Are you struggling to maintain your energy on the tennis court? Want a more powerful serve and groundstrokes? Then it’s time you started a tennis-specific fitness routine.
Whether you’re a competitive player who wants increased strength and endurance, or a recreational player who wants to prevent injury, workouts off the court are a sure way to improve your tennis game.
The following five exercises are commonly used by certified personal trainers across the country and are perfect for tennis players at any level!
1. Burpee
One of the best conditioning exercises is the burpee, which works almost every muscle on your body. It is both a strength and cardiovascular workout, so you if you feel short of breath or your quads burning, you’re doing something right! In particular, burpees help tennis players to be more explosive on the court, a necessary skill when chasing down a wide shot or sprinting into the net.
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Take it from a professional
Kenneth T. is a personal trainer in Houston, TX, who uses burpees as part of his training sessions every day. He’s helped clients lose as much as 35 lbs in less than a month and says his physical fitness philosophy encompasses supersets, interval training and weight training.
2. Push-up to Star
Even if you only play tennis for fun, a push-up workout can improve your overall health and fitness. For tennis players, the star push-up is especially effective. This variation of the pushup involves balance, a necessary skill for tennis players to have so that they can maintain strong, stable positioning on their strokes. In general push-ups are a great way to increase upper body strength. How do you think Serena got those arms?
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Take it from a professional
Dawn A. is a personal trainer in Arlington, VA, who knows strength exercises aren’t just for men. She often works with women on strength training by doing pushups, pullups and throwing bags of sand.
3. Medicine Ball Slams
On the tennis court, you’ve probably heard your coach talk about shifting your weight when hitting a shot. That’s exactly what happens when you do a medicine ball slam. This exercise engages your core and back, builds strength in your legs and works multiple joints as you shift your body weight from shoulders to toes. It also develops speed and coordination — important qualities of any tennis player!
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Take it from a professional
Personal trainer Derek P. in Dallas, TX uses medicine balls, battling ropes and resistance bands, among other gym equipment to promote stability. Formerly overweight himself, Derek knows that dedication to fitness can improve your overall quality of life.
4. Plyometric Lunges
The plyometric lunge is yet another exercise that will help with your explosive power, endurance and coordination on the tennis court.The workout involves your quads, calves and hamstrings for an intense test of fast-twitch muscle response. This fast-paced lunge routine can improve your balance in a tennis match and give you those sculpted calf muscles you’ve been dreaming of.
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Take it from a professional
Sessions with personal trainer Chelsea T. in Philadelphia, PA, always include cardio and weights to help clients lose weight and build muscle. After losing 50 lbs herself, Chelsea believes fitness is the key to happiness.
5. Static Stretching
Stretching after a tennis lesson is one of the best ways to prevent injury. Cooling down properly after a match or practice involves static stretching that engages the muscles used in tennis. Using a resistance band can help you stretch muscles like your hamstring, adductor, lower back and hip. You can do these stretches right after a tennis workout or any other exercise regimen.
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Take it from a professional
As a personal trainer, Joy S. knows stretching is a key component to staying healthy and fit. The Austin-based trainer says she spends 10 to 15 minutes of an hour-long session doing stretches.
Looking to really up your fitness game? Find a personal trainer near you and get started with sessions today.
