Weekend workout: Short, sharp training

Without passion you will never reach your maximum physical potential. It simply cannot happen. Passion drives players to wake up every morning and do everything they can to better themselves and their game.

No matter how talented you are, keeping your tennis passion alive is as important as having a racquet to play with. Here are some challenges to help spice up your tennis fitness training.

These exercises will keep you challenged because each time you do them, you will be aiming to beat your scores from the previous session.

For some of these challenges you will need a stopwatch. Make sure you write down your results and keep them on record.

1. Half court sprint challenge
(Complete 4 sprints of 3-5 sets with 45 seconds rest between each set)

• Start by standing with both feet behind the baseline facing the net.
• Start the stopwatch and sprint as fast as you can towards the net.
• Touch the net with one hand and sprint back to the baseline, get one foot behind the baseline, then push off.
• Sprint forward towards the service line, get one foot over the service line.
• To finish the challenge turn and sprint back to the baseline.
• Time each set and keep a record of all scores.

2. Lateral shuffle challenge
(Complete 4 shuffles, 3-5 sets with 45 seconds rest between each set)

• Start by standing with one foot over the centre service line, facing the net. Start the stopwatch and following a lateral shuffle pattern move as quick as you can towards the outside singles service line.
• Place one foot over the line and move back in the direction you came from.
• Stop the stopwatch once you have completed four lateral shuffles each direction.
• Time each set and keep a record of all scores.

3. Court jump challenge
(Complete 3-5 sets with 1 minute rest between each set)

• Start by standing on the side of the court, facing the other side of the court, with both feet behind the sideline.
• Sit back into a squat position and get down to 90 degrees.
• From there, jump forward as far as possible, landing softly by bending your knees on impact.
• Stabilise and repeat the movement until you have jumped to the opposite side of the court.
• Make sure you count how many jumps it takes and record your score.

4. Racquet circle challenge
(Complete 5 circles, 4-6 sets, with 45 seconds rest between each set)

• Place your racquet on the ground. Stand at the handle end with toes behind the handle.
• From this position, start the stopwatch and move in a circle direction as fast as possible around the racquet, completing five full continuous circles. Stop the stopwatch after you have completed the five full circles.
• Make sure you remember to alternate each set, clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.
• Time each set and keep a record of all scores.

5. Full court sprint challenge

(Complete 30 laps, 1-2 sets with 3 minutes rest between each set)

• For this challenge it is best to take the net down or stand at the side of the court. Standing behind the baseline start the stopwatch and run down the other end of the court.
• Once you get there, place one foot over the baseline and run back and continue the pattern until you have completed 30 laps (15 each way).
• Pace yourself for this challenge – don’t start too quick but run at a steady pace and pick it up at the end.
• The aim is to do the 30 laps as fast as possible.
• Stop the stopwatch when finished and record your score.

Nathan and Giselle Martin, of Tennis Fitness, have been in the health and fitness industry for 20 years. They travelled on the WTA Tour for numerous years and also worked at the Sanchez Casal Tennis Academy in Barcelona, Spain. They’ve worked with Sam Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jennifer Capriati, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Monica Seles, Martina Navratilova and Lleyton Hewitt. For further information and for previous month’s articles, visit tennisfitness.com.

This article first appeared in Australian Tennis Magazine.