Tips for Tennis Practice

Tennis is a popular sport. An estimated 21.64 million people play tennis in the U.S., according to the Physical Activity Council’s Participation (PAC) report produced by Sports Marketing Surveys. A good coach develops their team’s skills through athletics. These skills include teamwork, sportsmanship, goal-setting, discipline, and self-esteem.

1. During the preseason, you should develop your team’s strength and aerobic conditioning. Jogging and jumping exercises such as burpees and squat jumps give your players stamina, core strength, and leg strength. The core and legs are the basis for any strong tennis player’s game. Coupled with aerobic conditioning from jogging, your players will be ready for their next game.

2. As you get closer to your team’s tennis match season, working out should look more similar to a tennis match, itself. Drills and practices with players working on the parts of the game that are the most difficult for them will take center court, so to speak. Teach one skill and continue to work on it until they understand it and do it right regularly. For example, focus on bending knees and do drills and exercises related to this until they are performing as they should during any game.

3. Focus on footwork during your season practices to help your players set up the direction of their stance to the direction of their return as quickly as possible. Teach them to take smaller steps and set up their body to hit the ball faster and with more exactness.

4. Teach them to get their racket into position quickly. This will help them get more power behind their shot since they will be setting it up earlier. They will use their legs for stability which gives them more control on the top of their body for this step. It can take a long period of time to notice getting this step right.

5. Develop their stretching routine. They should do this for at least 30 minutes a day to help increase their flexibility, range of motion, and to reduce the possibility of injury. They should do this after any cardiovascular and strength training when the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are still warm and easier to stretch doing your cool-down process.

6. Your players should wear clothing during practice that includes layers so they can remove them when needed after they warm up. They could have hats on during drills if you are outside to avoid the sun on their faces. You could get Richardson hats in bulk. The Richardson 112 Hat are great for sports teams for practices.

7. Get your diet ready for tennis season. Complex carbohydrates should be loaded in the muscles where it will be ready for that long shot they need to win the match. Get your protein from lean cheese, yogurt, milk, and plant-based proteins (tofu, tempeh, and beans).  Get this after your practices to replace any muscle tissue that was torn during practice. Use water with electrolytes or beverages with electrolytes to get your fluid and minerals back.