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Tennis: medicine ball

medicine ball DRILLS
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Backhand medicine ball throw drill

Player sits sideways on the ground with legs in the air, and the coach throws the ball to the left side.The player catches the ball, turns upper body and throws the ball back.

Agility & Fitness

Balance Throw & Catch

Player stands close to the wall on the balance platform. Player throws medicine ball off the ground into the wall. Player tries to keep balance all the time. This exercise is a great tool to improve many physical skills at the same time. Player can work on balance, strength and power during the warm up time.

Agility & Fitness

Balanced backhand throw

Get the player to stand on balance platforms in a close stance. The coach then throws a medicine ball to the backhand side. The player should then imitate a backhand by throwing the ball back to the coach.

Agility & Fitness

Circles with looping medicine ball

The player grabs loopy medicine ball with dominant hand, and performs circles forward and backward.

Agility & Fitness

Deliver And Respond

Set up as shown with two cones in one corner of the court. The player at the ends where the cones are works on their serve, with the receiver returning the ball cross court, aiming to hit it between the cones.

Serve and Return

Forehand Close Stance-weight transfer

Player stands behind the baseline. Coach faces the player. Coach throws the ball. Player hits forehand/backhand and moves the right/left leg forward. Player’s goal is to get to the service line without any additional steps. 1-2 full repetitions (to the service line) per set Coach can line up all the players next to each other and work only with one while others imitate the same movements without hitting the ball. After the full set all players move one spot to the right and start over. To make this drill more interesting 1 player can hit with the coach, some players can imitate the shots and others can work together and replace racquet with a medicine ball (throwing and transferring the weight).

Forehand Drills

Knee Left Side Pass

Player kneels down on the ground in a sideways position. The coach tosses a medicine ball to the player. The player catches, turns and throws the ball back by using upper body rotation. This exercise is a great tool to improve backhand stroke by learning how to generate more power without using lower body.

Agility & Fitness

Medicine ball warm up

Player uses a small medicine ball with the loop. Player imitates the serving motion by throwing the ball to their partner. The loop attached to the ball helps to achieve proper motion for the serve.

Serve and Return

Sit up with medicine ball

The player lays down on the ground with knees bent, and the coach throws the medicine ball to the player. The player catches the ball, makes a sit up and throws the ball back.

Agility & Fitness

T + Forehand corner

Player A executes flat serve to the T. Player B hits defensive return. Player A moves forward and hits offensive forehand into one of the corners. Drill specifications: 1 repetition per set To make this drill really dynamic players should switch after one point at the serving side. Returning players can switch after few points to guarantee good consistency and more opportunities for the servers to work on the pattern. It is important for returning players to not miss returns into the net because it completely prevents from hitting the next shot. Waiting players can throw a medicine ball in an overhead motion to improve strength and increase the power of the first serve.

Serve and Return

Backhand medicine ball throw d...

Player sits sideways on the ground with legs in the air, and the coach throws the ball to the left side.The player catches the ball, turns upper body and throws the ball back.

General

Medicine ball warm up Serve an...

Player uses a small medicine ball with the loop. Player imitates the serving motion by throwing the ball to their partner. The loop attached to the ball helps to achieve proper motion for the serve.

General

Tennis: Balanced backhand thro...

Get the player to stand on balance platforms in a close stance. The coach then throws a medicine ball to the backhand side. The player should then imitate a backhand by throwing the ball back to the coach.

General

Extension 3 balls Backhand Dri...

3 balls are set in line in front of the player. The player shadows backhand stroke and tries to extend the stroke through all balls.

General

Learn to use upper body Foreha...

Player takes ready position. Coach throws ball to the forehand side. Player doesn't move legs and hits forehand. Player has to use only upper body to hit the ball.

General

Physical Preparation: The Comp...

General

Sideways one leg hurdle Agilit...

The player stands sideways to the hurdles (right side). The player jumps sideways on right leg over the hurdles.

General

Balance Throw & Catch Agility ...

Player stands close to the wall on the balance platform. Player throws medicine ball off the ground into the wall. Player tries to keep balance all the time. This exercise is a great tool to improve many physical skills at the same time. Player can work on balance, strength and power during the warm up time.

General

Respond to the lob with contro...

The player stands on the baseline, and the coach is at the net. The player feeds high ball to the coach. The coach hits overhead to the deuce side, whilst the player hits forehand slice lob cross court.

General

High ball from the baseline Ba...

The coach stands in from of the player and throws a high ball off the ground to player's backhand. The player hits backhand over the shoulder.

General

Keep the approach shot low Bac...

The coach feeds medium ball to the ad side, so that the player hits backhand slice approach shot down the line and runs to the net. The coach feeds another ball to the ad side, and the player finishes with backhand volley down the line.

General

Offensive response to high bal...

The player stands on the baseline and the coach feeds high ball. The player moves forward and hits forehand in the air to the ad side.

General

Full acceleration Forehand Dri...

Coach stands next to the player. Coach quickly throws the balls. Player fully accelerates and hits all balls as fast as possible.Max 4-5 repetitions per setThis drill is really demanding from the physical side so number of repetitions should be adjusted to the player fitness preparation. Too many reps will not bring good results because of the tired arm as also can be responsible for player’s injuries of the shoulder. Between the sets with the coach other players can work on specific drills with medicine ball/bands to strengthen the shoulder area.

General

Inside the court rally Backhan...

Player stays inside the court on the ad side.Player maintains rally with coach using only backhand down the line.Player can't move back behind the baseline.

General

Tennis: Forehand Close Stance-...

Player stands behind the baseline. Coach faces the player. Coach throws the ball. Player hits forehand/backhand and moves the right/left leg forward. Player’s goal is to get to the service line without any additional steps.1-2 full repetitions (to the service line) per setCoach can line up all the players next to each other and work only with one while others imitate the same movements without hitting the ball. After the full set all players move one spot to the right and start over. To make this drill more interesting 1 player can hit with the coach, some players can imitate the shots and others can work together and replace racquet with a medicine ball (throwing and transferring the weight).

General

Get it Deep with Slice Forehan...

Coach feeds balls to the deuce side.Player uses forehand slice to hit the ball deep.

General

Different winners Different po...

2 players play points against each other. 3 zones are set on one side of the court. Zone 1 is the deepest one, zone 2 is the medium one, and zone 3 is the closest one to the net. Winners from different zones have different bonus points. Winners from zone 1 are for 1 point, from zone 2 for 2 points, and from zone 3 are for 3 points.Drill specifications:2-3 points and switchThe main emphasis should be put on hitting winners so players have to put maximum effort and focus on each stroke. Waiting players can work on their strength with medicine ball drills to improve their chances for hitting powerful winners especially from the short and medium-long balls.

General

Tennis: Keep the opponent on t...

Player A serves to the T from the ad side. Player B hits forehand cross-court return and both players rally using only backhands cross-court.

General

Walking On Tennis Balls 117 st...

Put smaller (tennis)balls in a circle so that they cannot roll away. Walk on the balls slowly and try to cross a certain distance.<BR><BR>1.Walk whilst dribbling a ball<BR>2.Pass a ball whilst walking on tennis balls<BR>3.Circle a ball around the body whilst walking

General

Band and maintain Backhand Dri...

The player wears resistance cords (bands are attached to the waist and ankles), whilst hitting backhand strokes. Resistance cords forces the player to bend knees and maintain low position.

General

Balance touch cones Agility & ...

The player stands on the balance platforms. Cones are set around the player, with the player's goal to touch each cone separately without falling off the platforms.Balance platforms work best with this drills. If coaches don't these though use your creativity to find an alternative (stand on a bean bag for example).The important thing is to use something that is SAFE to stand on and ideally forces the kid to test their balance.

General

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medicine ball SESSIONS
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Nail the Inside Out and In Forehand!

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medicine ball ANSWERS
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How do I improve my backhand in tennis?

how do i improve my handback in tennis?

Maria Paola Molteni Coach, Argentina

How to improve a backhand - with topspin and extension?

I have a student who use to hit the two hands backhand too close of the body and without extensión. She is 16 years old and a good junior player. Also she tend to hit her backhand flat and we are working to combine more with topspin. Do you know how she could improve these two aspects? Thanks,Victor.

Archived User Coach

How do I coach 14 girls (varyi...

How do I coach 14 girls, all of varying levels from beginner to advanced on just two courts?

Archived User Coach

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