Tennis requires the use of the entire body for effective strokes, not just the arm. The following drills will help players understand what this means. A key exercise is throwing a medicine ball to enhance body rotation and core strength. Players will then replicate this motion with the racket, keeping it close during contact. The unit turn is essential, to develop solid, powerful strokes.

The players practice with each other at the net. One player takes on the role of coach. His task: to control the ball so that his partner can alternate between half-volleys and volleys.

This task is not only technically challenging, but also demanding in terms of footwork. And the longer it takes, the greater the demand on endurance.

In tennis, ideally you use the whole body to swing as opposed to just using the arm. Very important is to rotate the body in the backswing and move in the opposite direction when hitting. This drill focuses on doing just that to achieve fluid whole body swings.

To enhance the acceleration of a backhand, one can utilize the contrast method and after-effect. The player begins by performing rotational shots with a 2 kg medicine ball. Subsequently, they practice quick backhand strokes using a tennis racket weighing approximately 300 gram, focusing on topspin volleys without the ball impact. Through consistent training, the after-effect of this method results in a notable enhancement in the acceleration of the stroke.

Of course, this exercise is just as suitable for a two-handed backhand.

Load:
6-8 throws followed by 6 backhand strokes / 3-6 series / 1-2 min break

To effectively improve coverage on the court, it is important to strengthen the abductors, which are responsible for the lateral movement of the legs. To this end, we combine hand-feeding drills and a Thera-Band exercise to specifically activate these muscles.

First, our player takes the Thera-Band and places it in an X pattern around his legs. He leans slightly to one side and works against the resistance about 8 times on each side.
Then the coach starts feeding, alternating between Forehand and Backhand, approx. 6-8 balls.
The aim is to push off explosively out of the corner, in addition to hitting the groundstrokes cleanly of course.

Of course, other exercises for legs and buttocks also make sense. Simply filter for strength in the “Functional Fitness Drills” category.

In the video you can see the young Dominik Koepfer at the age of 19 (2013), shortly after his transfer to the USA for college (Tulane).

If you want to see how athleticism changes over the years, we have a video for you. Dominik 6 years later, as an ATP pro at the 2019 training camp in Albarella. Shortly before his US Open run to the round of 16.

This drill is designed to enhance the precision and technique of players’ strokes. The players stand at the baseline and aim to hit the ball past the service line to each other. As they hit the ball, they count out loud each successful hit made by their partner until they reach a total of 10. This counting is a collaborative effort between the players.

Variation:

Players compete to see who achieves a target number of hits past the service line first.

This game is a doubles court drill where one team begins at the net, making contact with the net. Meanwhile, the other players start on the baseline at one of the sidelines. The coach feeds a wide ball and two players jump in to play. The player first in line sprints and hits a lob shot. The point is then played out. If the team from the baseline wins the point, they switch to the other side and take on the role of the team to beat.

Tip

To accommodate less experienced players, consider allowing the team at the net to start from the service line rather than directly at the net. This adjustment can help create a more level playing field and enhance the overall experience for all participants.

Some tennis players may experience a forearm blockage while executing their forehand stroke. This drill is designed to address this issue while also enhancing the overall speed of the forehand. Players should start by holding three balls in their hands, tossing them up one at a time, and then striking each ball forcefully towards the ground. The goal is for the ball to bounce on their side first (similar to table tennis feed) and then for the second ball impact to bounce on the opposite side.

This systematic approach greatly assists in evaluating how the major and minor muscles contribute to stroke acceleration. Many players experience a breakthrough moment when they embrace the idea of a “Forehand without limitations,” allowing their racket to move freely.

Tip:
3 balls out of the hand onto the ground, then the coach can toss a few balls for the player to hit regular forehands.

Variation:
Handfeed from many Forehand situations and in many directions: Forehand corner wide outside crosscourt or forehand out of the backhand corner and inside in or inside out.

The shoulder level shot is technically tricky and must be practiced often. To achieve a high repetition rate, a basket drill with a high bouncing shot by the coach is a good option. However, here we have a great alternative that can also be used to achieve a high number of repetitions, and at the same time improve feel and footwork.

Players rally with each other bumping the ball up high before attacking it at shoulder level.

Only forehand cross courts

The players bump the ball up and practice the forehand crosscourt at shoulder level.. Players should not let the ball drop below their shoulders.

Backhand crosscourt only

Like the forehand crosscourt variation, but on the backhand side.

Bump up to the backhand with option to hit down the line

The players draw a line with their foot about two meters parallel to the singles line, on the backhand side taking about a quarter of the field away from each other. Any player who manages to stand with both legs to the right of the drawn line, i.e. within the remaining three quarters, is allowed to hit down the line. This teaches players the right position to go for a down the line shot. In other words, it teaches them not to hit down the line when too close to the side line.

Variation: of course, this drill also works on the forehand side.

Tip:
Stopping the ball so that the player can attack it in balance takes practice. These exchanges can be played cooperatively or competitively. When players compete, a rule that works well is to forbid players from attacking a ball that they bump up in front of the service line. Only balls that bounce behind the service line can be attacked. Players have to hit short balls back to the opponent in a friendly way and the point continues.

3 players stand in line on the baseline. The coach tosses a ball and the first player hits a forehand (cross-court) and then moves immediately to the back of the queue via the middle of the court. The players should jump and rotate during the stroke. Players often make mistakes dealing with slow balls. This drill forces players to adjust to slow balls with dynamic footwork, allowing them to generate power in the stroke.
goal of training:
Training racquet head speed and dynamic footwork (jumping and rotating)

Frequency/Load:

This drill can be done with several players (two to four).

The feed:

The coach tosses a ball and the first player hits a forehand (cross-court) and then moves immediately to the back of the queue via the middle of the court.

Corrections/Tips:

When jumping and rotating, the pros tend to prefer to hit cross-court as the rotation of the body supports this shot selection. It is up to the coach to point out that the body should rotate and that the legs should move with the stroke. In other words, the player should not be standing still during the shot.

In this lesson, the players use a small net (mini-net) just before the T-line as a horizontal space divider. Depending on the quality of the volleys, the mini net can also be placed behind it later. At first, the players focus on practicing the deep set-up volley. The volley is played in the area of the T-line. The sparring partner stands on the baseline, and plays a ball through the middle. The volley player aims the volley deep over the small net to the “baseliner”. You can also try this in a ralley.

Approach and finishing volley

The next step is tp add another volley after a setup volley and play a short angle. Here the sparring partner must do a good job. Now the net does not act as an aid to the length of the volley, but as a space divider for the angle. The basic rule is: low volley deep, high volley short! This is a frequently used rule: play low volleys deep and low and volleys close to the net short

Hint:

To get a feeling for this, practice from many possible positions and directions – through the middle and also diagonally. In the same way, play from the baseline and then run forward to practice the so-called “split step” as the opponent contacts the ball – i.e. stopping with a vertical jump and spreading the legs (“splitting”). By doing this you will also have a chance to practice half volleys.

This coach-led drill focuses on developing backhand angles while moving at speed. Players start with a backhand down the line, followed by a forehand crosscourt to the coach. The third ball is then played as a short crosscourt backhand, requiring precise timing, controlled rotation, and accuracy on the run. A narrow cone corridor defines the target area and supports better visual perception of the intended angle. After the shot, players are required to recover efficiently back toward the center of the court to prepare for the next ball.

TRAINING GOALS

• Improve the ability to create backhand angles on the run
• Develop accuracy on short crosscourt backhands
• Enhance trunk rotation and stability during dynamic hitting
• Strengthen visual target awareness using reference zones
• Reinforce fast and efficient recovery toward the center

COACHING KEYS

• Initiate rotation early and swing through the shot
• Use the cone corridor to clearly visualize the target
• Stay balanced while hitting in open movement situations
• Control racket speed to shape the angle, not power
• Recover immediately back toward the middle after contact

Improving overhead coordination in beginners with the help of simple but effective exercises with the balloon. The goal is to promote basic movement patterns for overhead shots (e.g. smash or serve) in a playful way – especially for children or beginners with little previous experience.

What looks like a children’s carnival at first glance quickly turns out to be challenging coordination training – even for former top 100 ATP players!
The use of balloons makes it possible to practice overhead movement without time pressure and to train reaction, timing and balance at the same time. This form of training is particularly suitable for level 1 players (beginners).

Coaching Keys:

• Use a slow trajectory: The balloon gives the player time to structure the movement.
• Emphasize overhead movement: Players should consciously act overhead – not in front of the body.
• Practice on both sides: Perform exercises with both dominant and non-dominant hand.
• Maintaining balance: Players should learn to stand stable during overhead movements.
• Build up playfully: Increase motivation through creative tasks with the balloon.

This unit focuses on controlling the length of the serve by tossing the ball. The emphasis is on consciously changing the ball toss rather than just adjusting the swing. Through differential learning, players try out different toss heights, distances, and positions to develop a feel for the optimal serve length. This not only helps with the first serve, but also makes the entire movement more variable and stable.

TRAINING OBJECTIVE

• Conscious perception of the ball toss as a central control component
• Improvement of serve length through variable throwing positions
• Promotion of a stable rhythm throughout the entire movement sequence
• Developing a flexible feel for the ball through differential learning
• Increased self-control and consistency in serving

COACHING KEYS

• Let the players experiment with different ball tossing heights.
• Focus: Tossing the ball determines the length, not more power in the swing
• Maintain an upright body position, do not “throw yourself forward.”
• After each throw, take a moment to reflect: What has changed?
• Use variations: throw further forward/backward/higher/lower

A key coaching concept in tennis: players must use their footwork to be where the ball bounces. This is the only way to achieve the optimal hitting position.

The workshop makes it clear: if the ball is already on its way back up and the player is still in motion, the shot is “invalid.” Top players show us how intensely they move in order to be there in time.

Level 4 training focuses on developing this skill in a targeted manner—from warm-up to match situations. This is because a large part of training (e.g., during batting practice) is often wasted due to sloppy footwork.

Coaching Key:
Those who are on the ball early control the pace of the game. Those who are too late are under pressure. Using a flight curve or a higher ball allows you to “buy time” to get back into position—an important tactical element for all advanced players.

The mini-net has always been a great tool for visualizing spaces and distances. However, in this drill, the mini-net finds a new “purpose”: it serves as a visual aid for the perfect distance to the ball and the ideal contact point above the hip.

Strokes:
In this drill, the player starts with a backhand, then plays a forehand on the run, followed by two forehands inside out, and finishes with a forehand inside in.

Note:
The coach’s feed must be precisely suited in length and height so that the players can stay perfectly behind the ball and hit it at the correct height.

Note from the editorial team:
Note from the editorial team: The mini net has been used as a room divider at TennisGate for many years. However, we saw this application for the first time at the PTCA “Master Class” workshop that we conducted together with Emilio Sánchez in Seefeld at the beginning of December 2024.

The mini-net has always been a great tool for visualizing spaces and distances. But in this drill, the mini-net is given a new “purpose”: it serves as a visual aid for the perfect distance to the ball and the ideal contact point between hip and shoulder height.

Strokes:
In this drill, the player starts with a backhand, then plays a forehand on the run, two forehands inside out, and finishes with a forehand inside in.

Advice:
The coach’s feed must be exactly the right length and height for the players to stay perfectly behind the ball and also be able to hit it at the right height.

Editor’s note:
The mini-net has been used as a room divider at TennisGate for many years. However, we saw this use for the first time at the PTCA “Master Class” workshop that we held together with Emilio Sánchez in Seefeld (Austria) at the beginning of December 2024.

to Emilio Sánchez

Improving your return of serve starts with better visual tracking. Many errors occur not because of poor technique, but because the player loses visual connection with the ball during its flight. By consistently tracking the ball from the opponent’s contact through the bounce and into your own contact point, you gain more time, improve coordination, and stabilize your execution. Strong tracking ability allows the player to read the serve earlier and react with greater precision.

Training Objective

• Improve visual tracking from opponent contact to own contact
• Enhance timing and coordination on the return
• Increase consistency through better perception

Coaching Keys

• Track the ball from the opponent’s racket to your contact point
• Keep the head stable and eyes locked on the ball
• Recognize the bounce early to adjust positioning
• Maintain a clear and consistent contact point in front
• Synchronize movement and visual focus for precise timing

Key Education Factor

Return quality is strongly influenced by perception and tracking ability. Players must train their visual focus to stay connected with the ball throughout its entire trajectory, enabling better anticipation and more consistent execution.

Progressive Approach (Playing Level 2–4)

Level 2

• Use slow feeds with exaggerated ball tracking
• Emphasize watching the ball from release to contact
• Add simple cues to reinforce focus (e.g., calling bounce)

Level 3

• Introduce moderate serves with varied placement
• Combine tracking with movement into position
• Add directional targets for controlled returns

Level 4

• Train against high-speed, varied serves
• Integrate tracking under time pressure
• Combine perception with tactical decision-making on the return

The return player starts with her back to the net. The server gives the command “Hopp” when throwing up the ball, whereupon the player quickly turns around and reacts to the ball to execute the return.

Control:
The server plays a central role in this exercise. His timing when shouting and the speed of the serve should be adjusted to challenge the player to the maximum.

Load:

• Rest: Variable between repetitions; series rest 1 to 3 minutes
• Intensity: 100%
• Repetitions: 5 to 12
• Series: 1 to 3

Hitting in balance is essential to achieve consistency. In this video you will find several ideas on how to improve balance when hiiting, exploring the concepts of setting up a larger base of support by using a larger final step and sinking to keep the center of gravity lower.

The head plays an important role in maintaining balance. Keeping the head still through the shots promotes balance. In this exercise players are forced to keep their heads still by wearing a loose cap. Players attempt to hit the ball without dropping the cap, helping them to detect any unnecessary movement of the head that may lead to a loss of balance. .

The volley technique focuses on catching rather than hitting, emphasizing hand positioning and strategy for receiving balls at various heights. Players learn to adjust their hand placement based on the ball’s height, with tailored strategies for high, medium, and low balls. Body movement is vital, encouraging still hands while moving through the shot. A mindset centered on catching enhances volley performance by promoting a quiet hand.

Anything that does not contribute to the effective execution of the serve, can hinder it. Participants learn to serve with an emphasis on simplicity. They focus on maintaining a still body and proper positioning while minimizing superfluous movement.

Techniques to improve ball watching skills include exercises that enhance focus on ball movements. Participants practice saying ‘bounce and hit’ in sync with the ball to emphasize timing. Ideally, players should match their words exactly to the moment the ball bounces or hits the string bed. Mini tennis serves as a practical activity for honing these skills. Loud commands are encouraged for clarity. Alternatively, counting would have a similar effect to help maintain focus during play. Players would mentally count every time the ball hits the strings