Exercises with medicine ball for improving my tennis swing

Great news: Schiavone is staying on the WTA tour and has signed on to the Australian Open and Marion Bartoli is coming out of retirement to return to the WTA tour next spring! I have always enjoyed watching both these players. I love their focus and determination in matches as well as their style of game, even though they have quite different styles. Bartoli has a similar style to Monica Seles, who I based my game on, so is another great example of how to play doubled-handed, as I do. She has a similar way of constructing points, I admire the way she creates great angles with explosive power and laser-guided accuracy! Schiavone has a style closer to Mauresmo (an amazingly creative player) and Monfils who I adore watching for his eye-popping leaps, and sheer athleticism. He reminds me of basketball players and I think is the best example of how to do the kind of explosive, elastic energy jumps I described in my previous post. He simply has to be the most entertaining player on the ATP tour!   

Speaking of focus. Maria Sharapova is the most intense player on the WTA tour and the following exercises are based on a video of her doing ball exercises.

Although I love many different types of exercise, I also specifically enjoy off-court strength and fitness training because I see it as symbiotic with on-court tennis training, rather than something separate from tennis. Looking upon off-court training as being part and parcel of playing tennis means I find it even more fascinating to learn about, think about and more rewarding to do because I can analyse the impact it has on my tennis technique, game, shot choice, athleticism on court as well as my match-play.

The following exercises help to improve my shot making and racquet swing. I use my weighted pilates-style softer medicine ball throughout these exercises. 

One: Standing facing a person, I throw the ball back and forth with them. After catching the ball, I continue with backswing while holding it then do a follow-through swing with it, releasing/throwing the ball at the ‘contact point’ ie at the point where I think I would hit a tennis ball with my racquet. I do this at waist height to begin with and try to keep my swing relaxed and controlled. I also use this time to focus my awareness on how the trajectory of my throw is related to the position my arms and body are in and how I use my body weight when I’m throwing the medicine ball. I do this to build mental awareness of how to control my swing and the direction and accuracy of my shots when I hit the tennis ball on court.

I develop the exercise above by trying to closely simulate how it feels to hit tennis balls on court so that it stays as similar as possible to situations I come across on court in practice and in matches. This is in order to develop physical and mental skills that will successfully transfer into better on-court performance.

Two: We (ie the person I’m throwing and catching the medicine ball with and I) start varying the height of the ball. First we do this predictably so it is less of a strain, first lower height around calf level, then hip height, then waist height, then chest height then shoulder height before reversing the order going from the highest to the lowest.

Three: We make the heights random so it is up to each of us to change the height on the spur of the moment, imitating the quick anticipation and reaction time you need on court against an opponent.

Four: we mix up the speed the ball is thrown.   

Five: I repeat the above four exercises but I have my back to the other person so have to turn round to receive and throw the ball.

During these exercises, I try to be aware how solid my leading leg feels during my swing – is it anchoring the swing giving good stability?

Six: I move my wrist with the same wrist actions I use for different spins to strengthen my wrist because it is always a weaker spot. A lot of tennis ball speed, whip, control and accuracy of ball placement as well as spins rely on the wrist even though it is a relatively small and physiologically complex area so prone to injury. 

As they say, don’t try this at home! I don’t want to be responsible for anyone injuring themselves. It’s important to see a qualified physical trainer first before embarking on an exercise regime or being too ambitious on a tennis court. Injuries happen all too easily. So take care and seek professional advice first.

But if you do try these exercises as part of your existing fitness regime do leave a comment below. Perhaps you can make further suggestions related to these exercises, I’d be interested to hear about them and try them!