Vlad Handl
Sep 5, 2018 · 3 min read

Vlad Handl has been involved with high level tennis all his life. He is a certified USPTA professional the past 18 years and has been involved working with players from the ATP and WTA . Vlad has been a hitting partner and coach for several former top #10 ranked players in the world. He focuses on Mental toughness, technique, speed and fitness. Vlad has also experience in being a Director of an Exclusive Country Club overseeing daily operations and staffing the facility.

I. CORE STRENGTH & STABILITY

Basic Plank

Modified Plank with Lunge

Modified Plank with Perpendicular Leg Reach

Bosu Plank with Lateral Leg Raise

Single Leg Walkout with Knee In

1-Legged Jump with Walkout and Plank

Overhead Extension with Lateral Leg Raise

Core Circuit

Rotational

Chataranga with Lunge and Core Twist

Medicine Ball Perpendicular (Side) Throws

Medicine Ball Variation

Medicine Ball Throw on Step360

Side Lunge with Upper Body Rotation

II. UPPER BODY STRENGTH & STABILITY

Incline Stand-Up/Sit-Down with Shoulder Stabilization

Cable Overhead Side Bend and Reach

Pullup Variation for Tennis Players

DB Front and Lateral Raises*

DB Lateral Raises

Push Ups with Side Plank

Bent-over Y, T, W, L Raises

TRX One-Arm Reach Back

Cable Standing Mid-Pulley Row

Bent Over Row (12 reps x 3)

Kneeling Lunge Lat Pulldown (12 reps x 3)

Cable Open Stance FH and BH (each side) (8 reps x 3)

Shoulder Prehab Circuit (12 reps x 3)

A tennis player should be… “FAST in the feet, EXPLOSIVE in the legs, POWERFUL in the core, LOOSE in the arms & mentally STRONG in the head.”

III. LOWER BODY STRENGTH, POWER & STABILITY

Basic Squats

Bosu Ball Squats

Single Leg Squats

Don Chu Scorpion Step Ups

Crossover Dumbbell Step-Up

Lateral Jumps onto Decline Bench

Pliometric Jumps from Deep Squat onto Benches

Dynamic Stretch and Balance with 2 Bosu Balls

DB squat

DB Jump Shrug

Barbell Squat

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

DB Lateral Lunge (each leg)

Core Circuit

Lateral hops over hurdles

1-Leg Double Lateral Bound with MB

1-Leg MB Chest Pass with Rotation

IV. MOVEMENT (Tennis-Specific Speed & Agility)

Split Step Training Drill (1 rep x 5 sets)

Lateral Cross-Over Drill (6 reps x 2 sets)

Resisted Forehand Drill (4 reps x 3 sets)

Resisted Backhand Drill (4 reps x 3 sets)

RH and BH Open Stance Medicine Ball Toss (5 reps x 2 sets)

4 Cone Speed-Agility Drill

Stay Low Shadow Swings Around Cones

Lateral Shuffle with Crossover Step

Lateral Hurdle Crossover

V. INJURY PREVENTION/ “PREHAB” (I do 3x/week)

Monster Walks” with tubing

External cable rotation with tubing or cable. Hold 2 seconds at end of range of motion. 10–12 reps, 2 sets

Wrist and Forearm Strengthening

Ankle Mobility (helps prevent variety of problems including calf strains, achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis)

Calf Strengthening

Single-leg calf raises on stairs or platform (without weight to warm up, with weight when warm)

Occasionally build in quick up (concentric) and slow down (eccentric)

Towel/box calf raises

VI. ENDURANCE

Don Chu Scorpion Step Ups

MK Drill

Spider Drill

VII. FLEXIBILITY (Dynamic & Static)

Lying Hamstring Stretch

Lying Knee to Chest Stretch

Figure 4 Stretch

Pretzl Stretch

Butterfly Stretch

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Cross-Body Stretch

Pec Stretch

Sleeper Stretch

Posterior Shoulder Stretch