Why Do You Need Intensive Exercises to Improve Tennis Skills?
Tennis is a sport that requires a combination of speed, strength and technique. To improve your performance on the field, you need to practice basic skills such as movement, hitting, and reflexes. Intensive exercises not only help develop necessary muscles but also enhance agility and flexibility, thereby helping you improve your ability to handle situations in the match.
Intensive exercises for tennis players focus on developing upper body strength, endurance, responsiveness and body stability. Combining these exercises with tennis technique will help you improve performance, maintain stable form and reduce the risk of injury.
Intensive Exercises to Help Improve Tennis Skills
Below are in-depth exercises for tennis players, helping you improve your strength, speed and technique:
1. Footwork Exercises (Foot Movement)
Moving your feet quickly is an important skill in tennis, helping you reach the ball quickly and handle situations effectively. Footwork exercises help increase speed and reflexes when moving on the field.
- Step 1: Place a row of small stakes or cones about 50 cm apart on the field.
- Step 2: Move sideways, stepping one foot over the poles or cones, keeping a fast but steady rhythm.
- Repeat: Do it for 1-2 minutes, then rest 30 seconds and continue.
2. Plyometric Exercises (High Jump)
High jump is a plyometric exercise that helps increase leg strength and acceleration, which is essential for moving and jumping to catch the ball.
- Step 1: Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed.
- Step 2: Bend your knees and jump as high as you can, using the force from your legs to jump.
- Step 3: Land gently and repeat the movement.
- Repeat: Perform 3-4 sets, each set of 10-12 jumps.
3. Shadow Swing Exercise (Striking the Ball Without the Ball)
Shadow swing is an exercise that helps improve racket swing technique and adjust ball striking posture without using a real ball. This helps you focus on technique and swing feel.
- Step 1: Stand in the usual hitting position, holding a tennis racket.
- Step 2: Swing the racket as if you were hitting a real ball, paying attention to your foot placement and body movements.
- Repeat: Perform 10-15 times for each stroke: forehand, backhand and serve.
4. Medicine Ball Toss Exercise (Medical Ball Toss)
This exercise helps strengthen your upper body and improve your ability to swing the racket more powerfully. Medicine balls are great tools for training your core, shoulders and arms.
- Step 1: Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the medicine ball in your hand.
- Step 2: Turn your body to the right, throw the ball hard against the wall or forward.
- Step 3: Catch the ball again and repeat with the left side.
- Repeat: Perform 3-4 sets, each set 10-12 times on each side.
5. Dynamic Plank Exercise (Dynamic Plank)
Dynamic plank helps strengthen the core, shoulders and lower back, important muscle groups for balance and strength when hitting the ball.
- Step 1: Start in a high plank position, hands on the floor below your shoulders.
- Step 2: Lower your elbows to the floor, then push back into a high plank position.
- Repeat: Perform 3-4 sets, each set 10-15 times.
Benefits of Intensive Exercises for Tennis Players
Intensive exercises bring many benefits to tennis players, from improving speed and strength to technique and reflexes. Here are some key benefits:
1. Increase Strength and Speed
Exercises like plyometric and medicine ball toss help develop leg and upper body strength, which in turn helps you hit the ball harder and move more quickly on the court.
2. Technical Improvement
Shadow swing exercises help you practice the technique of swinging the racket correctly, improving control and feeling of the ball when hitting.
3. Increase Reflexes
Footwork exercises help you move more quickly and flexibly, thereby reacting quickly to difficult ball situations on the field.
4. Reduce the Risk of Injury
Intensive training strengthens muscles and improves flexibility, which in turn helps you maintain correct posture and reduces the risk of injury when playing tennis.