardiac Control

Objective: Improve tolerance to lactic anaerobic effort without compromising aerobic recovery.

Step-by-step execution:

• Mark two cones 5 meters apart.
• Perform lateral displacements back and forth for 20 seconds at maximum effort.
• Rest by walking for 40 seconds while monitoring your heart rate (ideally dropping to <130 bpm before the next interval).
• Repeat x8 series.

Technical benefit: Perfectly simulates the intermittent peaks typical of the second set in long matches.

Exercise 2 – Static Strokes with Localized Fatigue

Objective: Activate core under conditions similar to real accumulated fatigue.

Step-by-step execution:

• Perform front planks with alternate shoulder touch for 30 seconds just before entering the technical drill.
• Immediately after, execute a controlled series of static strokes (drive/backhand) focusing on maintaining stable posture despite central exhaustion.

Key technical correction: Avoid collapsing the hip forward — indicates functional weakness in the deep transverse abdominal.

Common Mistakes That Sabotage Your Energy Efficiency

• Ignoring metabolic specificity by sport

• Many players follow generic HIIT routines without adapting durations and intensities to their exact modality (tennis ≠ squash ≠ pickleball).

• Overtraining traditional aerobic volume

• Running long distances does little to improve your specific energy economy; prioritize intermittent efforts with active pause simulating the real structure of the match.

Conclusion

Optimal performance depends not only on how much you train but how you manage your energy reserves within the specific pattern of your sport. By understanding which muscle zones consume the most calories and which metabolic systems predominate according to each tactical phase, you can design personalized plans that maximize efficiency and reduce injury risk.

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