A Guide To Tennis Fitness Exercises For Beginners
Tennis playing has its unique set of exercises that are needed for beginners to be able to play at the competitive level. The game of tennis is a great outdoor activity, but to be able to play at the highest level, you will need to try out exercises for tennis fitness.
Without proper training, you will get tired quickly and not be able to play correctly. The exercises that I decided to include in this article are the ones that I have personally used and have proven to be very helpful in my own training. After a few months of proper training and practice, I managed to play for a college tennis team and eventually participate in the championships. These exercises are perfect for people who want to take up the game of tennis and get started with fitness training today.
5 Essential Tennis Fitness Exercises
Before starting to train, find and try out the best tennis exercises for any type of fitness. Certain exercises will be effective for every player, whereas some may require a few adjustments before you can start to see results. Here are the most common tennis fitness exercises.
1. Lunges
Lunges are an excellent way to get started with tennis fitness. Think of lunges as squats, but instead of using your back leg, you will use your front leg. Lunges should be done slowly, with a little bit of weight, and slowly move your front leg up and down. Start by doing 10 lunges in each direction. Hold weights on your shoulders for more advanced training, and make slow down your lunges for that extra burn. Eventually, you should be able to make 50 lunges in each direction.
2. Push-ups
Push-ups can be done almost anywhere, and they are an excellent exercise for tennis players. One of my favourite exercises, and I recommend them to anyone up for a good workout. Start with regular body push-ups, and eventually work your way up to military-style push-ups. When doing push-ups, be sure to keep your back straight and chest out. You can start with one set of 10, but you should look to increase the sets after a while. By doing this exercise and working the whole body, your legs will be able to get stronger as well.
3. Leg Lifts
For lower body exercise, I recommend doing leg lifts. These are a great way to exercise your lower body. Start by doing 10, but over time you should be able to build up to 50 reps on each leg. This exercise will work your quadriceps and give you a great overall workout. By doing this exercise, you can jump higher, run faster and improve your performance. This exercise will help you get stronger for the court and give you a great overall fitness workout.
4. Planks
Planks are one of my favourite core exercises because they can be done anywhere, like a push-up. They are a variation of the push-up, but with your body on the ground instead of your hands. Start by doing one set of 30-second planks, and eventually work your way up to a minute in total. This exercise will help you build stronger abs and strengthen the lower body.
5. Pull-ups/Chin-ups
If you have a pull-up bar, start training as soon as possible. Pull-ups and chin-ups are one of the most important exercises for tennis players. They help you develop strong upper body muscles, which will improve your performance on the court.
Consistency Is The Key!
Whatever your fitness level, always remember that consistency matters most when trying out tennis fitness exercises. Start with small workouts and gradually increase the number of sets and repetitions as you get better. Preferably try doing one set of the exercises I mentioned above, and after you are done, go play tennis.
This will trigger your body to grow not only physically but also mentally. Hopefully, with consistency, you will see the improvements both in your game, but also in life and that to me is a win, win!
Foundation Matters
So far, I have explained skills and fitness, but the least taught part is probably the foundation. A good tennis player always starts with a good foundation and then works on it as they progress in their career.
Most of us are inspired by those we see on tv or try to keep us with those with more experience. However, more likely than none, we do not see the hours of hard work and training that got them to that level. If you are looking to improve your fitness, seek a fitness trainer to develop a workout routine customized for your needs. But this guide to tennis fitness exercises for beginners is an excellent foundation.
Remember that anything tennis is great, but tennis is tennis. It would be a mistake to think that any tennis workout will give you the same results as a professional tennis player. Working on your skills and foundation is the only way to improve. With these exercises, you will be able to improve faster than most people and in a short amount of time.
Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome.
―Arthur Ashe
Contact us to learn more about tennis fitness with our ‘Top 10 Tennis Health Benefits’ or for information on beginner’s tennis lessons.