Serious Tennis Players,
This is a training schedule that I've put together based upon the Pat Etcheberry tennis fitness program. It takes dedication because you have to make yourself put in the extra time to condition yourself for tennis. It is not for the faint of heart. Make the conditioning program your personal fitness program. You can always adjust it and work in new exercises, drills, and conditioning methods that address the shoulders, legs and core regions of the body for tennis. If you're not sure how to do an exercise look it up on YouTube or ask the instructor at the gym.
Tennis Training Program for a Champion
Another
drill for thirty seconds is to start at the center of the baseline and run to
the sideline….(three feet up the sideline; you are cutting down angle here) and
swing over a marker (cone, ball, water bottle etc.) and then return to the
middle. Do this as fast as you can. Rest for one minute and then try going the
other way (backhand if you started on the forehand) and record that result.
This will show you if you are quicker moving to the left, right or the same.
F or running
(less is more). We need quick explosiveness. We play hard for a few seconds and
then have fifteen seconds before starting the next point. Day one work for an
easy run (not jog) for one minute and then run a little harder for a minute for
twenty minutes not including the warm-up and stretch down. Day two run fast for
15 to 30 seconds and then rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Gauge your own body and
how it feels. Day three run at a constant swift pace but doable for the entire
journey. This type of running will best condition you for tennis.
You design
your own program:
It doesn’t
take much to make gains with fitness if you make it “short and sweet”
P.S. You
tube search Etcheberry footwork drills and the other gym work if you’re not
sure what exercises to do. Everything is right there on film. You don’t need an
expensive gym to stay in shape. Heck all you really need is a couple of milk
cartons filled with sand (small ones and big ones). I'll add more videos for you in the future.
http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=x20t9lSebh4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ03OKVjNE0
http://youtu.be/nqXf1Ee1_sQ
http://youtu.be/tXSHMEMvKqM
http://youtu.be/yka4o_BprTc
http://youtu.be/JtGXM9Br_pQ
http://youtu.be/n8zDHozYQgQ
http://youtu.be/ImmZfBtYvR0
http://youtu.be/qZAjSkF0ji4
http://youtu.be/8XpYZotVZOY
This is a training schedule that I've put together based upon the Pat Etcheberry tennis fitness program. It takes dedication because you have to make yourself put in the extra time to condition yourself for tennis. It is not for the faint of heart. Make the conditioning program your personal fitness program. You can always adjust it and work in new exercises, drills, and conditioning methods that address the shoulders, legs and core regions of the body for tennis. If you're not sure how to do an exercise look it up on YouTube or ask the instructor at the gym.
Tennis Training Program for a Champion
We seek a
program that builds strong, light and fast creatures with quick recovery
ability. We need to be strong in the shoulders, have a strong core and very
quick in the legs. There you have it: the perfect tennis player. Well almost:
you have to be mentally tough which really means not being too tough on
yourself so that your unconscious can be allowed to function. It’s amazing when
you trust yourself—your racquet will too.
For working out I recommend doing it
every day for at least forty minutes. Take Sunday off: go for a swim, miniature golf, golf (a
great way to spoil a good walk), hike, drink lemonade and read the newspaper.
Treat yourself to fun rest on that day.
Workout for three sets of 10-12 reps
that challenge you and move up in weight when it gets too comfortable.
Upper
Body
Dumbbell
bench press: push upward with weights, pronate wrists outward, weights touch. You are lying on your back on the bench.
Dumbbell
shoulder press: you can stand or be seated, push weights above head and then return to shoulder level. Exhale when pushing up. Inhale when returning.
Dumbbell
shoulder pullover-to strengthen serve: lay down on bench, the weights are extended back behind your head, even with shoulders. Lift them up above your chest and then return to parallel to body. Careful no to lift too much weight.
Medicine
ball forehand and backhand twist: rotation on right and left side of body with medicine ball.
Triceps
extension: pushing down from a standing position, lift up to chin, then, push arms down straight, keep good balance, isolate your arms in this exercise.
Biceps curl: hold for a brief moment at the top of curl and release slowly down. You can stand or be seated.
Band
exercise—row, overhead, 45 degree angle: take a stretchy band and extend arms above your head, straight, then pull both arms out to shoulder level, keep elbows slightly bent.
Neutral stance/open stance with weight: swing with a light weight. This works trunk rotation for both forehand and backhand. Swing your form of a tennis swing with the weight in your hand. You can also do this with a medicine ball with two hands. Use tennis footwork as you do it. Include the serve, volleys, return of serve, and overheads in your workout.
Reverse
hyperextension: lay down on stability ball on a bench, facing down, grab bench with arms, and lift legs up to level with back and then lower.
Wrist curl: forearms facing up on top of legs. You can use a barbell.
Lower
Body
Front Lunge: One leg out, bend to ninety degrees and push back. You can do this exercise with dumbbells in your hands, with your hands down by your sides. Keep knee from going past your toes.
Side Lunge: Same, but more out to side. Keep both feet facing forward during these lunges and your back straight. You can lunge "around the clock" with your legs as long as you keep bot toes forward and back straight. Add dumbbells for more challenge.
Single Leg
Lunge: face a high placed barbell, set a small bench behind you, place the top of one foot on the bench, then, grasp the barbell and place behind head on shoulders, then, do knee bends on one leg. After that repeat the routine on the other leg. Don't let the knee go past ninety degrees on the bend.
Squat on
Balance Pad: keep your balance. You can use a barbell for extra challenge. Do knee bends with the weight on your shoulders, while on the balance pad.
One-foot
Balance on Balance Pad
Leg
Extension: extending legs out (works quads) from seated position.
Leg Curl: Lay face down on machine, curl legs up to lift weight. Works Ham Strings.
Leg Press: pushing weight with legs while on back.
Jump Ups: Bend knees down and jump up as high as you can and lift arms to the sky as you do it. Helps vertical lift. You can do this with a medicine ball as well.
Calf Raise: lift heels up and stand on balls of feet and then release back down. You can do these with a medicine ball or dumbbells as well.
Agilities
Warm-up:
Sidestep
side to side, front foot overs only side to side, back foot behind only side to
side, dynamic stretches, shadow open stance forehand backhand swings with one
foot step outs only, same with neutral stances (remember the cone drills we
did), shadow serves, stretch lunges, shoulder band stretches, and you’re ready
to go.
On a court
start in the middle of the service box and for 30 seconds tap the singles
sideline with your racquet and then the center service line as fast as you can.
This will spike your heart. Record the result, rest 30 seconds and repeat two more
times. It takes two and one half minutes but it burns. Try to improve your
scores. It will show you if you are in shape. You should not go down in the
third run if you are in shape.
It might
look like this………..
Sunday:
Special time off
Monday:
Upper Body/ Court Agility
Tuesday: Run
Wednesday:
Lower Body
Thursday:
Run
Friday:
Total Body/ Court Agility
Saturday:
Run
You’ll feel
great and look good in the mirror. Play tennis when you can.
Coach Pease
Etcheberry
Tennis Fitness Coach
