Tennis is a sport that calls upon a whole range of muscle groups, movements and motor skills. Your training should target all of these areas, which are outlined here.
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Ladder drills
Use a combination of footwork and stepping patterns, these will improve your coordination, engagement, and foot movement.
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Open drills
Get a partner to stand inside the baseline at one end of the court and direct balls at different heights and positions to the other end (where you are). You need to practice focusing on your footwork to position your body around the ball in the appropriate position to play the shot; you don’t even need a racquet.
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Reactive lateral movement
While moving along the baseline, push off as quickly as you can in the direction of wherever your partner directs the ball and play the shot
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Sit-ups
You should be on a mat, lying on your back with your feet flat and knees bent; try to lift your shoulders up and forward towards your knees, have your arms extended and bring your clinched fists over your knees. Beginners should aim to go slowly, and control their movements.
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Pilates
Beginners should aim for a 30-minute session once a week; once you become more confident with the movements and engaging your core, you can progress to longer sessions (studios often offer 45-minute and 60-minute sessions as well) and more times per week.
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Set up a circuit
This could incorporate push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, squats, sprinting or exercise bike; aim for a mix of cardio and strength exercises, for 4–8 exercises per circuit, and for 3–6 circuits, beginning with 30 seconds for each exercise at a good intensity and increasing the duration of each as you improve.
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Cardio Tennis
Taking part in a Cardio Tennis workout with its mix of tennis drills and cardio and strength exercises is great from an aerobic point of view, helping to improve your endurance and allowing you to play at least a couple of sets in singles.
