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Exercises to Improve Your Tennis Game

By Courts & Greens - July 5th, 2019 in Courts, Sports

Bakersfield Residential Tennis Courts by Courts and Greens in Bakersfield

Exercises to Improve Your Tennis Game

Tennis is one of the most demanding racket sports. Both amateurs and professional players are continually looking for ways on how to get better at tennis. Not only is it played on one of the largest courts, but played with one of the heaviest balls. This makes it a challenging sport that requires players to have the perfect combination of endurance, strength, and agility.

Of recent, we’ve seen many professional games last for more than five hours. One such game which culminated last week was Wimbledon’s first singles championship where Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in a marathon fifth set with nerves of steel and exceptional stamina.

 Other players, like Andy Murray, follow a sophisticated training program with intense workouts and challenging resistance training. The tennis improvement plan elevates the heart rate for a long duration. The plan tests your body’s physical endurance and increases your muscular strength.

 It, therefore, becomes vital to maintain a steady fitness regime and strict training program.

 Whether you are a seasoned tennis professional or a newbie, these advanced tennis tips are sure to boost your status on multi-sport courts.

Exercises That Increases Endurance Level

·      Cardio Training

In cardio, you gradually increase the level of aerobic exercises to improve your stamina. It is a dedicated effort towards strengthening your body from within using structured workouts. Trainers work with you to increase your heart and lung capacity for greater endurance to last during long matches.

 Experienced tennis professionals always make sure their tennis training program includes cardio classes, running, spin classes, kickboxing, and boot camps. This helps them get the best results in minimum time.

·      Circuit Training

Circuit training involves performing six to ten exercises in successive sets interspaced with small intervals for rest. You can choose activities that target a specific set of muscles and body area, like the upper body, lower body, or the core. 

The objective is to increase power, strength, and endurance of the tennis player. If you want to know how to get your tennis game back, this is the perfect solution. 

Most experienced professionals design their own circuits based on their tennis improvement plan. However, if you’re new to the sport, you can work with a trained professional until you have a better grasp on how to get better at tennis.

Exercises That Increase Your Strength 

·      Pogo Jumps

Jumping exercises are a great way to warm up your body. They work on three major sets of muscles, that is to say, your quads, hamstrings, and calves. Tennis players need to have high power and strength in these muscles to allow for swift movement across the tennis court.

Pogo jumps are one the easiest and most beneficial plyometric exercises. All you have to do is jump using only the balls of your feet. Bend your knees as little as possible and make sure your heels don’t touch the ground. Push off using your ankles instead of the knees to help in conditioning your body for continuous movement. Do four sets of 25 jumps for best results.

·      Box Jumps

Another one of advanced tennis tips for better strength is the box jump. Here, you use a step or stable box or platform that reaches about halfway up to your calf. Stand facing the box and jump such that you land on the box with both feet, and then step off. Repeat this for about 60 seconds and record your progress over the weeks.

·      Weighted Chin-ups or Pull-ups

If you want to up your tennis game, then pull-ups are one of the best weight training exercises. Here, players use their body weight to increase the strength behind their serves and the power behind their returns. It’s pretty simple.

All you have to do is stand with your feet shoulder-level apart. Hold the pull-up bar with your hands at hip-distance. Remember, your palms should face inwards towards you. Then slowly try to pull your body upwards until your chin is above the bar. Do three sets of ten pull-ups for quick results.

·      Medicine Ball Throws

If you’re looking for ways on how to get better at tennis, medicine ball throws is your answer. This exercise works on both your upper body and the core. Strengthening the upper body helps you put more strength behind your racket. And strengthening the core enables you to develop better stability when playing.

This exercise is best done in pairs. Throw the medicine ball to your partner with as much force as possible. Do three sets of about five throws using each arm. If you’re exercising alone, don’t lose heart. You can throw the ball to the floor with all your power, then pick it up and repeat.

Exercises That Increase Your Agility

·      Dead Lift

This is one of the professional advanced tennis tips. Deadlift helps you increase the speed and swiftness with which you move on the tennis court by increasing the force you put into the ground. Work with your trainer to design a tennis improvement plan that helps you work up to doing four sets of about ten reps.

Simply stand with your feet at shoulder distance. Grab the barbell using an overhand grip. 

Tip: Make sure your hands grip the barbell at a range just outside your knees. Keep your back straight and push out your chest. Extend your hips and pull the barbell off the floor. You can gradually increase the number of reps and sets until you reach the desired level.

·      Kettle Bell Swings

If you find the deadlift too daunting, you can opt for kettlebell swings. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Using both hands, hold a kettlebell between your feet. And with slightly bent knees, swing it back and forth between your legs. Remember to keep your core tight and turn the kettlebell up to your eye level on the forward swing. Use your hips as the pivot point for the swing to avoid overexerting your arms.

Ideally, a tennis improvement plan should have about two complex workout sessions every week. If you want to improve your tennis game, then you need to budget your time for both skill training and stamina training.