8 Essential Tennis Strength Training Exercises for 2025

While powerful groundstrokes and blistering serves often capture the spotlight, the true foundation of a dominant tennis game is built in the gym. Beyond simply hitting the ball harder, well-structured tennis strength training exercises are the key to unlocking superior court coverage, preventing injuries, and maintaining explosive power deep into the third set. It's about developing functional, sport-specific strength that translates directly into every forehand, volley, and split-step you make. This isn't just about lifting heavy weights; it's about building a resilient, athletic body engineered for the unique demands of tennis.

This guide moves beyond generic gym advice to provide a focused breakdown of the most impactful exercises for any serious player. We will explore eight essential movements, detailing not just how to perform them, but why they are critical for improving your on-court performance. You will learn the correct techniques for medicine ball throws, cable rotations, single-leg deadlifts, and more, complete with practical tips for integrating them into your routine. For a deeper dive into the broader advantages of lifting, consider exploring the science-backed benefits of strength training for long-term fitness goals. Get ready to transform your power, agility, and endurance.

1. Medicine Ball Throws: For Explosive Rotational Power

The kinetic chain in tennis is a masterpiece of coordinated movement, starting from the ground and culminating in explosive contact with the ball. Medicine ball throws are a cornerstone of effective tennis strength training because they directly mimic this energy transfer, specifically targeting the rotational power generated through the core and hips. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which often occurs in a single plane of motion, these throws train your body to generate force explosively through rotation, the very essence of a powerful forehand or serve.

How to Implement Medicine Ball Throws

To get the most out of this exercise, focus on technique over sheer weight. The goal is explosive speed, not just moving a heavy object.

• Rotational Side Throws: Stand sideways a few feet from a solid wall. Hold the medicine ball at your hip, away from the wall. In a fluid motion, rotate your hips and torso towards the wall, throwing the ball forcefully against it. Catch it on the rebound and immediately repeat. This directly simulates the rotational mechanics of your groundstrokes.
• Overhead Slams: This variation is fantastic for building serving power. Raise the ball high overhead, extending your body fully. Engage your core and lats to slam the ball down onto the ground just in front of your feet.

Pro Tip: Your arms should act as whips, not prime movers. The power must originate from your legs and core. Focus on a snappy, quick rotation to ensure you are training for speed, which is crucial for tennis.

Programming for Peak Performance

Incorporate medicine ball throws into your routine 2-3 times per week, typically on your power or dynamic effort days. They serve as an excellent warm-up to prime the nervous system before a match or as a primary power development tool in a gym session. Start with a lighter ball (2-4 kg) and perform 3-4 sets of 6-8 explosive reps per side. The emphasis should always remain on maximum velocity and perfect form.

2. Cable Rotations: For Controlled Rotational Strength

While medicine ball throws develop explosive power, cable rotations are essential for building the foundational strength and control that underpins every shot. A crucial element of any serious tennis strength training programme, cable exercises provide constant tension throughout the entire range of motion. This unique resistance profile helps strengthen the core, hips, and shoulders in a manner that directly translates to the controlled acceleration and deceleration required for precise, powerful groundstrokes and volleys.

How to Implement Cable Rotations

The versatility of the cable machine allows you to mimic the specific angles and heights of various tennis shots, from a low, slicing backhand to a high, kicking serve. Precision and control are paramount.

• Standing Cable Wood Chops: Set the cable anchor high. Stand sideways to the machine, grab the handle with both hands, and pull it diagonally down and across your body, rotating through your torso. This movement mirrors the mechanics of a forehand top-spin. Reverse the motion (low-to-high) to simulate a backhand or serve follow-through.
• Half-Kneeling Pallof Press: Kneel on one knee, perpendicular to the cable machine set at chest height. Hold the handle at your chest and press it straight out in front of you, resisting the cable's pull to twist you. This builds immense anti-rotational core stability, vital for maintaining balance during powerful shots.

Pro Tip: Focus on initiating the movement from your hips and core, not your arms. Keep your core braced and your posture strong to ensure the targeted muscles are doing the work, which builds the stability needed to unlock your ultimate tennis serve technique.

Programming for Peak Performance

Integrate cable rotations into your strength days, 2-3 times per week. They are perfect for building muscular endurance and control. Unlike explosive exercises, the focus here is on smooth, controlled movements. Choose a moderate weight that challenges you but allows for perfect form. Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions per side. By varying the speed from slow and controlled to fast and dynamic, you can train your body for every scenario on the court.

3. Single-Leg Deadlifts: For Unilateral Stability and Power

Tennis is a game played on one leg more often than two. Whether you are landing from a serve, stretching for a wide forehand, or planting to change direction, unilateral strength and stability are non-negotiable. Single-leg deadlifts are a foundational component of tennis strength training because they build a robust posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) while simultaneously challenging your balance and core, directly translating to on-court poise and power. This exercise corrects imbalances between your left and right sides, a crucial factor in injury prevention for a sport as one-sided as tennis.

How to Implement Single-Leg Deadlifts

Perfecting the movement pattern is more important than lifting heavy. The primary goal is to master the hip hinge on a single leg, which builds stability from the ground up.

• Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlifts: Begin by mastering the movement without any weight. Stand on one leg and focus on hinging at your hips, sending the non-standing leg straight back behind you. Keep your back flat and your hips square to the floor. Return to the starting position with control.
• Dumbbell/Kettlebell Variation: Once you have the bodyweight version down, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposite your standing leg. This contralateral loading further engages your core to resist rotation, mimicking the cross-body stability required for powerful groundstrokes.

Pro Tip: Keep your back straight by imagining a straight line from your head to the heel of your extended leg. To maintain balance, fix your gaze on a single point on the floor about a metre in front of you. Avoid opening up your hips.

Programming for Peak Performance

Integrate single-leg deadlifts into your strength sessions 1-2 times per week. They are best performed early in your workout after a thorough warm-up when your nervous system is fresh and can focus on balance and technique. Start with bodyweight only, performing 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg. As you progress, add a light weight and aim for 3-4 sets of 6-8 controlled reps on each side. The focus should always be on quality of movement, not quantity of weight.

4. Lateral Lunges: For Court-Dominating Agility and Injury Prevention

Tennis is a game of constant, explosive lateral movement. Players rarely run in a straight line; instead, they shuffle, slide, and lunge to reach wide shots. Lateral lunges are a fundamental component of any serious tennis strength training programme because they directly train the body in the frontal plane of motion, strengthening the exact muscles required for powerful side-to-side court coverage and rapid changes of direction. This exercise builds strength in the adductors (inner thighs) and abductors (glutes and hips), crucial for both power and stability when lunging for a wide ball.

How to Implement Lateral Lunges

Proper form is vital to target the correct muscles and prevent injury. The focus should be on controlled movement and hip mobility, not just moving heavy weights.

• Dumbbell/Goblet Lateral Lunge: Hold a dumbbell in each hand or a single dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest (goblet style). Step out to one side, keeping your trailing leg straight. Push your hips back and down as you bend your lunging knee, keeping your chest up and the weight over the heel of your bent leg. Powerfully push off that foot to return to the starting position.
• Bodyweight Lateral Lunge: This is the perfect starting point to master the movement pattern. Focus on achieving a deep stretch in your adductors and maintaining an upright torso before adding external load.

Pro Tip: Think about pushing your hips back as if you are sitting into a chair behind you, rather than just dropping straight down. This correctly engages your glutes and hamstrings and protects your knee joint. Always keep the toes of both feet pointing forward.

Programming for Peak Performance

Incorporate lateral lunges into your lower-body strength days, 1-2 times per week. They are particularly effective for building the foundational strength needed for advanced agility drills, making them a perfect complement to your on-court practice. You can discover essential tennis footwork drills that benefit directly from the strength built here. Start with bodyweight or light dumbbells, performing 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps per side. As you progress, you can increase the weight to build greater lateral strength and power.

5. Turkish Get-ups: For Total-Body Integration and Stability

A tennis player is a highly coordinated athlete, not just a collection of strong parts. The Turkish Get-up (TGU) is the ultimate exercise for integrating the entire body, building strength and stability from the ground up while moving through multiple planes of motion. This complex movement, which takes you from lying on your back to a standing position while holding a weight overhead, is a phenomenal tool for tennis strength training. It enhances shoulder stability, core control, and hip mobility, all of which are critical for injury prevention and fluid on-court movement.

How to Implement Turkish Get-ups

The beauty of the TGU is in its precision; every step is deliberate. Smooth, controlled movement is far more important than the weight being lifted.

• Kettlebell Turkish Get-up: The classic variation. Start by lying on your back and pressing a kettlebell towards the ceiling. Following a specific sequence of steps, you will roll to your elbow, then to your hand, lift your hips, sweep your leg through, and finally rise to a standing position, all while keeping the weight stable overhead. Reverse the sequence to return to the start.
• Partial Get-ups: If the full movement is too challenging, break it down. Practise moving from lying down to the seated position (on your hand) and back again. This partial range of motion still builds significant core and shoulder stability.

Pro Tip: Master the movement with just your bodyweight first. Film yourself or use a mirror to ensure each position is perfect. Your eyes should remain locked on the weight for the majority of the movement to help maintain balance and proper alignment.

Programming for Peak Performance

Given its complex nature, the TGU is best performed when you are fresh. Include it at the beginning of your strength sessions 2-3 times per week. The goal is not muscular failure but perfect execution. Aim for 2-4 sets of 1-3 slow, controlled reps on each side. The focus on stability and motor control makes it an exceptional exercise for developing the robust, interconnected strength needed to handle the demands of a gruelling tennis match.

6. Plyometric Push-ups: For Explosive Upper Body Pushing Power

The final, explosive push in a serve or the quick punch of a volley requires immense upper body power and reactive strength. Plyometric push-ups are a vital component of tennis strength training as they train the chest, shoulders, and triceps to produce maximum force in the shortest time possible. This type of training improves the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) in your upper body, allowing you to absorb and rapidly redirect force, which is essential for powerful serves and crisp, definitive volleys at the net.

How to Implement Plyometric Push-ups

The key to plyometrics is minimising ground contact time and maximising explosive effort. Before attempting these, ensure you have mastered standard push-ups with perfect form.

• Clap Push-ups: Perform a standard push-up, but on the upward phase, push off the ground with enough force to clap your hands together before landing softly back in the starting position. This is the classic plyometric push-up for developing explosive power.
• Depth Push-ups: Place your hands on two elevated, stable surfaces (like plyo boxes or stacks of weights). Drop down between them so your hands land on the floor, immediately absorb the impact, and explode back up to the starting position. This variation overloads the eccentric (lowering) phase to build incredible reactive strength.

Pro Tip: Focus on soft and controlled landings. Your wrists, elbows, and shoulders should absorb the impact smoothly. Crashing down negates the benefits and increases injury risk. The goal is a quick, spring-like action.

Programming for Peak Performance

Integrate plyometric push-ups early in your workout sessions, after your warm-up, when your central nervous system is fresh. Due to their high intensity, they should be performed 1-2 times per week. Aim for low-repetition sets to maintain maximum quality and explosiveness. Start with 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps, focusing on the height and speed of each push. As you advance, you can progress to more challenging variations, but never at the expense of technique or speed.

7. Split Squats: For Single-Leg Stability and Power

Tennis is a game played on one leg at a time, whether you're lunging for a wide ball, planting to hit an open-stance forehand, or pushing off to serve. Split squats are a fundamental component of any serious tennis strength training programme because they build unilateral (single-leg) strength and stability. This exercise directly addresses the imbalances that can develop from the sport's repetitive, asymmetrical movements, helping to fortify the body against injury while building the specific strength needed for powerful court coverage.

How to Implement Split Squats

Proper form is crucial to target the correct muscles and prevent strain on the knee joint. The focus should be on controlled, stable movement rather than just moving heavy weights.

• Dumbbell or Bodyweight Split Squats: Stand in a staggered stance, with one foot forward and one back, as if you've just taken a large step. Keeping your torso upright, lower your back knee straight down towards the ground until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the floor. Drive through your front foot to return to the starting position.
• Bulgarian Split Squats: This advanced variation increases the stability challenge and range of motion. Elevate your back foot on a bench or low box. This places even more load on the front leg, significantly increasing the demand on your glutes, quads, and stabiliser muscles.

Pro Tip: Keep around 80-90% of your weight on your front leg. The back leg is primarily for balance. Think of it as an elevator, moving straight up and down, rather than a lunge moving forwards.

Programming for Peak Performance

Integrate split squats into your strength days, 1-2 times per week. They are a primary lower-body movement, perfect for building foundational strength. For strength development, use a moderate weight (if using dumbbells) and aim for 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions per leg. For endurance, you can use just your bodyweight for higher reps (12-15). This exercise is a cornerstone of effective tennis strength training, enhancing your ability to move explosively and remain balanced in any on-court situation.

8. Shoulder External Rotations: For Injury Prevention and Endurance

The repetitive, high-velocity nature of the tennis serve and overhead shots places enormous strain on the shoulder joint. A critical component of any responsible tennis strength training programme is therefore dedicated work on the small, yet vital, rotator cuff muscles. Shoulder external rotations specifically target the infraspinatus and teres minor, the muscles responsible for decelerating the arm after a serve and maintaining shoulder stability. Strengthening these muscles is less about generating power and more about building the endurance and resilience needed to prevent common tennis injuries.

How to Implement Shoulder External Rotations

The key to this exercise is precision and control, not heavy weight. The focus should be on isolating the rotator cuff muscles through a full range of motion.

• Side-lying Dumbbell External Rotation: Lie on your side with your top arm bent at a 90-degree angle, elbow tucked into your side. Holding a very light dumbbell, slowly rotate your forearm upwards towards the ceiling without lifting your elbow from your body. Lower it back down with control.
• Standing Band External Rotation: Anchor a resistance band at elbow height. Stand sideways to the anchor point, grab the band, and bend your elbow to 90 degrees, keeping it pressed against your side. Pull the band by rotating your forearm outwards, away from your body.

Pro Tip: Keep your elbow pinned to your side at a 90-degree angle throughout the entire movement. If your elbow starts to move or you have to use momentum, the weight is too heavy. This is a finesse exercise, not a power lift.

Programming for Peak Performance

Given their role in stability and endurance, shoulder external rotations should be performed with light weights and high repetitions. Incorporate them 2-3 times per week, often as part of your warm-up or as a "finisher" at the end of your upper body sessions. Aim for 2-3 sets of 15-20 controlled repetitions per side, using a weight of just 1-3 kg. This consistent, low-intensity work is fundamental for long-term shoulder health and a durable tennis career.

Strength Training Exercises Comparison

Building Your On-Court Advantage, Rep by Rep

Moving from understanding theory to practical application is where real progress is made. This comprehensive guide has detailed eight foundational exercises, each meticulously selected to enhance a specific facet of your tennis performance. From the explosive power generated by Medicine Ball Throws to the stabilising control honed through Shoulder External Rotations, the path to a stronger, more resilient on-court presence is built on this type of targeted work. The key is no longer just training hard; it's about training smart.

The exercises we've explored, including Cable Rotations and Lateral Lunges, are not just random gym movements. They are tennis-specific tools designed to directly translate into on-court dominance. They build rotational power for ferocious groundstrokes, develop single-leg stability for agile court coverage, and create the endurance needed to outlast any opponent in a gruelling third set. Mastering complex movements like the Turkish Get-up doesn't just build full-body strength; it improves your kinetic chain efficiency, ensuring that the power you generate in your legs is seamlessly transferred through your core and into the racket.

Integrating Tennis Strength Training Exercises into Your Regimen

To truly harness the benefits of tennis strength training, you must move beyond simply performing these exercises and start integrating them into a cohesive programme. Here are your actionable next steps:

• Assess and Prioritise: Honestly evaluate your game. Do you need more explosive power off the mark, or do you fatigue in your shoulder during long matches? Use your self-assessment to decide which exercises to prioritise. For instance, if weak serves are a problem, focus on Plyometric Push-ups and Medicine Ball Throws.
• Structure Your Week: Dedicate two to three non-consecutive days per week to strength training. Avoid scheduling heavy leg days, like those focused on Split Squats and Single-Leg Deadlifts, the day before a competitive match to ensure your legs are fresh.
• Focus on Form Over Weight: The single most important principle is technique. Start with light weights, or even just your body weight, to master the form for each movement. Filming yourself can provide invaluable feedback. A perfectly executed Single-Leg Deadlift with a light kettlebell is infinitely more valuable than a poorly performed one with a heavy weight.
• Listen to Your Body and Fuel It Properly: Strength training breaks your muscles down so they can rebuild stronger. This process requires adequate rest and, crucially, proper nutrition. To truly maximise your on-court advantage, remember that recovery is just as vital as the workout itself. Explore effective post-workout recovery meals to optimise muscle repair and growth.

By systematically applying these principles, you transform your time in the gym from a chore into a strategic advantage. Every repetition becomes a building block for a more powerful serve, a quicker first step, and the stamina to win the final point with as much conviction as the first. This commitment to specialised tennis strength training is the investment that pays dividends in every match you play.

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