12 tennis workouts for different skill levels

“It’s not an accident that great athletes are often called ‘naturals,’ because they can, in performance, be totally present: they can proceed on instinct and muscle-memory and autonomic will such that agent and action are one,” wrote legendary writer, David Foster Wallace, with the conviction of someone who grew up playing and competing in the sport. Watch Iga Świątek play for just a few minutes. And it’s easy to see why she’s called a natural. At the other end of the spectrum, Zendaya embodied the role of a convincing pro-tennis player in the box-office hit Challengers, proving that – with the right coaching – ‘natural talent’ is a skill that can be learned.

The real secret to improving on-court performance may be as simple as practice. Strength and conditioning expert Gabriel Echevarria, who trained American tennis prodigy Ben Shelton, says, “Physical capacities predispose, but they do not determine the outcome in tennis. Because in the end, skills matter.” He promotes “microdosing” in your tennis workout plan – targeting flexibility, aerobic endurance or force production in brief daily sessions. This focused approach maximizes strength gains and conditioning benefits, even within a limited time, so you can get the most out of your tennis exercises. Moroccan tennis star Reda Bennani echoes this view. “You need to be good at agility, cardio and strength. If you're agile and quick but don’t have endurance, you need to work on both to play at a good level and intensity.”

But none of this matters if you're hurt. Tennis comes with risks — shoulder tendonitis, elbow strains — so injury prevention is key. Focusing on pulling exercises over pushing and incorporating external shoulder rotation work can help balance the muscles. “Everything I’m doing is to be fit and prevent injuries,” Bennani says, noting that he takes ice baths up to three times a week and gets regular massages to keep a knee injury at bay. While you might not have the same access to facilities and trainers as a pro, you can still train your instincts and muscle memory to boost your game and presence on the court. 

Here are 12 expert-recommended tennis workouts to help you get there. 

To set yourself up for on-court success, start with warm-ups that target flexibility, core activation and dynamic movement. “In our warm-up routines, we always include flexibility or mobility exercises early,” says Julia Stusek, the rising tennis talent from Germany. These exercises help loosen muscles and improve joint range of motion. It’s also important to focus on ankle stability to avoid ankle sprains. Currently, Stusek focuses on “activation for the glutes” rather than weight-based exercises. By incorporating body-weight exercises into your warm-up, you can protect your joints and tendons from overuse and reduce injury risk. 

To prepare for tennis’ unpredictable, multidimensional demands, consider adding squats and rotational lunges to your warm up routine.

Forward lunge

Start your warm-up with forward lunges for a dynamic challenge. Focus on activating your glutes and quads to prepare your body for the workout ahead.  

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward. Engage your core for stability.

2. Step forward with one foot, keeping your balance, and land on your heel. 

3. Bend both knees, lowering your body until your front knee is directly over your ankle and forms a 90-degree angle. Keep your knee behind your toes. 

4. Push off with your front foot to return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. 

Aim for 10–12 reps per leg. For extra stabilization, place your hands on your hips. For more of a challenge, hold a medicine ball and rotate your torso over the front leg.

Lateral lunge

Tennis involves frequent side-to-side movements and quick changes in direction – putting strain on muscles if they’re not properly activated. The lateral lunge targets the glutes, quads and inner thigh muscles, stabilizing the legs and hips for better control during lateral shifts on court. It also boosts hip mobility and strengthens the ankle and knee joints, reducing injuries. 

1. Step to the side with your right foot, keeping your toes pointed forward and both feet flat on the floor. 

2. Send your hips back, shifting your weight into your right heel as you bend your right knee. Keep your left leg straight and chest lifted. Extend your arms forward balance. 

3. Drive your right heel to push back to the starting position.

4. Repeat. Switch sides and perform the same movement on your left. 

Aim for 10–12 reps on each side.  

Hip dynamic flexor stretch

This stretch improves hip flexibility, which is vital for tennis movements like lunging and sprinting while boosting overall mobility and stability on the court.

1. Kneel on the floor with your left foot flat in front and right knee on the ground. Engage your core and keep your torso tall for stability. 

2. Lean back, sliding your right knee until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. 

3. Squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward. Bring your torso and hips closer to your left foot.

4. Slightly tuck your pelvis to create a tilt and deepen the stretch. Breathe. 

Hold this pose for 10–15 seconds on each side. Repeat two to three times. 

Spiderman crawl

This dynamic exercise targets hip mobility, flexibility, and balance – all essential for quick, agile tennis movements. Echevarria is a “huge fan of spiderman crawls” for activating muscles that give you more control and power during play.

1. Start in a high plank position with your arms straight, shoulder-width apart and core tight. 

2. Step your right foot forward and outside your right hand. Keep your left palm on the ground. 

3. Lift your right arm and rotate toward your front leg. 

4. Return to plank, stepping your right foot back to meet the left. 

5. Repeat on the other side. 

Aim for two to three sets of 10 reps. Can’t step your foot to your hand? No problem – keep your back leg straight and bend your knee if needed.  

Box jumps are all about generating power from your legs. “All the power on the court comes from the legs. The shoulder and the arm are just a consequence of all the power you generate from the ground,” explains Echevarria. "Box jumps have great benefits for acceleration. If an athlete can jump higher, they’ll be able to accelerate much faster."  This powerful move directly impacts your serve and acceleration; the higher you jump, the more force you apply. This mimics the energy needed for a serve and taps into the kinetic chain – transferring force from the ground through your body to your racket. 

1. Meet yourself where you are. Choose a box height you're comfortable with and increase the height as you improve.

2. Stand with feet hip-width apart, swing your arms forward as you jump and use the balls of your feet to propel upward. 

3. Land softly on the top of the box with a slight knee bend. Use your momentum to control the movement. 

4. Stand tall, then bend your knees and send your hips back to maintain posture.

5. Make adjustments. For beginners, step off the box to land safely. You can also start with a softer, lower plyometric box to build confidence and protect your shins from banging during the jump. If you're already a pro, jump right off.

Start with three to four sets of five to 10 reps. Adjust based on your fitness level and the height of the box. Remember, form over height. This will reduce injury and maximize your power output. 

Calf raises are crucial for generating power and reducing ground contact time. "A chain breaks from the weakest link," says Echevarria, and the calf plays an important role in building ankle stiffness to prevent injuries, especially Achilles issues. They’re also a great warm-up. 

Echevarria recommends doing calf raises barefoot to activate your foot’s intrinsic muscles to build ankle stability, which is key to avoiding sprains. "You see a lot of ankle sprains, so ankle strength should be part of any routine," he adds. Calf raises target the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, improving lower leg strength, ankle mobility and power – essential for tennis performance.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, toes forward.

2. Push into the balls of your feet, lifting onto your tiptoes. 

3. Lower back to start and repeat. 

Aim for two to three sets of 12–15 reps. You can also modify this exercise by holding onto a wall for balance, standing on an unbalanced surface or adding ankle weights to increase intensity.

“It’s not enough just to train up and down,” Echevarria explains. “Because [tennis] moves laterally too. You need to train front and back, side to side and rotational.” The dumbbell crossover step-up is an effective way to train specific angles of force production that tennis already demands. “It’s a jackpot exercise,” he says. This move mimics the crossover step after a shot, improving glute, quad and hamstring strength while enhancing hip mobility, flexibility and balance. Add dumbells (or weights), and you increase the load and angle of resistance, which helps with injury prevention. 

1. Stand next to a sturdy platform, dumbbells in hand at your sides.  

2. Cross one foot over in front of your other leg and step onto the platform. 

3. Press your foot into the platform, push up until both legs are straight and stand fully on the box. 

4. Engage your core for stability and squeeze your glutes to lift with control. 

5. Step back down into the starting position. Ensure your leg on the box is doing the work. Keep your knee stable and prevent it from caving inward. 

6. Switch sides and repeat.  

Start with two to three sets of 10–12 reps on each leg, gradually increasing intensity. 

Lateral bounds, or ‘skater jumps,’ are fundamental for tennis because they mimic the side-to-side movement on the court. “Applying strength laterally is critical for recovery and lateral court runs,” says Echevarria. This exercise boosts ankle stability, groin strength and targets muscles used in squats (quad, core, hamstrings and glutes) while adding stress to support progressive overload and generate more power.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your body turned sideways. 

2. Lower into a half-squat to engage your hamstrings and core. 

3. Push off one leg (right foot) and leap laterally to land on the opposite foot (left). 

4. Jump fluidly from side to side, landing softly on the outside of your foot. Maintain a fluid, continuous movement.

5. Pause briefly on each landing to ensure stability.  

Start with five jumps per side (ten total), gradually increasing reps. Add weight for extra intensity, but keep it secure and balanced (like if you’re using a fitted rucksack) to avoid disrupting your stability and range of motion.

The box drill is a favorite full-body exercise for tennis players. It mimics boxing footwork but improves tennis with its focus on lateral movement. “It's are about hiding your strikes, not showing what you’re going to do, but doing it. It’s about attack and defense,” says Echevarria. While tennis might seem upper-body focused, power comes from the hips and the ground. This drill boosts footwork, quick direction changes and lateral agility – all indispensable for dominating the court.  

1. Set up a square with four cones about five feet apart. 

2. Stand in the center with feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent. 

3. Shuffle forward to the first cone (front-left corner), staying low and light on your feet. 

4. Move sideways to the second cone, keeping your body square. 

5. Souffle backward to the third cone, maintaining athletic posture. 

6. Shuffle sideways to the final cone, then return to the center. 

7. Repeat for 30–60 seconds, focusing on quick, controlled movements.

As you improve, increase intensity and speed. You can also add tennis-specific movements like a simulated forehand or backhand swing at each cone.

The goblet squat is a foundational exercise that targets your back, glutes and quads while preventing injury. This move strengthens the kinetic chain by challenging your core, holding weight in front of you. Add rotation or more weight to make it tennis-specific.  

1. Hold a kettlebell (placing hands at the bottom of the bell) or dumbbell vertically in front of your chest (with both hands underneath the top of the weight). 

2. Keep the weight close to your chest, aligning your knees with your toes. 

3. Inhale and squat back into your hips, keeping your core tight and torso upright.   

4. As you lower, your elbows will track between your knees while the weight follows. But don’t touch. 

5. Drive your heels to return up to the starting position. Keep your feet flat. 

Start with two to three sets of 10–15 reps. Adjust based on your fitness level.

Pistol squats are a unilateral exercise that challenges balance and builds strength on one leg at a time. They require a deep range of motion, especially at the ankle, so warm up and focus on form. This exercise works the glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads, core and hip flexors, which are key for tennis and quick direction changes on the court.  

1. Stand shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.  

2. Engage your core, keeping your shoulders over your hips and your head neutral. Tuck your chin. 

3. Lift one foot slightly off the ground, distributing weight evenly on your standing leg. 

4. Reach your arms forward as you bend the standing leg, keeping the floating leg straight.  

5. Lower as deep as you can, keeping the extended leg parallel to the floor. 

6. Pause at the bottom, then press through your standing foot to rise.  

Aim for three to five sets of one to five reps on each leg.

The cable rotation targets the core – obliques, rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis – by working rotational and anti-rotational strength. For tennis, it builds rotational power for stronger swings, boosting stability and control on court. It also strengthens torso muscles that stabilize during fast, dynamic movements, reducing injury risk and improving performance. Bennani emphasizes the importance of gym work to complement on-court skills: “If you want to improve your serve, you also need to strengthen your upper body in the gym.” Add this exercise to target twisting and resisting forces.  

1. Attach a handle to the cable machine at chest height.

2. Stand side-on to the machine with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, holding the handle with both hands. Rotate your torso toward the machine, shifting weight onto the leg closest to it. 

3. Twist your upper body away from the machine, bringing the handle across your body to the opposite side, shifting your weight onto your other leg. 

4. Keep your arms straight and engage your core to power the movement. 

5. Slowly reverse the motion with control. Repeat the desired number of reps on both sides. 

Aim for two to three sets of 10–12 reps. If you don’t have access to a cable machine and want to perform this exercise, use a resistance band to a fixed point. 

The one-arm medicine ball throw builds rotational strength, targeting the shoulders, triceps and core for more power in serves and overheat shots. Stusek uses the medicine ball throw to work her triceps and shoulder power for a stronger serve. 

1. Grab a medicine ball that you feel comfortable throwing. Use a weight that’s light enough to maintain good technique throughout and avoid fatigue. 

2. Stand facing a wall, feet shoulder-width apart. For more power, step into a slight lunge.

3. Hold the ball in your right hand, then lift it above your head and inhale.

4. Exhale, then throw the ball forcefully toward the wall while stepping into a lunge. 

5. Focus on generating speed and power through your core and triceps. 

6. Catch the ball or retrieve it, reset and repeat.

Aim for 10 reps and three to four sets. Switch sides and repeat with the other arm to avoid muscular imbalances. 

As you near the end of the workout, finish strong with line drills — perfect for boosting anaerobic capacity on tired legs. Stusek likes to end her sessions with high-intensity sprints, favoring the Cloudsurfer for a cushioned feel and THE ROGER Pro Clay for support on clay courts.  

1. Set up cones or markers in a safe area to create intervals where you’ll change direction. 

2. Sprint as fast as you can to the first line, touch the ground and then pivot back to your starting point. 

3. Continue to the next line or marker, touching it and going further each time. 

4. Finish by sprinting to the furthest cone, touching it and sprinting back to start.  

Aim to complete each set in one minute. Rest for one minute in between each set. Start with two to three sets but aim for four to five sets to increase endurance. 

To wrap up your workout, head to a stable overhead pull-up bar for hanging knee raises. This move targets your abs, obliques and hip flexors — one of the best full-body ab exercises out there. It strengthens the anterior core and hip flexors for the acceleration phase in tennis and decompresses the spine, providing relief after heavy squats.  

1. Grab the bar (use a stool if needed) and hang with your legs directly below you. Keep your core tight.  

2. Engage your abs and curl your pelvis up, lifting your knees toward your chest.  

3. Focus on rolling through each vertebra, not just hinging at the hips.  

4. Control the descent and repeat. 

Aim for three sets of 10–15 reps.

These pro-approved workouts are yours to tailor — build agility, endurance or power on the court. For extra support during high-intensity drills, THE ROGER Pro 2 keeps up with your every pivot and sprint. Remember, tennis fitness is about more than just one area – strength, conditioning and mobility are all key to leveling up your game and preventing injury. Need tennis gear? We’ve got you. 

Get the answers you need to elevate your tennis workouts, boost performance and stay injury-free on the court.  

How often should I do tennis workouts? 

For effective training, aim for three essential areas each week: strength/power, conditioning and mobility/stretching. Strength exercises, performed two to three times weekly, should target full-body movements that mimic tennis demands, like lunges and rotational moves with a medicine ball. "Incorporating balance and rotational movement into strength exercises better aligns with tennis’s physical demands," says Echevarria.

For conditioning, focus on high-intensity interval training to work anaerobic capacity, with some lower-intensity aerobic sessions to aid recovery. Finally, add a flexibility or mobility session, like yoga, for deep stretching. You can split these sessions throughout the week or combine them – like pairing a strength workout with a yoga cooldown – for a well-rounded tennis workout routine. 

Are bodyweight exercises effective for tennis?

Absolutely; bodyweight exercises build strength and body control for tennis. Movements like lunges, squats, push-ups and pull-ups create a solid fitness foundation while improving overall athletic performance.

To make them tennis-specific, add a medicine ball for a rotating squat to target the core, or use a ball during push-ups to boost shoulder stability. With minimal equipment, these exercises can closely mimic tennis movements, making them a game-changer in your training routine.

How can I prevent injuries while doing tennis workouts? 

To prevent injuries during tennis workouts, prioritize a solid warm-up and cool-down, especially for your shoulders. Incorporating what Echevarria calls a "housekeeping routine" with shoulder bands is a must to protect your rotator cuff from strain caused by repetitive rotations.

Spend five to 10 minutes activating and stabilizing shoulder muscles with internal rotations before each session. This simple routine boosts shoulder resilience, keeping you injury-free whether you're a pro or just starting out.