Tennis is an individual sport that takes quickness, agility, speed and balance. During the course of a match, you also have to continually drive the ball hard with your tennis racket. Not only does this require core strength, but it also takes arm strength. The main muscles you need to focus on are the biceps, triceps and forearms. Balancing these muscle groups with exercises will give you the advantage you need to withstand repetitive swings of the racket. As an added bonus, you can safeguard your body from tennis elbow --- a painful condition that causes pain and stiffness.
Step 1
Execute a set of triceps dips. Sit in the middle of a weight bench with your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge. Slide your butt off and walk your feet slightly forward. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows and stop when your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Your butt should be right in front of the bench at this point. Push yourself back up and repeat.
Step 2
Lie face-up on a weight bench to do dumbbell triceps extensions. Hold the weights straight above your body with your palms facing each other. Keep your upper arms still as you bend your elbows and lower the weights down by your ears. Push the dumbbells back to the starting point and repeat.
Step 3
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to do twist curls. Hold dumbbells down at your sides with your palms facing in. Keep your upper arms tight to your sides and lift the weights by bending your elbows. Twist your wrists so your palms end up facing your chest. Squeeze your biceps forcefully for a second, lower the weights and repeat.
Step 4
Sit on a workout chair to do hammer curls. Hold dumbbells down at your sides with your palms facing in. Keep your upper arms still and raise the weights up toward your shoulders. Maintain a palms-facing grip and squeeze your biceps forcefully at the top of the movement. Lower the weights back down slowly and repeat.
Step 5
Grab a barbell to do reverse curls for the lateral side of your forearms. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar in front of your thighs with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Keep your upper arms tight to your sides, abs tight and back straight, and lift the bar up toward your chest. Stop when your palms face forward and hold for a second. Lower the bar back down slowly and repeat.
Step 6
Kneel in front of a weight bench to do wrist curls for the inside of your forearms. Hold dumbbells in your hands and rest your forearms on the bench with your wrists hanging off the edge and palms facing up. Lower the weights down as far as possible by bending your wrists, and then raise them up toward your body. Squeeze your forearm muscles for a second, slowly lower the weights and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- With all of your exercises, utilize a resistance that you can lift 12 to 15 times. Aim for 4 or 5 sets and work out 3 days a week on nonconsecutive days.
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