Medicine Ball for Tennis Training

Have you ever used a medicine ball for tennis training? Chances are you may have, but you may not have been sure if what you were doing was beneficial or not.

If that was the case, don’t worry you are not alone! In fact, we have heard from many players, coaches, and parents asking what are the best tennis medicine ball exercises to do. We will give you a few examples later in the blog.

First, let’s look at what medicine balls are and check out the benefits of using them in your tennis strength and conditioning programming.  

Medicine balls are weighted balls, so they are heavier than say a soccer or sports ball. The weight range varies from .5kg to 15kg. Generally, the heavier the ball, the bigger the ball.  

Medicine ball for tennis training has many benefits some of these include; Strength, Explosive Power, Balance, Cardio Vascular Conditioning (Fitness), and Coordination. 

As a tennis fitness trainer what I believe to be the most important benefit of using a medicine ball for your tennis training is the tennis specificity, you can utilize using a medicine ball.

Given the nature of the game, players need to be strong, flexible, balanced, and powerful through many movements and at different extended ranges. Medicine ball for tennis training enables players to work on and improve these aspects using one piece of equipment in pretty much any location.

When using medicine balls to enhance your tennis performance there are a few things you need to understand in order to get it right and most importantly not injure yourself. 

Medicine Ball for Tennis Training 

• Correct weight –Use a ball that’s too heavy and there is a good chance you will injure yourself. Use a ball that’s too light and your gains will be minimal. As a basic guide start out using a medicine ball that is 2%-5% of your body weight in kilograms, e.g if a player weighs 60kg, they would start using a ball that weighs up to 3kg. Players over 16 years of age can start to use a ball at 5%-8% of their body weight if they can stick with the other guidelines below.
  
  
• The right type of ball - Some medicine balls are designed to bounce, and others are not. I highly recommend a ball that bounces so you can utilize it for multiple exercises (I will show you some in a moment).
  
  
• Technique – As our team at Tennis Fitness say “Technique is king” so make sure you are following the right advice and programming when doing medicine ball for tennis training. This is important to get right in order to keep yourself injury free!
  
  
• Programming – With any tennis training plan you need to be following tennis-specific programming. This is the safest and most beneficial way to train for tennis. Do not just do what you see on social media or what someone with no experience tells you to do, sorry but it won’t work as effectively as you need.  

Let’s now look at some medicine ball exercises so you can get an understanding of how to specifically use them to help improve your tennis.

Please note these exercises are examples and intended for you as an educational tool.

Over the years we have had many requests for a medicine ball program specific for tennis players. To learn how to fully utilize medicine ball training and follow a tennis-specific program. A program that teaches you how to choose the right medicine ball, teaches you how to perform the exercises with perfect technique, and a program that has the right amount of sets and repetitions, then click here, I have created it for you!

Getting tennis training right is challenging, but by reading blogs like this and educating yourself you are one step closer to reaching your potential. I always encourage players, coaches, and parents to follow plans and programming that are developed by tennis experts, with experience. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.

We are here for you, every day in many ways. So reach out when you are ready.

P.S We haven't launched the new medicine ball program to the public yet.....we are only offering our community access to this program. To find out more about our new medicine ball tennis training program go here. 

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