Tennis exercises

Warming up exercises

You should warm up before playing any sport. Doing so will make you more flexible and will loosen up your muscles and joints. This assists in preventing injuries. What you see on the tennis court, a 10 minute warm-up session, is only the tip of the iceberg in the preparation tennis players have before a match. They will most likely have done the following exercises, hit up for an hour and been given a massage in the locker room, before we even see them. They will also keep warm at every stop in play, using track suits or towels and moving round near the chair.

We assume you are pretty fit. Don't do these exercises without being fit first.

Calf stretch

Stand with your feet, one in front of the other, about a metre apart. Lean forward so your weight is on the front foot, keeping the heel of your back foot on the ground. Hold that stretch for 20 seconds. Repeat with the other leg and stretch each leg 4 times.

Hamstring stretch

Sit on the ground with one leg outstretched in front of you. Keep the other leg bent so your foot is touching the knee of your outstretched leg. Reach forward and touch your toes. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg and stretch each leg twice.

Bench jump

Stand side on to a bench. Jump sideways up and onto the bench and down the other side. As you get better at this you can just jump over the bench. Do this 10 times.

Side bends

Stand upright and place one hand just above your waist. Raise the other arm up and over your head. Bend your body sideways and feel the stretch down the side of your body. Repeat on the other side. Stretch 6 times on each side.

Lower back stretch Sit on the ground with both legs straight out in front. Lean forward as far as you can. Hold the stretch for 3 seconds. Try keeping your legs as straight as possible. Repeat this stretch 6 times.

Neck stretch

Stand upright and place your hand on the other side of your head. Gently pull your head sideways until you feel the stretch. Repeat on the other side. Stretch both sides 4 times each.

Arm stretch

Bend and lift your arm behind your head. Push the elbow back with the other hand until you feel the stretch. Stretch each arm 4 times.

Push ups

Lie on the ground, face down, with your hands flat on the ground near your shoulders. Your toes should be tucked under. Push up, using your arms, keeping your body straight. Lower your body down again. Repeat 10 times.

Now you are ready for a hit up.