Best Exercises for Tennis Players: Serve Harder, Move Faster

Tennis demands everything: explosive power, quick direction changes, rotational strength, and the endurance to maintain it for hours.

The right training makes you faster, more powerful, and more resilient. Here's how to build a tennis-ready body.

Physical Demands of Tennis

What Tennis Requires

Explosiveness: Short, powerful movements in all directions

Agility: Rapid direction changes, 4-5 per point on average

Rotational power: Serves and groundstrokes are rotational

Shoulder health: Thousands of overhead motions per season

Endurance: Matches can last hours

Recovery: Quick recovery between points and matches

Common Tennis Injuries

• Shoulder injuries: Rotator cuff, labrum, impingement
• Tennis elbow: Lateral epicondylitis (backhand stress)
• Back pain: Rotational strain, especially serving
• Knee injuries: Patella issues, meniscus
• Ankle sprains: Lateral movement stress
• Wrist injuries: Impact and repetitive stress

Mobility for Tennis

Shoulder Mobility (Critical for Serves)

Sleeper Stretch

• Lie on side, arm at 90°
• Press forearm toward floor with other hand
• 30 seconds each side

Wall Slides

• Back against wall, arms at 90°
• Slide up overhead, keeping contact
• 10-15 reps

Cross-Body Stretch

• Pull arm across body
• 30 seconds each side

Thread the Needle

• Hands and knees
• Reach one arm under and through
• 30 seconds each side

Hip Mobility

90/90 Stretch

• Seated, both legs at 90°
• Lean over front shin
• 60 seconds each side

Hip Flexor Stretch

• Half-kneeling, tuck tailbone
• Add rotation toward front leg
• 45 seconds each side

Adductor Stretch

• Wide stance, shift weight side to side
• 30 seconds each side

Thoracic Spine

Open Books

• Side-lying, rotate top arm open
• 10 each side

Foam Roller Thoracic Extension

• Extend back over roller at mid-back
• 2 minutes total

Strength Exercises for Tennis

Lower Body Power (Foundation of Every Shot)

Squats (Goblet or Barbell)

• Full range, controlled descent
• 3 x 10-12

Split Squats/Lunges

• Focus on single-leg strength
• 3 x 10 each leg

Lateral Lunges

• Essential for lateral movement
• 3 x 10 each side

Box Jumps

• Explosive lower body power
• 3 x 6-8

Single-Leg Hops

• Stick the landing
• 3 x 6 each leg

Core and Rotation

Pallof Press

• Anti-rotation for core stability
• 3 x 10 each side

Medicine Ball Rotational Throws

• Power transfer through rotation
• 3 x 8 each side

Cable Wood Chops

• High-to-low for serves
• Low-to-high for groundstrokes
• 3 x 10 each direction, each side

Dead Bugs

• Core stability foundation
• 3 x 10 each side

Side Plank with Rotation

• Reach under, then open up
• 3 x 8 each side

Shoulder Strength (Injury Prevention)

Face Pulls

• External rotation, posture
• 3 x 15

External Rotation (Side-Lying or Cable)

• Rotator cuff strength
• 3 x 15 each side

Prone Y-T-W

• Scapular stability
• 2 x 10 each position

Rows

• Balance pushing movements
• 3 x 12

Push-Ups

• Full body stability
• 3 x 15

Agility Training

Tennis is about changing direction fast. Train it specifically.

Ladder Drills (10-15 minutes)

Basic Patterns:

• Two feet in each square
• Lateral shuffle through
• In-in-out-out
• Ickey shuffle

Perform: 2-3 times through each pattern

Cone Drills

5-10-5 Shuttle

• Sprint 5 yards, touch, sprint 10 yards, touch, sprint 5 yards
• 5 reps

T-Drill

• Set up cones in T shape
• Sprint, shuffle, shuffle, backpedal
• 5 reps

Reactive Sprints

• Partner points direction
• React and sprint 3-5 yards
• 10 reps

Split Step Practice

Why: Every point starts with a split step

Drill:

• Jump, land on balls of feet
• React to cue (partner or ball machine)
• First step toward target
• 20-30 reps

Tennis-Specific Power

Medicine Ball Work

Rotational Chest Pass

• Side to wall, rotate and throw
• 10 each side, 3 sets

Overhead Slam

• Full body extension, explosive slam
• 10 reps, 3 sets

Scoop Toss

• Low-to-high throw (like groundstroke)
• 8 each side, 3 sets

Serve Power Development

Kettlebell Swings

• Hip power, timing
• 15 reps, 3 sets

Medicine Ball Overhead Throw

• Mimic serve motion
• 8 reps, 3 sets

Landmine Press

• Single-arm pressing power
• 10 each arm, 3 sets

Sample Weekly Program

In-Season (Playing 3+ Times/Week)

Monday: Tennis Tuesday: Strength (moderate, 30-40 min) Wednesday: Tennis Thursday: Mobility + light agility (20 min) Friday: Tennis Saturday: Match or tennis Sunday: Recovery/rest

Off-Season

Monday: Strength (full body) Tuesday: Agility + conditioning Wednesday: Tennis skills Thursday: Strength (full body) Friday: Agility + conditioning Saturday: Match play or drills Sunday: Recovery

In-Season Strength Session (30-40 min)

Warm-up: 5 min dynamic

Superset 1:

• Goblet squats: 3 x 10
• Face pulls: 3 x 15

Superset 2:

• Split squats: 3 x 8 each
• External rotation: 3 x 12 each

Superset 3:

• Rows: 3 x 12
• Pallof press: 3 x 10 each

Power (if time):

• Med ball rotational throws: 2 x 6 each

Cool-down: 5 min stretching

Pre-Match Warm-Up (15 Minutes)

Dynamic Movement (5 min)

1. Jogging with arm circles
2. High knees
3. Butt kicks
4. Lateral shuffles
5. Carioca
6. Leg swings (front/back, side/side)
7. Arm swings with rotation

Activation (5 min)

1. Resistance band external rotation: 15 each
2. Mini-band lateral walks: 15 each direction
3. Bodyweight squats: 10
4. Split squat holds: 15 sec each
5. Thoracic rotations: 8 each

Progressive Hitting (5 min)

1. Start at service line, mini-tennis
2. Move back to baseline
3. Progressive intensity to match pace
4. Practice serves, building to full speed

Injury Prevention Focus

Shoulder Care Protocol (Daily)

Before play:

1. Arm circles: 20 each direction
2. Band external rotation: 15 each
3. Wall slides: 10
4. Cross-body stretch: 20 sec each

After play:

1. Sleeper stretch: 30 sec each
2. Chest stretch: 30 sec each
3. Lat stretch: 30 sec each
4. Ice if needed

Tennis Elbow Prevention

Strengthen:

• Wrist extensions: 3 x 15
• Wrist curls: 3 x 15
• Forearm pronation/supination: 3 x 15

Stretch:

• Wrist extensor stretch: 30 sec each
• Wrist flexor stretch: 30 sec each

Technique:

• Ensure proper racquet grip size
• Hit with core rotation, not just arm
• Avoid leading with elbow on backhand

Back Care

Mobility:

• Daily thoracic rotation work
• Hip mobility

Strength:

• Core anti-rotation
• Deadlifts/hip hinges for posterior chain

Technique:

• Full rotation on serves (don't just arch back)
• Engage legs in strokes

Recovery Strategies

Post-Match/Practice

1. Light cool-down jog
2. Static stretching (all major areas)
3. Foam rolling (optional)
4. Hydration and nutrition
5. Ice any problem areas

Between Match Days

• Active recovery (walking, swimming, light cycling)
• Mobility work
• Adequate sleep
• Massage or self-massage

Off-Season

• Address any chronic issues
• Build baseline strength and conditioning
• Work on weaknesses
• Mental and physical recovery from season

The Bottom Line

Tennis athleticism comes from:

• Lower body power (every shot starts from the ground)
• Core rotation (power transfer through trunk)
• Shoulder health (thousands of repetitions demand it)
• Agility (first step wins points)

Train these qualities, maintain mobility, and recover properly.

Your body is your equipment. Take care of it, and it will take care of your game.