Up Your Tennis Game With Resistance Bands

When you think of upping your tennis game, you might just be thinking about improving your serve. But the best players know that tennis is so much more than how hard or accurately you can swing a racket!

Not only is tennis an excellent upper body workout, but it also requires players to be light on their feet, has an excellent range of motion in all their joints, and have superb endurance when it comes to exercising. Therefore, to improve your tennis game, it’s not sufficient to simply focus on the arms.

With these awesome resistance band exercises, you’ll be able to strengthen the muscles throughout your body, so you can improve your tennis game as well as your overall fitness.

By adding resistance bands to your workout or training, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of a full-body workout without needing a complete gym. That way, you can train whenever or wherever your tennis career takes you.

Below, we’ll look at some of the absolute best resistance band exercises for tennis players. Although these workouts have been chosen with tennis in mind, anyone looking to improve their game (in any sport) or enhance their general fitness can benefit from these full-body exercises.

Resistance Band Exercises for Tennis Players

These exercises will work out the major muscles used in a game of tennis, improving your strength, flexibility, endurance, and agility.

1. Wrist and shoulder flexion

Perform this exercise on a chair, or use an exercise ball for a more thorough workout.

1. Hold the end of a band in one hand, palm facing the floor, forearm on your thigh.
2. Stand on the other end of the resistance band to secure it, ensuring there’s some tension in the band.
3. Slowly extend your wrist upwards towards your body. Hold, then slowly lower back down.
4. Repeat two sets of twenty reps.
5. Shift your grip so your palm is facing upwards, then repeat the movements for two more sets.
6. Switch hands and repeat.

2. Standing row

This standing exercise will work your upper body and core in addition to improving your balance and stability.

1. Stand with your legs in a staggered stance. Hold one end of the resistance band in each hand, elbows extended, then step your front foot in the center of the band.
2. Maintaining a straight back throughout, bend forward slightly at the hips.
3. Bend your elbow and pull against the resistance band in an upwards rowing motion. First - one arm, then - the other.
4. Hold the top position, then lower your arm back down, being careful not to move any other part of your body.
5. Repeat the rowing motion with the other arm.
6. Complete two sets of twenty reps on each side.

3. External shoulder rotation

Improve your shoulders’ and arms’ range of motion with this standing exercise.

1. Attach one end of the band to a sturdy anchor (for example, a heavy door).
2. Roll up a towel or blanket and place it under your upper arm (the one furthest away from the anchor). Bend your elbow so your forearm is out in front of the body; your upper arm should be gripping the towel close to your side.
3. Hold the end of the resistance band and pull outward, away from your body and the anchor. Be sure to keep your elbow pinning the towel to your body and your forearm parallel to the floor.
4. Hold at the extended point for two breaths, then use control to return to the starting position.
5. Complete two sets of twenty reps, then switch to the other side.

4. Low lunge

This low lunge exercise works out your lower body, core, and upper body thanks to the incorporation of resistance bands.

1. Start standing with one foot on the center of the resistance band.
2. Take one end of the band in each hand and pull your hands to your chest, elbows bent.
3. Take your other leg back, bending both knees to come into a low lunge: the thigh of your front leg and shin of the back leg should be parallel to the ground.
4. Keep your back straight, careful not to twist or collapse, as you return to a standing position.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Other exercises 

Treadmill training, pogo jumps, and deadlifts will also help up your tennis game by improving your endurance, speed, and agility.

You might also want to try circuit training. Aim for full-body workouts that require you to move in various ways for a thorough training session that will have you hitting harder, running faster, and returning more powerful serves immediately.

Up Your Tennis Game With Resistance Bands to Other Sports

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