Training Programs and Structure

In my last blog I talked about the competition aspects of the sport and the requirements to get to a reasonably high level in the Sport.
In this article I’d like to share what I think some of the tennis training requirements are to reach those levels.
First of all, let’s have a look at what training components are necessary to be able to play at a high national level.

These tennis training components include

1. On Court
2. Physical
3. Psychological / Competitiveness.

When thinking ON COURT work, this can be broken into many different sub components

Squad

Private Tennis Lessons

Hitting Sessions

Point Play / Set Play/ Match Play

Spanish Style (hand fed / ball fed) drills.

• High intensity / high volume
• Practice movement / footwork drills
• Work on specific shots or patterns of play
• Very physical – can be aerobic training
• Can be used for technical development

Serving and Return of Serve (ROS)

Learning your Trade

Players should watch 100 – 200 matches a year
Matches on TV or media outlets and live matches of quality players
Players should engage in the tactical / competitiveness aspects of the game and not individual strokes / shots.

Physical Development

• Movement skills
• Speed / Agility
• Tennis Specific Footwork

Core strength and Flexibility

Anticipation / perception and reaction

Strength / Power

Aerobic

While tennis is not a particularly big aerobic sport to train with intensity for long periods of time does require some aerobic work. I suggest some aerobic work be done in the earlier weeks of a training phase. This should increase as players get older and work at higher levels.

Body Management

• Testing / Assessment / Screening
• Prehab – generally stretching and specific work given via physio or exercise physiologist (injury prevention)
• Rehab – generally stretching and specific work given via physio or exercise physiologist (recovery exercises from past injury)
• Massage – generally for older players with large volumes of work to prevent muscle tightness which is a precursor to injury.

Volumes – How much work should each player be doing at what age.

Below is a guide for the volume of on court and off court work players should be doing if they wish to enjoy a reasonable amount of success in tennis.
Additional things to consider should include:
Training Age – how many years has a player been training in the past
Biological Age – players biological age and chronological ages are often different. For example a small player for their age may not do as much as a larger player of the same age. They are physically more developed.
The volumes and intensities should be managed well throughout a weekly load.
Should be part of a periodised development model. (training blocks and peaking for important events).

As always if you found this information interesting or helpful please share!