Q I've started playing tennis and want to increase my strength and fitness so I don't get injured, and really lick my opponents. Any suggestions?

A A competitive edge can make all the difference to our enjoyment. We see a lot of injuries happening because of lack of preparation before playing the game.

The same advice applies to anyone who plays sport for recreation. Both my Dad and my brother sustained chronic knee injuries as weekend footballers.

You need to improve aerobic performance so you don't get puffed out and have stamina to complete the game. Whether you choose to run, cycle, swim or use cardiovascular gym equipment, break up a 30 minute workout with intervals of hard activity so that you push yourself just beyond your comfort zone.

For example, five minutes of easy low-level jogging to warm up, ten minutes at a steady pace followed by two minutes flat out. Then do it again. This is called Fartlek training.

A studio cycling session will follow a similar format. This is much more effective than trying to work hard throughout your entire session. Then you should strengthen the upper body, particularly shoulder and elbow joints, by training with moderate weights.

Concentrate on exercises such as bicep curls, tricep dips and shoulder presses. Don't forget your abdominal exercises too - you need that core strength for all those explosive movements.

Also, stretching properly will help you avoid injury and stiffness and improve your posture. Develop your hamstring flexibility in the back of your thigh by holding the stretch for up to 30 seconds, then stretch the quadriceps on the front of the thigh for about 15 seconds to balance out your hip mobility. I recommend getting advice from a fitness instructor in your local gym or going to a fitness class to learn how to stretch effectively.

Updated: 10:16 Monday, May 20, 2002