Cardio Tennis Fitness Drills on Court

Fitness drills are a great way to warm up before getting on the courts for tennis whether it be a game or your tennis lesson. The warm-up loosens the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. Learning how to prepare your body for performance and a workout is crucial for long term injury prevention.

It’s easy to skip a warm-up when you're pressed for time, or if you’re just eager to start your workout. But warming up has very real physical and mental benefits. Many professional athletes warm up with a range dynamic Stretches and light movements. In this video below, it explains Novak Djokovic’s warm up from his book, Serve to Win.

Tennis Fitness Drills Before You Go On Court

Jogging around the court

You should be going slow and steady. This is where your body is cool so make sure you take it nice and easy. You should be able to talk while jogging. Other drills you can do around the court are:

Side Stepping
Light Karaoke steps

Repeat these 5 times up and back

Lunges

Lunges are a great way to move your body and warm it up. It tests your flexibility, strength and muscular endurance. Practice the lunges backwards, forwards and side to side. Tennis is a very fast pace and multi directional sport so lunging all directions is great for conditioning your body for tennis.

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
Engage your core.
Step forward with right leg so you are in a split leg position
Lower your body until right thigh is parallel to the floor. Back knee should aim to be at 90 degrees
Press into right heel to position yourself back up to starting position.
Repeat on the other side.

Active Tennis Coaching | Lunging for Warm up Image

Walking High Kicks

Walking high kicks are great to stretch your hamstrings before tennis. They strengthen your hip flexors and quadriceps.

Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Raise your right knee as high as you can and step forward. Try not to round your back.
Repeat with the left leg
Alternate legs as you walk.

Torso Twists

Stand tall with legs shoulder width apart
Twist from side to side from the hips about 90 degrees.
Start to add in twists with your hips and legs as you get more movement into the twist

Dynamic Stretches and Warm-up Tennis Drills

Here are a lists of dynamic stretches and warm up movements you can do:

Dynamic Stretches

Legs Swings
Torso twists
Single Leg balance
Lunges with Upper body stretch

Dynamic Movements

Jumping jacks
Walking high knees
Walking high kicks
Burpees
Downward dog
Side Lunges
Reverse lunge with backwards reach
Inch worm