Tennis Workouts for Fitness and Conditioning

One of the aspects that separates an elite player from an amateur player is their ability to be in top physical condition for tennis.

During the heat of a tennis match, one of the deciding factors among two players of similar abilities is the physical tennis fitness. Players that have done a variety of tennis workouts in training will be able to outlast their opponent on the sole factor of being in peak tennis conditioning.

Most club and recreational tennis players do not incorporate any tennis specific workouts into their training regimen, and this accounts for why they are unable to compete at an elite level of tennis. World class tennis players not only understand the need for tennis workouts for fitness and conditioning, but at the same time they realize that even a small amount of time working on the tennis workouts and fitness component will pay huge dividends in the long run.

Below are some tennis workouts specifically designed for tennis players looking to gain an edge in the tennis fitness and conditioning department. They should be done with full intensity to maximize the benefit of these tennis workout exercises.

Chest press tennis workout

To accomplish the chest press tennis workout, you need two dumbbells and a physioball. This is one of the tennis workouts that help to develop your Pectoralis major and Triceps brachii muscles. To prepare for this workout, hold one dumbbell in each of your hand and sit on the physioball. Then rest your hands with the dumbbells on your lap. Then slowly slide down so that your back is now sitting on the ball. Imagine yourself as if you lying down in a floor with your two feet suspended. Make sure to maintain straight spine. With your two feet firmly on the ground, use them to adjust your position in such a way that your head and your back are sitting on the ball.

The next step is to bring up your hips and with your palms facing towards your knees, bring up the dumbbells over your shoulder. Maintain this position for several seconds then adjust your lower arm so that they become perpendicular to the ceiling. This means that your upper arms and your lower arms are angled at 90 degrees. Lastly, slowly stretch your arms such that your whole arms (the upper and the forearms) are now perpendicular with the ceiling. Go back to the original position and repeat the process.

Chest fly tennis workout

In this tennis workout exercise, you also need two dumbbells and a physioball. This exercise helps develop your Pectoralis major, Trapezuis and Biceps brachii. This workout has the same preparation as that of the chest workout exercise. As your head and back sit on the physioball (again follow the step above), put the dumbbells on your chest but make sure that when you hold the dumbbells, your palms should be facing one another and you have to bend your elbows slightly as well. The next step is to straighten you arms to your side until your arms level off with your shoulder and your palms are facing the ceiling. Maintain this posture for several seconds and then bring your arms up until your arms are perpendicular with the ceiling. Return to the original position and repeat the workout.

Push ups tennis workout

All you need in this exercise is the physioball. This tennis workout is important for the development of your Transversus abdominals, Triceps brachii, Anterior deltoids, Pectoralis major and minor muscles. To start with, you stand in front of the physioball and slowly lay down on the ball with your face facing the ground. With the use of your feet, adjust your position such that your thighs sit on the ball and then lift up you feet from the ground. Position your two hands just like when you do the normal push up (arms directly under your shoulder). At this stage, both of you arms are still stretched. When you are sure that your feet and the thighs already in proper position, bend your elbows to bring you upper body towards the ground then straighten again. Repeat the process as many as you can.

Standing plank tennis workout

Same as the other tennis workouts, all you need here is a physioball. Start this drill by standing in front of the physioball with your right foot in front of the left foot or vice versa. Then bend slowly to place your two elbows on the ball then put your hands together. Once your elbows are on the ball, transfer your weight to your elbow the move back the front feet beside the other feet. Then pull down your shoulder using your abdominal and back muscles. Remember not to use your elbows to bring back your shoulder or else you lose the importance of this exercise. Maintain this posture as long as you can or until your abdominal and back muscles are too tired to continue the process. When you return to the standing position, you have to move one foot forward and slowly get up.

Decline chest press tennis workout

To accomplish the decline chest press tennis workout, you need a machine where you can attach the cable that is needed to complete this exercise. The objective of this tennis exercise is to develop your Biceps brachii, Anterior deltoids, Anterior deltoids muscles. And to achieve this goal, you need to connect the cable to the machine the right way. To do this, make sure to assemble it at a high angle (way above your head) and select the appropriate weight that you put on it.

Position yourself in such a way that your back is towards the machine. Hold the cable with one of your hands and put other hand on your hip. If your right hand is the one holding the cable, put your right foot in front and put your left hand on your hip. With your chest and hip in straight and steady position, bend your front foot and at the same time pull the cable in a forward and downward motion. While you do this, make sure that you don’t bend your elbow. Then return to the original position and repeat the process.

Incline chest press tennis workout

The equipment you need in this tennis workout exercise may vary. Some machines are designed in such a way that you are positioned in a upright manner. In such cases, when you execute the proper exercise, the direction where you push your hand is towards the ceiling. Some machines on one hand, position you in a such a manner that you have to lean back on it. In this case, you need to push our hand towards the wall. Some machines used in this workout or the other tennis workouts similar to this include a foot bar. If you are using one like this, you need to push the machine handles to start the exercise.

This tennis workout and exercise helps to develop your Triceps brachii, Anterior deltoids, and Pectoralis major and minor muscles. To start the exercise, you have to sit on the designed sit of the machine. Then press you back towards the back pad and make sure that your feet are firmly placed on the floor. Grab the handles of the machines and push them in the direction as described above. Again, the direction where you push the handles depends on the type of the machine. Also when you hold the handles, make sure that the weight of the machine lies on the heel of your palm.

At this stage of the tennis workout exercise, your hand must be supporting the handles but your elbows are still bent and pointing towards the ground. Then the next step is to slowly push the machine handles until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees angles. As you reach this stage, go back to the original position and repeat the process as many as you can handle.

Running and pivoting tennis workout

This is one of the tennis workouts that help you develop your speed and agility. Agility and speed are two of the vital tools in tennis for you to be able to put yourself in the right place to hit powerful and accurate shots. In running and pivoting tennis workouts, you will strengthen you ankle and calf which also help you minimize injuries in these pars of your body. The other parts of your body that are involved in this exercise are your forearm and biceps. These body parts are also prone to injuries, thus this exercise is also important to prevent those injuries.

Lying windscreen wipers tennis workout

This is one of the tennis workouts that do not need lots of equipment to complete. All you need here is a mat for you lie down. Slowly position yourself on the mat in such a way that you are lying on your back. Then put you arms beside your body. Then slowly bring up your two legs up in the air until your hip is positioned at an angle of 90 degrees. When you bring up your legs, make sure that you do it by contracting your abdominal muscle. When your legs are up on the air, straighten them in such a way that they are perpendicular with the ceiling but maintaining the 90 degrees angle of your hip.

From this position, move your leg to the both sides. When you do this, be sure that your hip and shoulder remain on the floor. After bringing your legs to both sides, stop in the center and return to the original position. Repeat the process as many as you can.

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