The Best Exercises for Tennis Players

Tennis rewards the athlete who can explode into a sprint, brake hard, rotate through the core and still control a delicate drop shot in the final game. Off court strength, mobility and conditioning are what let you do all of that without breaking down. This guide walks you through the most valuable exercises for racket sport players, why each one matters, and how to build them into a simple weekly routine.

Build a Base with Compound Lower Body Strength

Every stroke starts from the ground. Powerful legs let you load into your shots, recover to the center and chase down balls late in a long match. The most transferable movements are compound lifts that train the whole chain from foot to hip. Focus on clean technique and full range of motion before you chase heavier loads. Two short strength sessions a week are enough to build a base that protects your knees, ankles and lower back.

• Goblet squats and split squats for balanced, single leg strength
• Romanian deadlifts to strengthen hamstrings and glutes
• Step ups and lunges that mimic the lunge you make on court
• Calf raises to protect the ankles and Achilles during sprints

Train Rotational Power Through the Core

Racket sports are rotational at their heart. The serve, the forehand and the two handed backhand all transfer force from the ground, through the hips and core, into the arm. A strong, coordinated trunk lets you generate racket head speed without overloading the shoulder or elbow. Prioritise movements that teach you to rotate under control and to resist rotation, which is what keeps your spine safe during quick direction changes.

• Medicine ball rotational throws for explosive hip and trunk power
• Cable or band woodchops in both directions
• Pallof press to build anti rotation stability
• Plank variations for a stable, connected midsection

Sharpen Agility and Footwork

Most points are decided by whether you reach the ball in balance, not by how hard you can hit. Agility work trains the fast first step, the split step and the ability to change direction without losing control. Keep the volume low and the quality high, because sloppy, tired reps teach bad movement. Practise both linear sprints and lateral shuffles, since tennis and padel demand quick side to side coverage as much as forward bursts.

• Ladder drills for foot speed and coordination
• Cone shuffles that copy your court movement patterns
• Short sprints with a hard stop to train braking
• Split step timing drills before each imaginary shot

Protect the Shoulder and Rotator Cuff

The serving shoulder takes a beating over a season. Small, often neglected muscles around the shoulder blade and rotator cuff keep the joint centred and healthy. Light resistance band work, done consistently, is one of the highest value habits a racket player can build. You are not chasing fatigue here, you are building control. A few focused sets a couple of times a week can dramatically lower your risk of nagging shoulder pain.

• Band external and internal rotations at the elbow
• Scapular retractions to strengthen the upper back
• Face pulls for shoulder health and posture
• Light overhead presses once the basics feel stable

Strengthen the Forearm and Grip

Grip endurance and forearm strength influence everything from spin to injury resistance, especially around the elbow. A tired forearm late in a match means a looser grip, mistimed contact and more stress travelling up the arm. Simple wrist and grip exercises build the resilience that keeps your control sharp deep into the third set, and they support the tendons that are most often irritated in racket sports.

• Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls with a light weight
• Wrist rotations to train pronation and supination
• Squeezing a soft ball for grip endurance
• Farmer carries for total grip and postural strength

Add Conditioning for the Long Third Set

A match can swing on who still has fresh legs and a clear head after an hour of play. Conditioning that mixes short, intense efforts with recovery periods matches the stop and go nature of the sport far better than long, steady jogging. Build a base of easy aerobic work, then layer in intervals that feel like a hard rally followed by the walk back to the baseline.

• Interval runs of short hard efforts with short rests
• Bike or rowing intervals that spare the joints
• Shadow rallies at high intensity for sport specific fitness
• Easy aerobic sessions to build your recovery base

Never Skip Mobility and Recovery

Strength without mobility leaves you stiff and prone to strains. A short daily mobility routine keeps the hips, thoracic spine and shoulders moving through the ranges your strokes demand. Recovery is where adaptation actually happens, so treat sleep, hydration and easy days as part of your training, not an afterthought. Warm up dynamically before you play and cool down gently afterwards to keep tissues supple.

• Dynamic warm up before every session
• Hip and thoracic mobility drills daily
• Gentle stretching or foam rolling after play
• Prioritise sleep and at least one true rest day a week

Turn It Into a Weekly Plan

Consistency beats intensity. You do not need a complicated program to see results, just a balanced week that hits strength, movement and recovery without leaving you flat for your matches. Schedule harder sessions away from your most important games, and let how you feel guide the volume. Track a few simple numbers so you can see progress and stay motivated over a season.

• Two short strength sessions on non match days
• One or two agility and conditioning blocks
• Daily mobility, even if only ten minutes
• At least one full rest day to absorb the work

Related articles

• How to Start Playing Tennis as a Beginner: The Complete Guide
• Common Beginner Mistakes in Tennis and How to Fix Them
• 5 Ways to Improve Your Tennis Footwork

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