DO TENNIS BALL KEEPIE-UPS
These are great for perfecting your
technique and strengthening your arm
muscles. Hold your racket like a frying pan
and bounce the ball on it, with your palm up
(the forehand side). Then try the same with
palm down, which mimics the backhand
stroke. Keep the ball going for as many hits
as you can.
MAKE IT HARDER: Keep the ball
bouncing on the strings but alternating
palm up, palm down between bounces.TRY SHADOW SWINGS
Pretending to hit the ball is a great way to
get used to handling your racket, and will
also work your leg, arm and core muscles.
It’s also handy if you don’t have much
space. The key is not to swing too much –
keep it short and compact to improve your
control. Start with 30 forehands, 30
backhands and 30 serves.
MAKE IT HARDER: Introduce some
sideways and front/back movements to
mimic actual game play and boost your
heart rate.FIND A PRACTICE WALL
Hitting the tennis ball against a wall will
greatly improve your hand-eye coordination
and use most of your muscles at once.
Outside walls are ideal, and you can always
start by using a sponge ball to prevent any
marks. Start by standing quite close to the
wall and practise forehands, trying to
maintain consecutive shots with the ball
bouncing once after hitting the wall. Repeat
on your backhand side.
MAKE IT HARDER: Try some volleys
against the wall, ie no bouncing between
shots, which is a brilliant way to improve
your refl exes.COPY THE PROS
Learn by watching some pro tennis on TV or
online and study the different strokes and
movements of the best players. Then mimic
them yourself, copying their footwork as
you swing your racket in their style.
MAKE IT HARDER: Bring a ball into play,
trying your new moves against a wall or
with a friend.IMPROVE YOUR FOOTWORK
Being light on your feet and having the
ability to change direction speedily are
important parts of the game – make like the
pros and add skipping into your workout.
You can mix around different footwork
movements such as regular two feet
together jumps, one leg jumps or wide base
to narrow base jumps.
MAKE IT HARDER: Move in different
directions while keeping the rope going.
It’s great for co-ordination and will get
your heart pumping.START SERVING
Practising your serves is great for getting
your heart rate up, working your shoulder
and arm muscles, and improving
co-ordination. Plus, it’s so absorbing you
won’t notice the time slip by. Try this
outside. Start with a pile of balls beside you,
and place cones or other markers at
different distances from you. Now practise
trying to serve and hit the different targets,
as fast as you can.
MAKE IT HARDER: Position the cones
further away, and run ball girl-style
to retrieve them before starting your
next round. TSACE YOUR WORKOUT
Try these moves in your garden for fast fi tness benefi ts.
SWING OUT
SISTER!
Swingball is
handy if you don’t
have access to a
court, or someone
to play against.
Stand facing it
and aim to hit the
ball as hard as you
can in alternative
directions each
time it comes
round – aim for 50
on each side, for a
core and upper
body workout.
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