Tennis isn’t just a sport we love to watch on TV—it’s a highly effective workout that challenges your endurance, agility, and speed. A 2020 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science found that playing tennis is associated with lower obesity rates, reduced heart disease risk, and overall improved health. According to Life Time tennis leader and coach Gordon Reid, tennis is a fantastic full-body workout that promotes cardiovascular fitness and longevity.
Achieving greatness on the tennis court involves more than just hitting balls—it requires off-court tennis training exercises to strengthen the key areas of your body used during gameplay. Incorporating a tennis-specific strength and mobility routine a few times a week can enhance your on-court performance and reduce the risk of common injuries like tennis elbow.
To level up your tennis game, focus on the following key areas during off-court training:
1. Tissue tolerance: Prevent injuries by including prehabilitation exercises targeting common tennis injuries such as the shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist, and knee. Gradually increase the intensity and volume of your tennis practice to allow your body to adapt.
2. Endurance and mental toughness: Improve cardiovascular health through cross-training activities like running, cycling, and swimming. Consider incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to mimic the stop-and-go nature of tennis matches. Additionally, simulate game conditions to build mental toughness.
3. Resistance training focused on rotational strength: Enhance rotational strength and power with exercises like medicine ball throws and woodchoppers. Compound movements like deadlifts and bench presses can improve overall strength. Utilize resistance bands for a comprehensive approach to muscle building.
4. Dynamic and static stretching: Increase flexibility and decrease injury risk with both dynamic and static stretching. Dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles can warm up muscles, while static stretches held for 15-30 seconds can improve joint range of motion.
5. Agility and speed: Practice plyometric exercises like box jumps and reaction drills with a partner to improve reflexes and quick decision-making on the court. Incorporate sprints to enhance your speed and agility across the court.
Here are six off-court tennis training exercises designed to boost strength, mobility, and injury prevention:
1. Standing shoulder external rotation with anchored resistance
2. Single-arm overhead triceps extension
3. Star lunge
4. Pallof press
5. Squat and reach
Incorporate these exercises into your routine two to three times per week to enhance your tennis game and stay injury-free.
