Tennis day-by-day fitness course

  • Work-from-home

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
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ITALY
Devised by Kieron Vorster, it takes you from basic fitness and stretching, onto the finer points of fancy footwork, forehand and volleying.

Day 1: stretches and strength

Start each session with some simple stretching exercises.

Basic stretch routine: Begin with triceps stretches for each arm.
Begin with tricep stretches

Then roll arms forward and back ten times. Stretch quadriceps (thigh muscles).

Finally stretch calves and hamstrings by planting both feet on ground and leaning forward. Hold this position for ten seconds - don't bounce, or you'll strain your muscles

Building strength: Press-ups


Beginners should cross their feet
Kneel down, and - if you're a beginner, cross your feet at the ankles. Learn forward and put your palms down on the mat to begin.

Go down, up and back on to your haunches. Then increase the number of times you go down and up from one through to five and back again, before returning to your haunches.

If you're advanced, you can do this in full press-up position.

Building strength: Tricep Dips


You could use a stool for tricep dips
Use a bench, chair or stool. Sit on the bench with your knees bent and your arms beside you supporting your weight.

Lower your bottom off the bench towards the floor and then bring it back up, so you're sitting on the bench again.

As before, begin by lowering your bottom once, then increase up to four times and back down to one again.
 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 2: movement

Day 2: movement

In today's workout, Kieron looks at circuit training. There are four basic exercises to do today: Running Squats, Row Boats, Straight Leg Raises and Squats.

Circuit training: Running squats


Concentrate on your breathing

Put your hands on the ground in front of you shoulder width apart. Run on the spot bringing your feet as close to your chest as possible.

Don't forget to concentrate on your breathing. Do 10 of these and then take a rest.

Circuit training: Row boats


Bring your knees up to your chest

Sit on the mat with your hands either side of your buttocks to support your weight.

Keeping your feet together lift them off the ground and bend your knees - bringing your feet up towards your body and pulling your knees in towards your chest.

Keep your breathing consistent. Do 10 of these and take a rest.

Circuit training: Straight leg raises


Place hands under buttocks


Lie on your back on the mat. Place your hands, palm down, under your buttocks to support your back.

Then, keeping your legs straight, raise them off the floor a little. (Remember to take special care here if you have a back problem and don't push yourself too hard.

If you feel any pain you must stop). Do 10 of these and take a rest.

Circuit training: Squats


Stay on your toes and explode upwards

Stand up with your feet apart and knees bent.

Put your hands behind your head and jump up into the air.

Do 10 of these and take a rest. Repeat all four exercises again remembering to take a two minute rest between them.
 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 3: circuit training

Day 3: circuit training

In today's workout, Kieron looks at circuit training. There are four basic exercises to do today: Running Squats, Row Boats, Straight Leg Raises and Squats.

Circuit training: Running squats


Concentrate on your breathing

Put your hands on the ground in front of you shoulder width apart. Run on the spot bringing your feet as close to your chest as possible.

Don't forget to concentrate on your breathing. Do 10 of these and then take a rest.

Circuit training: Row boats


Bring your knees up to your chest

Sit on the mat with your hands either side of your buttocks to support your weight.

Keeping your feet together lift them off the ground and bend your knees - bringing your feet up towards your body and pulling your knees in towards your chest.

Keep your breathing consistent. Do 10 of these and take a rest.

Circuit training: Straight leg raises


Place hands under buttocks


Lie on your back on the mat. Place your hands, palm down, under your buttocks to support your back.

Then, keeping your legs straight, raise them off the floor a little. (Remember to take special care here if you have a back problem and don't push yourself too hard.

If you feel any pain you must stop). Do 10 of these and take a rest.

Circuit training: Squats


Stay on your toes and explode upwards

Stand up with your feet apart and knees bent.

Put your hands behind your head and jump up into the air.

Do 10 of these and take a rest. Repeat all four exercises again remembering to take a two minute rest between them.

 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 4: leg strength

Day 4: leg strength

Today's tennis fitness session focuses on leg strength.

Leg strength: Lunges


Make sure your back leg touches the ground

Put your hands on your hips with feet together. To do forward lunges, take a step forward and bend your back leg so it just touches the ground.

Then push up and return to the standing position. Do the same thing with your other leg and repeat this five times on each side. Remember to keep your back straight at all times.

Take a 30 second rest.

Leg strength: Burpees


Bend your knees and push back

Next it's time for what's known as burpees. For the beginner, put your hands on the ground with fingers taking most of the weight (ie not palm-down) then put your feet out behind you with toes touching the ground.

Push up with your feet, almost hopping towards your hands. Then stand up straight. Do this again five times.

Leg strength: Advanced burpees


Bring your knees forward and jump up

For the more advanced version do the same thing but instead of just standing up - you have to leap or jump up into the air.

Then repeat the exercise five times. Make sure you take a 30 second rest before moving on to the next exercise.

Leg strength: The plank


Hold your tummy in for 10 to 30 seconds

Now it's time for some sit-ups. For this you'll need a mat or a towel. These type of sit-ups are known as the plank. (If you suffer from back problems you should not do this exercise).

Lie down with your hands together - palms and fingers touching - and elbows out to the side. Your forearms should be flat on the mat and should support your weight as you raise yourself off the ground - toes touching the floor and back straight as if you were a plank.

Do not bend your back or raise your bottom - keep as straight as possible. Hold this position off the ground for 10 seconds and then rest back down on the mat. Try this again building up to a 30 second hold and take a 30 second rest between each attempt.

If you find this difficult do not push yourself and try something easier.

 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 5: speed

Day 5: speed

Today the focus is on speed - essential for any player who wants to raise their game.

Speed: Shuttle run


Shuttle run: make sure you bend your knees

Place two markers 10 metres apart. The idea is to sprint continuously between them.

Start by the first marker, bend your knees and reach down to touch it. Spring up and sprint over to the other one, bending down to touch it. Remember to keep your back straight and bend with your knees.

When you've running between them for 30 seconds take a 30 second rest.

Speed: Running on the spot


Run on the spot for 15 seconds, rest for 15 seconds

Next it's running on the spot. Keeping your back straight, run on the spot bringing your knees as high as possible.

Remember to use your arms as if you were sprinting. Do this for 15 seconds and then stop for 15 seconds. Repeat four times unless you're a beginner in which case just repeat it twice.
 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 6: at the net

Day 6: at the net

Today's focus is on movement at the net.

keep your back straight

Start by bending your knees and keep your back straight. Move from side to side and take a step forwards pretending to hit a volley.

Net: speed

Both knees will be bent with the back leg almost touching the floor. Hold this position for a split second then stand up and do the same thing on the other side. Every 10 seconds speed it up a little.

Do it for 30 seconds in total and then have a 30 second break, completing the whole routine four times.

Net: fast feet

Start from the middle of the court near the net. Move your feet very quickly almost as though you're running on the spot. Then take a quick step forwards as though you're launching into a forehand or backhand volley. Move back to the starting position and keep going Again, do this for 30 seconds and then have a 30 second break. Repeat the whole routine four times

 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 7: circuit training

Day 7: circuit training

Side lunges

Put your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your hips. Take a step sideways and lunge to your right, bending your right knee and keeping your left leg straight.


try to explode back up
Lean out and downwards then spring up and bring both feet together. Repeat this with your left leg. Remember to keep your back straight all the time. Do five of these on each side

Step ups

For this you'll need a bench or chair (make sure it's stable and won't fall over).

Leading with your right leg step up onto it and then step down again. Step up and down again five times. Next do the same thing leading with your left leg. So in total you'll have done ten step ups.

Scissors

Sit on a mat or towel. Put your hands under your buttocks to support your lower back. If you have lower back problems take extra care. You may need to bend your knees a little.
take care with your back on this

Move your legs up and down in a scissor motion. Do this 10 times

When you have finished this circuit, take a two minute break, then repeat four more times
 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 8: speed - star run

Day 8: speed - star run

Use five cones to mark out a diamond shape

Today it's all about speed and this exercise is called the star run. For this you'll need five cones or something to mark out a diamond shape.

Put one in the centre and place the others five metres apart from it as though they are four points of a star.

Starting from the middle sprint to one of the markers, bend down to touch it - remembering to bend with your knees and not your back. Then spring up and return to the middle.

Next run and touch each of the others in turn returning to the middle every time. Have a rest for two minutes and then repeat this exercise twice.


 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 9: footwork

Day 9: footwork

Today Kieron's workout looks at a variety of exercises out on the court from speed, coordination to fancy footwork to help improve your game.

Footwork: volleying


Move from side to side then forward as if playing a volley

Start by bending your knees and keep your back straight. Move from side to side and take a step forwards pretending to hit a volley. Both knees will be bent with the back leg almost touching the floor.

Hold this position for a split second then stand up and do the same thing on the other side.

Every 10 seconds speed it up a little. Do it for 30 seconds in total and then have a 30 second break. Do the whole routine four times.

Footwork: fastfeet volley


Move feet quickly then push forward as if playing a volley

Next start from the middle of the court near the net. Move your feet very quickly almost as though you're running on the spot.

Then take a quick step forwards as though you're launching into a forehand or backhand volley.

Move back to the starting position and keep going - do this for 30 seconds and then have a 30 second break. Repeat the fast feet exercise four times.

Footwork: running on the spot


Bring your knees as high as possible

Next it's running on the spot. Keeping your back straight, run on the spot bringing your knees as high as possible. Remember to use your arms as if you were sprinting.

Do this for 15 seconds and then stop for 15 seconds. Repeat four times unless you're a beginner in which case just repeat it twice.

Footwork: fastfeet forward and back


Move your feet quickly shuffling forward and back

Stand in the ready position and move your feet very quickly shuffling forwards and backwards and then side to side.

Do this for 20 seconds and take a 10 second rest. When you're doing this exercise, ensure you keep your feet moving as fast as possible but this will improve as you get fitter.
 

dream girl

Khwabon se bahre Naina
VIP
Jul 30, 2008
20,331
11,629
0
ITALY
Day 10: coordination

Day 10: coordination

In the final part of training session to improve your game, we look at coordination. One of the best exercises for this is skipping, but don't worry if you haven't got a skipping rope, read on or watch the clip from the link at the top of the page

Coordination: skipping



Skip for 30 seconds with a 30 second rest; then skip for 20 with a 30 second rest, then 10 seconds with another 30 second rest.

Keep your knees high with your head up and stay on your toes. as you get more confident you can gradually increase the speed you skip.

Take your times for each exercise and have a two minute rest when you have done 25. If you do not have a skipping rope, follow the same pattern but by running on the spot.

We hope you've enjoyed our fitness plan that was designed to improve your game. The course is complete now so you can print of this page and keep it for reference.
 
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