Tennis Training

Being a sport that requires many physical requirements, such as good flexibility, co-ordination, aerobic fitness, strength and a good mental ability, there is obviously a lot of room for improvement in most players of any racket sport.

The main racket sports are Tennis, Squash, Racquetball and Badminton. They are all similar in the fact that they require the same physical training.
 

• Short bursts of explosive exercise, either sprinting, jumping or swinging the racket
   
• Short recovery between each point, especially for squash and badminton when played at a high standard. With tennis having short rest breaks at various intervals of the game
   
• A lot of running around back and forth with plenty of lateral movement to both sides
   
• Time on court can vary from 30 minutes to 3 hours plus, so a good endurance base is required for those that are serious about their sport
   
• There is no rest period during intense rallies, the rally stops when a player loses a point. Points are lost and won depending on the skills and fitness level of you the player
   

When you play you're chosen racket sport, analysis each point you win and lose, with a number of different players to find your strength and weaknesses. Work on improving all areas, however start with the ones that you are weak on, in order to improve your game quickly.

Break your results down into two groups :
 

• Physical : Your fitness level, flexibility, and strength
   
• Mental : Co-ordination, skills, tactical abilities, and frame of mind
   

Lets remember to get fit to play sport, not play sport to get fit, this way, we will enjoy the game more, and reduce the risk of injury.

You can also check out our racquet training, some additional fitness training and exercise programs advice.

On the following pages, find some strength sessions, ladder drills for footwork and general workout advice to build a comprehensive tennis training regimen :