Best Workout Routine For Tennis Players

Tennis is one of the most physically challenging games and requires a lot more than just swift arm movements. While concentrating on the opponent’s movements is crucial, a steady and well-paced game is what makes a winning effort for a tennis player. Therefore, tennis players are required to do regular workouts in order to bring out their best athletic abilities during a game. With grueling and sometimes really long matches, such as the one between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the 2012 Australian Open, tennis players definitely require a very high level of physical endurance.

The best tennis champions in the world like Serena Williams, Andy Murray and Roger Federer have all discussed their tough workout routines that have helped them achieve their athletic abilities and be the best in the tennis court.

Here we discuss some of the most popular and best workout exercises for tennis players.

Squats

Squats are an important exercise for balance and improved muscularity in legs, especially the posterior muscles of glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings. They have been characterized as one of the most popular exercises particularly among athletes due to their wide range of benefits. Balance and coordination are one of the outcomes achieved by regular squats, in addition to increased strength and flexibility in lower body.

While barbell squats are more common among bodybuilders, bodyweight squats are more common among athletes.

Bodyweight squats are common among athletes.

Start by standing on your feet and your knees apart. You can place your hands behind your head or stretch them at arm’s length straight in front of you. Begin flexing your hips and thighs as you descend downwards gradually in a halfway sitting position with your knees pushed out. Reverse this motion by moving upward and straightening your legs back to starting position. Continue this for a few ups and downs.

The main muscular involvement in squats is of the quadriceps, which is why it is the foremost exercise for strengthening them.

Jumps

Jumps are a great way to exert a great deal of pressure on lower leg area and enhance its muscular strength. For a tennis player, jumps are good for warming up before a match as well. There are several kinds of jumps, with each focusing particularly towards a different body part. Most are however, involved in improved muscle agility of the feet and legs.

High jumps can help athletes achieve strength and flexibility

Starting with the lateral or line jumps, which are similar to hopping on either side of a line and for a sport like tennis which requires players to move laterally, it is a great workout. Start by jumping on the balls of your feet on from one side of the line, to the other side using your arms as a driving force. Continue in a faster pace with feet coming to contact with ground for a shorter period as you move forward.

A star jump is a frequently done cardio exercise and focuses on areas besides the leg and feet, with workout of the shoulders as well. The technique begins with a relaxed standing position, with squatting midway to jump up as high as possible while extending arms and legs away from the body.

Lunges

Lunges are specially designed to apply pressure on the quadriceps, glutes and hamstring and enhance their strength and muscle agility. Depending on the type of lunges you incorporate in your workout, the use of a particular posterior leg muscle can be emphasized. A long lunge involves more us of the gluteals whereas a short lunge makes more use of the quads. Lunges are also a great way to see and test for any pain or injury in the quadriceps or hamstring tendons.

According to a latest research, lunges helps athletes a lot in achieving optimum fitness

The best way to do lunges for a tennis athlete are to use their bodyweight instead of dumbbells or any other weights. Start by straightening your body in an upright position and shoulders back. Step forward with one leg only while descending your hips until both knees form an about 90° angle. The front knee should be straight while the back knee should considerable off the ground using your toes. Putt pressure on the front heel for a few seconds and then revert back to straight position.

Repeat the lunge for the other leg in the same way and continue alternating between both legs. The exercise is also a good workout for the lower abdominal area and shoulders.

Rotational exercises

Rotational exercises are a great way to allow the body to move in all planes of motion which is often limited by other exercises. The 360° degree movement of the exercises is particularly great for the spine and the abdomen, which are crucial areas of muscular strength for tennis players.

Rotational exercises are considered good for tennis players

Rotational exercises using external cables or bands are a good way to involve muscular strength in the shoulders to provide a full 360° movement to the body. The exercise involves standing upright to the point of cable or band fixture, and turning on your torso to allow rotation of the hip while pushing the cable away from the fixture. Ensure full body rotation instead of just your upper body.

Rotational exercises for tennis players

Rotation throw of the medicine ball, is an exercise that involves using the rotational movement of the body to throw a ball against a wall or obstacle. You can start by standing straight and perpendicular to a wall or partner, and rotate at the hips while throwing or slamming the ball in this direction at the wall or for the partner to catch. Using a wall gives a greater rebound effect to rotate against this and do the throw again and again in a continuous exercise.

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