74    Complete Conditioning for Tennis

First Step
The first step toward the ball is the most important. The split step helps
you overcome resting inertia (remember Newton’s first law from physics
class). Certainly, recognition of where the ball is going and subsequently
initiating movement in that direction as quickly as possible helps the
player get from point A to point B faster. Tennis along the baseline is
often a series of glide steps, with an occasional crossover step when chang-
ing directions. However, when absolute speed is needed (for example,
when your opponent hits a drop shot), an explosive first step becomes
vital to quick movement. You can test your short-distance speed with a
20-Yard Dash test (see chapter 3). First-step explosiveness requires good
lower-body power, which also allows a player to accelerate and deceler-
ate quickly.

Agility Training
Agility, quite simply, is the ability to change direction efficiently. In a
typical match, players need to make more than four directional changes
per point, making agility a critical component for being able to move
efficiently and get into position to hit the ball. Agility not only requires
the muscular strength and power to decelerate and then accelerate in a
different direction, but it also depends on flexibility and balance. Great
movers typically have great agility and a diverse athletic background that
allows them to develop kinesthetic awareness of how the body can move
in balance.
The great thing about movement and agility drills is that they often can
be integrated into on-court training time and do not necessarily require
separate training time. Several tennis-specific drills are included in this
chapter.
As you would do with any drill that draws heavily on strength and
power, perform these drills when your muscles are fully rested. This means
taking appropriate rest between sets and doing these types of exercises at
the start of a training session before muscles become fatigued. Quality is
more important than quantity.
Maintain peak intensity. If you start to fatigue or you see a drop in
intensity, stop the drill or give yourself more rest between efforts. For
many people, this may mean performing a drill for only 5 seconds. More
advanced players strive to do the exercises outlined in this chapter for 10
to 20 seconds while maintaining technique and explosiveness.
   Agility and Footwork    75

AGILITY DRILLS

Lateral Alley Drill DVD
Focus: Improve movement, agility, and footwork; improve tennis-specific
conditioning when done multiple times or with other agility and move-
ment drills.
Procedure
1. Start outside the doubles sideline facing the net (figure 5.2a).
2. Shuffle (side step) into the court, getting both feet over the singles
sideline (figure 5.2b).
3. Quickly reverse direction and shuffle (side step), getting both feet
over the doubles sideline (figure 5.2c).
4. Repeat this side-to-side movement pattern for 10 to 20 seconds.
Variation: Perform the drill while holding a racket. Hold the racket in the
dominant hand as if you were playing a point.

a b c

Figure 5.2
 76    Complete Conditioning for Tennis

DVD Forward and Backward Alley Drill
Focus: Improve forward and backward movement, agility, and footwork.
Procedure
1. Start outside the doubles sideline, facing into the court (figure
5.3a).
2. Run into the court, getting both feet over the singles sideline (figure
5.3b).
3. Quickly reverse direction and backpedal, getting both feet over the
doubles sideline (figure 5.3c).
4. Maintain good body position: head up, upper-body straight, and
knees slightly bent. Do not run with your weight on your heels when
moving backward.
5. Repeat for 10 to 20 seconds.

a b c

Figure 5.3

DVD Lateral Cone Slalom
Focus: Improve lateral movement, agility, and footwork.
Procedure
1. Line up 10 to 12 cones along the baseline about a yard (0.9 meter)
apart.
2. Start at one end of the cones, facing the net.
  Agility and Footwork    77

3. Slalom (weave) through the cones

P
using small adjustment steps, •
moving slightly diagonally forward Start
and backward until you reach the
end of the cones (figure 5.4).
4. Facing the net, shuffle (side step)
back to the starting position and
repeat.
5. Repeat from the other side of the
line.

Figure 5.4

Forward and Backward Cone Slalom
E3841/Roetert/fig.5.5/283405/alw/r1 DVD
Focus: Improve forward and backward movement, agility, and footwork.
Procedure
1. Line up 10 to 12 cones along the baseline about a yard (0.9 meter)
apart.
2. Start at one end of the cones, facing the cones (across the width of
the court).
3. Weave through the cones using small sideways adjustment steps,
moving forward slightly diagonally until you reach the end of the
cones.
4. Backpedal through the cones to the starting position and repeat.

Spider Run
Focus: Improve movement, agility, and footwork.
Procedure
1. Start at the center mark on the baseline, facing the net.
2. Turn and sprint right to the corner formed by the baseline and the
singles sideline (figure 5.5). Decelerate and touch the corner with
your foot.
3. Sprint back to the center mark, maintain control, and touch it with
your foot.
4. Sprint to the corner formed by the right singles sideline and the service
line. After regaining control, touch the corner and sprint back to the
center mark.
 78    Complete Conditioning for Tennis

5. Next sprint to the T and back to the center 1 P 5

mark.
6. Then sprint to the corner formed by the
left singles sideline and the service line. 2 4
7. Finally, sprint to the corner formed by the 3
left singles sideline and the baseline.
8. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat in the other
direction.
Variations
• Pick up a tennis ball at each station
and return it to the center mark on the
baseline.
• Simulate a shot at each station. Simulate
Figure 5.5
all forehands, all backhands, or a combina- E3841/Roetert/fig.5.6/283406/alw/r1
tion, for example, forehand when moving
right, backhand when moving left.

DVD Cross Cones
Focus: Improve movement, agility, and footwork.
Procedure
1. Place cones A and B about 5 yards (4.5
meters) apart on the service line so that
the center service line (or T) is in the
middle of cones A and B (figure 5.6). D
2. Place cone C about 4 yards (3.6 meters)
from the T on the center service line. A P B
3. Place cone D 6 to 7 yards (5.5 to
6.4 meters) from the T closer to the
baseline.
C
4. Start at the T, facing the net.
5. Shuffle (side step) between cones A and
B three to five times then sprint to cone
C on a command from the coach. Figure 5.6
6. At cone C, maintain control, turn and E3841/Roetert/fig.5.7/283407/alw/r1
sprint to cone D.
7. After decelerating and regaining control, turn and sprint to the T.
8. Resume shuffling between cones A and B.
9. Repeat for 10 to 20 seconds.
Variation: Perform the drill with a racket in your hand. Hold the racket in
the dominant hand as if you were playing a point.