Tennis & Yoga retreat in Croatia: Girls getaway

Tennis exercises for recreational players include a series of basic techniques and conditioning exercises that help improve game skills, endurance and agility. Here are some basic types of exercises:

Warming up

Jumps from side to side: Improve lateral agility which is crucial in tennis.

Circular hand movements and stretching of the shoulder girdle: They prepare the shoulders and arms for punches.

Short sprints: Encourage quick reactions and footwork.

Exercises for technique

Forehand and backhand shots: Repeat basic shots with a partner or using the wall. The focus is on proper swing, body position and ball control.

Serve: Practice the initial serve, especially the release technique and swing. Target different parts of the field.

Volleyball: Do exercises with a partner online. This helps to be more responsive and improve accuracy online.

Footwork

Lateral steps (shuffle): They help when moving in lateral directions and increase stability.

Cross steps (cross-step): Crossing the legs during movement allows you to cover the ground faster.

Sprint back and forth: Increases reaction speed and explosiveness when coming to the net and returning to the baseline.

Fitness exercises

Short interval sprints: Improve cardiorespiratory endurance and explosiveness.

Exercises with a rope (jump rope): They develop quick reflex movements in the legs.

Stands (plank) and sit-ups: They strengthen the center of the body and contribute to stability during strikes.

Precision exercises

Targeting markers on the court: Place the cones on certain parts of the court and try to hit them with different shots (forehand, backhand).

Racket and ball work: Practice controlling the ball by hitting it lightly against the wall or into your partner’s hand to get a feel for the power of the shot.

Final stretching

Stretching your legs, arms and trunk after training will help muscle recovery and reduce the risk of injury.

These exercises help recreational players to gradually improve their technique, agility and fitness, which will lead to improved play and greater enjoyment on the field.

Technique drills in tennis are key to developing precision, strength and consistency in your game. Here are basic drills to help recreational and advanced players perfect their shots:

Forehand

Forehand along the line: Practice hitting along the line (along the edge of the court). The goal is to hit the ball along the sideline to be as accurate as possible.

Forehand diagonally: Hit the ball diagonally towards your partner or towards a certain part of the court. This exercise develops a sense of movement and positioning.

Cone drill: Place cones on the opposite side of the court as targets and try to hit them with your forehand. This helps with the accuracy and direction of the shot.

Backhand

One-handed and two-handed backhand: Depending on which style you use, repeat the backhand shot on the wall or with a partner. Work on proper swing and body usage.

Backhand along the line: Focus on hitting the ball along the line using the backhand, which develops accuracy and a sense of depth.

Backhand diagonally: As with the forehand, practice the backhand diagonally towards the opponent’s side.

Volley

Volley with a partner on the net: Pass with a partner on the net using quick and short shots. It helps to develop reflexes and reaction speed.

Volley along the line and diagonally: Practice the accuracy and control of the volley towards certain parts of the court, especially along the line and diagonally.

Hand technique: Direct your punches by focusing on wrist strength and stability, which helps stabilize the punch.

Service

Practice serving accuracy: Place cones or cones in different positions in the service court (right, left, middle) and aim them during the serve.

Serve with rotation (kick and slice): Try to hit the ball with rotation to develop different types of serves. A slice serve has lateral rotation, and a kick serve has vertical rotation, which makes the ball more difficult to return.

Repeated serves: Practice serving by repeatedly hitting the same position to get a sense of consistency.

Smash

Smash with a partner: Your partner throws the ball high, and you focus on hitting the court accurately.

Smash into a specific part of the court: Determine the part of the court where you want to place the ball when smashing and try to hit it.

Backward Smash: Practice smashing while stepping back, which is useful in situations where you need to hit a high ball off the baseline.

Lob

Lob drills towards cones: Place targets in the depth of the field and try to hit them with the lob, to get a feel for the height and power of the shot.

Defensive lob: Practice the lob as a defensive shot against attackers at the net. The goal is to send the ball high into the opponent’s field, away from the net.

Attacking lob: Hit the ball high but accurate, aiming to pass the opponent who is in the net.

Each of these exercises can be adapted to the individual level of play. With focused practice, you can improve the control, precision and technique of all tennis strokes.

Tactical exercises in tennis help players better understand and apply strategies on the court, improve decision-making and respond more successfully to different match situations. Here are some exercises that help develop tennis tactics:

Controlling the tempo of the game

Rhythm change exercise: During the game with your partner, alternate punches with a strong and slower tempo. The goal is to learn to control the speed of the game and adapt to the opponent’s pace.

Alternate playing deep and short shots: Practice sending the ball to the baseline and then sending a short shot close to the net. This helps to confuse the opponent and force him to constantly change his position on the court.

Diagonal game

Diagonal court control: In this exercise, you hit the ball only diagonally, avoiding hitting the lines. This tactic helps players open up the court and prevent the opponent from establishing a stable position.

Playing diagonally, finishing on the line: At the beginning of the shift, use diagonal shots to “draw” the opponent from the center of the court, then try to finish the shift with a shot on the line.

Attacking the opponent’s weak points

Weaker Shot Drill: If your partner has a weaker forehand or backhand, aim for that side to force them into an error or weaker return. Practice directing the ball towards a certain side of the opponent.

Inducing position changes: Force your partner to constantly change sides, using a combination of forehand and backhand, to test his weaker shots under pressure.

Movement towards the net (serve-and-volley)

Exercise for serving and going to the net: Serve and then immediately move towards the net for the volley. The exercise helps develop a sense of timing and the ability to attack from the net.

Attacking Volley: After the first volley, keep applying pressure by playing aggressively and hitting net shots. The goal is to develop the tactics of closing the space for the opponent’s return.

Defensive game

Defensive baseline shots: Practice returning hard shots from deep by hitting the ball high with top-spin shots, forcing your opponent to play defensively.

Play it safe: During innings, aim all shots towards the middle of the field with an emphasis on consistency and safety, avoiding risk. This is useful at times when you want to reduce errors.

Building points

Preparing the final shot: Work to prepare the position for the final shot through several changes. For example, first play a few diagonal shots to open up the court, then finish the inning with a strong line drive.

Combination shots: Pair a forehand shot with a backhand or volley to learn to vary the game and create chances to finish points.

Play against different styles

Practice against an attacking player: Ask your partner to play aggressively (serve and volley, strong shots) and adjust your tactics. The goal is to develop the ability to adapt against an attacking style.

Exercise against a defensive player: Play against a partner who forces defensive play. Try to break his rhythm by using short shots and going to the net.

The game in stressful situations

Points under pressure: Play points with counting points as in a real match (for example, in “deuce” or “tie-break” situations). The goal is to adapt to the pressure and develop mental endurance.

Timed game: Set a time limit (eg 10 minutes) and try to score as many points as possible. The exercise helps to develop focus and play in time-limited conditions.

These tactical exercises help players develop a feel for the game, improve decision-making and become more flexible in different situations on the pitch.

Doubles tennis requires specific tactical skills and coordination with a partner. The key components are team communication, positioning and variety of shots that allow you to control the court and create scoring opportunities. Here are some important tactical exercises to improve your doubles game:

Communication and coordination

Communication exercise: Play with a partner and agree on signals for different situations (for example, when one player goes to the net or moves to the sideline). For example, use gestures or verbal signals to improve coordination.

Field division exercise: Agree on which player will cover which parts of the field. Practice situations where one ball is in the middle of the court to learn which side is whose task, thus avoiding misunderstandings.

Play the net

Net volley practice: Partners play short volleys, focusing on reaction speed and accuracy. The goal is to develop a feel for playing close to the net and a quick exchange of shots.

Cross movement at the net (poach): One partner goes to the net and suddenly moves towards the opposite side, trying to intercept the opponent’s shot. The other partner follows his position, holding the back of the field. This tactic confuses opponents and forces them to make mistakes.

Positioning and movement

Exercise for the “I” formation: One player stands in the middle of the net, while the other stands behind him, closer to the baseline. Practice this formation with the net player covering half the court and the baseline player reacting to the opponent’s shot.

“Australian” formation: Both partners stand on the same side of the court (e.g. left) during the serve, which can confuse opponents and force them to make a positioning error. Practice this formation to develop positioning flexibility and change the rhythm of the game.

Service and return of service in pairs

Aggressive return drill: The returner targets the legs of the net player to make it difficult for him to react. This can open the way for further attacks.

Service while going online: Serve and immediately go to the network. Partner adapts and guards the back of the court, allowing for more aggressive play at the net. The goal is to win a point with fast, attacking volleys.

Using lobs and diagonal shots

Lob Drill: Use occasional lob shots over net players to create pressure on the opposing team’s back player. The partner prepares for the possibility of an attack when the ball drops.

Diagonal kicks towards the opposite side: Kicks diagonally towards the opposite corner of the field often force opponents to move and open space for attack. Practice combining diagonal shots with short shots towards the net.

Maintaining your net position

Continuity exercise at the net: Partners focus on staying at the net, even when the opponent tries to lob. Practice returning balls from the net, keeping pressure on the opponent.

Exercise for quick reactions at the net: Play volleys with minimal backswing. The goal is to learn to react quickly and maintain stability online, even in intense exchanges.

Tactical exchange of blows

Final shot preparation: One player prepares the point with a series of deep shots towards the opposing player who is further from the net, while the other player monitors the situation at the net and prepares for the final volley.

Play in the middle of the field: Focus on returning the ball to the middle of the opponent’s part of the field, which can cause misunderstandings between the opponents and make it easier to win points.

Defense against attack

Doubles Defensive Shot Drill: If you’re under pressure, aim your shots high and deep to the back of the opponent’s court to give yourself time to reposition. The partner moves towards the center of the field, maintaining a defensive formation.

Against online attacks: Practice situations where one opponent goes online. The defender can use lobs or low shots towards the legs of the player at the net to make it difficult for him to play.

These exercises help develop tactical skills in pairs, allowing better positioning, better communication and creating opportunities to win points.

Tennis and yoga make an excellent combination for the physical and mental development of players. Yoga helps enhance focus and body awareness, contributing to better performance and reduced injury risk.

Together, these two activities improve flexibility, strength, balance, concentration and relaxation, which can significantly improve your tennis game and reduce the risk of injury. Here is how yoga can contribute to tennis and which exercises are useful:

Improving flexibility

Importance: Tennis requires sudden changes of direction, trunk rotations and flexibility in arms, shoulders, hips and legs. Yoga increases flexibility, which helps players reach balls more easily and reduces the risk of injury.

Recommended yoga poses:

• Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana): Stretches the muscles of the back, shoulders, legs and tendons.
• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Increases hip and leg flexibility while strengthening the lower body.

Strengthening the center of the body (core)

Importance: Strong abdominal and back muscles (core) make it easier to control movements and stabilize the body during strikes.

Recommended yoga poses:

• Plank: Strengthens abdominal muscles, shoulders and back.
• Side Plank (Vasisthasana): Develops the strength of the lateral abdominal muscles and improves stability.

Increasing balance and coordination

Importance: In tennis, stability and the ability to balance quickly are important, especially when hitting powerful shots and moving towards the net. Yoga improves balance and body control.

Recommended yoga poses:

• Tree (Vrksasana): Strengthens the legs and develops balance.
• Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III): Increases stability and control, which is useful for balance during the game.

Improvement of mental concentration and focus

Importance: Tennis requires a high level of mental focus, because every point requires concentration and quick decisions. Yoga helps calm the mind, improves concentration and breathing control.

Recommended yoga techniques:

• Pranayama (breathing techniques): Learning controlled breathing helps calm the nervous system and improves concentration, which is useful in stressful situations on the field.
• Meditation: Meditation helps develop mental stability and increases resistance to stress, which can be crucial in critical moments of a match.

Recovery and reduction of the risk of injury

Importance: Tennis can be very demanding on the body, especially on the shoulders, back and legs. Yoga promotes recovery and prevents muscle tension after training.

Recommended yoga poses for recovery:

• Child’s pose (Balasana): Calms and relaxes the back and shoulder muscles.
• Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana): Stretches the hips and lower back, helping to relax after strenuous workouts.

Developing strength and endurance

Importance: Although yoga is often associated with stretching, many poses also require considerable strength. Regular practice of yoga increases muscle endurance, which is useful for longer tennis matches.

Recommended yoga poses for strength:

• Chair Pose (Utkatasana): Strengthens leg muscles and helps develop strength for quick changes of direction on the field.
• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I): Strengthens the legs, arms and trunk, while increasing stamina.

Tips for connecting yoga and tennis:

Regular practice: Integrate short yoga sessions into daily training, especially as part of post-game warm-ups and stretches.

Focus on breathing: During the game, use breathing techniques learned in yoga to stay calm and increase focus.

Adjust poses: If you feel tension in certain parts of your body from tennis, adjust your yoga routine to focus on stretching and relaxing those muscle groups.

By regularly practicing yoga, tennis players will increase their physical fitness, develop mental resilience and reduce the risk of injuries, which will enable them to perform better on the court in the long run.