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Begin your training by assessing your base level of fitness. It is also important to build your training program around your competitive season. This is called periodization.
Train at least 2-3 times per week especially during your off-season or preparatory phase.
Include squats and plyometrics in your program to increase your power.
Hamstring strength for force production, balance and knee stability
Core balance work will improve your agility and quickness.
Strong abdominals and low back will protect against injury and help your legs work more efficiently
Shoulder strength, especially your rotator cuffs, is essential for power and injury protection.
Increase the intensity and lower the volume of work as you approach your period of competition.
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Flexibility is essential for increased performance and injury prevention.
Perform light cardiovascular and movement exercises for a minimum of ten minutes prior to stretching.
Hold each stretch for 10 - 15 seconds.
Quad and hamstring flexibility is critical for speed and quickness where leg flexion and extension are involved. Leg adductor and abductor flexibility is important for lateral movement.
Shoulder and neck flexibility is important for injury protection.
Calf and Achilles stretches facilitate quick burst energy.
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Tennis requires the athlete to have both anaerobic and aerobic fitness. The player's heart rate during competition will fluctuate between 60-90% of maximum heart rate. Anaerobic work involves very high intensity work that lasts only a few seconds. Aerobic work is lower intensity training that can last several hours. A tennis player needs to react quickly hundreds of times with the stamina to last several hours requiring both systems.
Fartlek training or training that involves both anaerobic and aerobic training is recommended for tennis training. 20 minute runs at 75-80% of max heart rate with 10-second sprints every 2 minutes is a good place to start.
Hill training once every other week improves the anaerobic system and will improve leg strength.
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Tennis is a highly skilled and technically complex game that requires and demands thousands of consistent hours of practice. As with all sports the fundamental skills must be perfected. For tennis these includes the forehand, backhand, and serve.
The serve is a very important skill, but not practiced enough
The player must also work on the service returns and power strokes.
Tennis requires quick footwork for lateral, forward and backward movements.
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