The children lie prone on a mat. The toes are tucked under and keep contact with the ground throughout the entire exercise. In front of each mat there are two low marker cones, each with a tennis ball. The balls are picked up from the cones, brought back with bent arms beside the upper body, and then placed back on the cones in front again. The arm movements are performed simultaneously or alternately. The upper body remains slightly lifted, and the hands work as much as possible without touching the ground. The balls are moved in a controlled way and placed down precisely, without compensating with the upper body.
Training Goal
- Develop active shoulder mobility: Move the arms in a controlled way between reaching forward and drawing them back beside the upper body.
- Activate the shoulder girdle and back: Support the arm movements in a stable way with the upper body slightly lifted.
- Improve trunk control: Hold the prone position without compensating for the movement through excessive arching of the lower back or sideways twisting.
- Train bilateral coordination: Use both arms simultaneously or alternately.
- Promote movement precision: Pick up the tennis balls deliberately and place them calmly on the small resting surfaces.
Transfer to tennis
In tennis strokes, the arms need to be able to move while the trunk supports the movement in a controlled way. This exercise creates a general foundation for that: it combines active shoulder mobility with holding work in the upper body and precise hand placement.
Working alternately also challenges the player to control the movement of one arm without rotating the entire body. This ability is valuable for versatile movement development. However, the prone position does not develop the stroke movement or the force transfer from the legs. The tennis connection therefore lies in the preparation of physical prerequisites, not in mimicking a stroke technique.
Load Management
As a starting point, 2–3 rounds of 15–20 seconds each with about 20–30 seconds of rest are suitable. Alternatively, the children can complete four to six full movement cycles per round: pick up the balls, bring the arms back, and place the balls down again.
Movement quality is decisive. As soon as the children lift the head too much, compensate with a hollow back, or start placing the balls down in a rushed way, the round is ended or simplified. For the warm-up, short loads with low fatigue are enough.
Coaching Keys
- “Make your neck long.” Direct the gaze diagonally downward.
- “Lift your chest just a little.” Do not aim for the highest possible back extension.
- “Move the arms – keep the center of the body quiet.”
- “Place the balls quietly on the cones.” Precision comes before speed.
- “Keep breathing.” Perform the holding work without holding your breath.
Progressive adaptation
1. Simplify the range of motion:
First practice without the balls and move the arms only over a short range forward and back. The legs remain relaxed on the mat.
2. Move both arms at the same time:
Pick up the balls together, bring the arms back to the side, and place both balls down again. This helps develop a clear movement rhythm.
3. Work alternately:
While one arm moves forward, the other is drawn back. The trunk stays as quiet as possible.
4. Change the target positions:
Place the cones a little closer together, farther apart, or farther forward. Choose the distance so that the children can reach it in a controlled way.
5. Respond to a signal:
The coach calls “right,” “left,” or “both.” Only when the basic movement is performed reliably does this additional decision-making task come in.
Possible corrections
| Observation | Methodical correction |
|---|---|
| The head is pulled far back into the neck. | Give a focus point on the floor in front of the mat: “Look in front of your mat.” |
| The upper body is lifted very high, and the lower back is strongly arched. | Reduce the lift height, put the legs down, and shorten the load time. |
| The shoulders are pulled up toward the ears. | Work with a smaller movement range: “Leave space between your shoulders and ears.” |
| The body rotates noticeably with every arm pull. | First move both arms at the same time and bring the cones closer. |
| The balls often fall off. | Reduce the tempo, position the cones more favorably, or use larger resting surfaces at first. |
