6 Best Exercises Every Tennis Player Must Do

If you're a tennis player, exercises are absolutely essential. (Image via Unsplash/ Chino Rocha)
If you're a tennis player, exercises are absolutely essential. (Image via Unsplash/ Chino Rocha)

Tennis is one of the most intense sports, and it requires a lot of exercise to build strength and endurance.

If you want to be successful on the court, it's important you engage in activities that help improve your strength and endurance. If you're looking for a fun way to boost your performance on the court while also getting fit, look no further than the exercises mentioned below.


Best Exercises for Tennis Players

Here's a look at six such exercises:

#1 Swiss Ball Crunch

The Swiss ball crunch is one of the best exercises for tennis players to strengthen their core. It helps maintain good posture and improves flexibility in the lower back.

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To do this exercise using a Swiss ball, lie with your back on the Swiss ball, and place your feet in front of you. Raise yourself up so that your head forms a 90-degree angle with your chest, and push back down.


#2 Swiss Ball Rollout

The Swiss ball rollout is a great way to build core strength and stability you need to hit powerful groundstrokes. It's also a great way to help prevent injury in the back, hips, and knees.

  • Lie face up on the floor, with your arms outstretched above your head.
  • Place your arms on the Swiss ball.
  • Keep your core tight, and slowly roll your body out as far as you can.
  • Once you've reached the end of your extension, roll the ball back to your stomach, without using any other body part.
  • You should feel your core tugging against you during this movement. Once you bring the ball back to you, repeat the previous steps for as many reps as you can.

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#3 Russian Twist

To perform this exercise, you'll need a medicine ball. Make sure it's one that's not too heavy for you to lift, but not too light.

  • Lie with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent slightly in front of you.
  • Hold the medicine ball in both hands, and twist at your waist to one side as far as possible without bending your back or letting go of the ball.
  • Pause briefly at a full range of motion before returning to the center and twisting as far as possible on the opposite side to complete one rep.
  • Do 8-10 reps per set, completing 1-2 sets (more if using heavier weight). Rest 60 seconds between sets.

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#4 Dumbbell Side Bend

When you're doing the side bend, make sure to keep your back straight and abs engaged throughout the exercise. That will help activate the core muscles, which are critical for keeping balance on the court.

Side-bending is an excellent option if you're looking for a low impact way to improve mobility in the hips and spine while also working on strengthening the core muscles that stabilize these areas of the body.

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Perform three sets of ten repetitions per side with two minutes of rest between each set.


#5 Bicycle Crunch

Bicycle crunches are an effective way to increase the strength of the core, which is essential for good tennis performance.

To do a bicycle crunch, lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep one hand behind your head, and extend the opposite arm out along your side (as if you were riding a bike).

Contract the abdominal muscles as you rotate from left to right, bringing the knee of the extended arm up towards the elbow of the bent arm. Return to the starting position before repeating the same in the opposite direction.

Bicycle crunches strengthen the core muscles like rectus abdominis (upper abdomen) and transverse abdominis (deepest layer), which support the spine during motion like serving or swinging for a forehand stroke.

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As these muscles are involved in stabilizing the pelvis during twisting movements like volleys and serves, strengthening them can help prevent lower back injury that plague many professional players.


#6 Half Squat with Rotational Twist

This exercise is great for tennis players, as it helps improve balance, which is crucial in tennis. You can also do this exercise anywhere and any time, which makes it great for people who sit at a desk all day or for those who don’t have access to weights or machines at the gym.

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The half squat with a rotational twist is also very effective in strengthening the core muscles, which helps prevent injury while playing tennis.


Takeaway

The aforementioned exercises can help any tennis player boost their performance on the court.

You know what's best for your body and how it responds to exercise, so use that knowledge to find a routine that works for you. These exercises can help you get in shape, improve your tennis game, and stay healthy.

Incorporate these moves into your training schedule to improve your fitness, stamina, and strength for better results on the court.

These exercises are not only beneficial for tennis players but can also help people of all age and fitness level.

If you’re new to exercise or want to improve your performance, these exercises can serve as a great starting point. Remember that it’s important not to overdo things when starting out to avoid injury. Gradually build up your strength and endurance over time.

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