Let's be honest here. Who loves to condition? I think we tend to like fun activities over boring routines.
Here are some that you might like:
1) Forearm and wrist......bounce a tennis ball as close as you can to the ground with your racket (hold the racket half way), then repeat with the top of your wrist facing down (fingernails and knuckles face down). Do these exercises till you can't any longer. This is great to help improve forearm strength.
2) Swing with two rackets in one hand for all your strokes. This creates a "batting weight effect" which will help your muscle memory, develop strength, timing, and racket speed.
3) Practice volley footwork timing with a ready position, left foot out, cross step with right as you pretend to hit a volley then rock back to left foot, then back to ready position. Repeat for the other side. I think I'll show a little video for that one. It's a fun dance step I got from the Bryans'.
4) Take your racket and do knee-bends while holding the racket down, both arms extended down and then when you come up lift both arms up above your head all while holding the racket (one end in each hand). Do those till you can't do anymore.....enough.
5) Do knee-bends again, this time press both arms out form chest as you go down, and pull both arms in as you you come up.
6) Lie on the ground knees bent, feet on ground and do sit-ups pushing the racket straight up with both hands (one hand on each end of the racket/ arms extended straight up over eyes till you can't do any more. Gees.
7) Do push-ups with a racket on you back to help remind you to keep straight.
8) Practice tennis serving and/or returning and then going through tennis plays for singles and/or doubles. Work till you can't move.......It's hard.
There you have it. You can adjust your workout time for what you want--five minutes to one hour.
Enjoy. If you did this everyday you would get ripped for tennis and it doesn't cost a nickle.
Coach Kevin
