Complimentary exercises for tennis

You’re playing 12 sets a week, split nicely between evenings and late mornings — that’s a lot of unilateral, rotational, stop-start load. The goal of complementary work is not more conditioning, but counter-loading, tissue resilience, and symmetry so your tendons and joints don’t revolt.

I’ll break this into what tennis overdevelops, then what to add, then how to place it in your week so it actually helps.

1. What tennis

overloads

(the imbalance map)

Tennis repeatedly stresses:

Upper body

• Dominant-side:

  
  

  • shoulder internal rotators

  • biceps tendon

  • forearm flexors/extensors

• 
  

• Scapula often under-stabilized

Lower body

• Quads > hamstrings

• Adductors > abductors

• Explosive calves with limited eccentric control

Core

• Rotation without deep anti-rotation strength

• Flexion bias (serves, forward posture)

2. The 5 categories you should deliberately train

A.

Scapular & shoulder balance (NON-NEGOTIABLE)

🎾

Do these 2–3×/week, short sessions (15–20 min).

Key exercises

• External rotations (band or cable)

• Face pulls (elbows high)

• Prone Y-T-W raises

• Serratus punches / wall slides

Why

• Protects rotator cuff

• Offloads biceps tendon

• Improves serve longevity

👉 Rule: 2 pulling / stabilizing movements for every pushing movement you do.

B.

Eccentric tendon work (quiet but powerful)

This is especially important given your schedule.

Upper limb

• Slow eccentric biceps curls (5–6 sec lowering)

• Wrist extensor eccentrics (tennis elbow insurance)

Lower limb

• Nordic hamstring eccentrics (or assisted)

• Slow calf lowers off a step

Frequency

• 2×/week

• Never the day before your hardest tennis session

Why

• Tendons love slow load

• Reduces flare-ups without killing performance

C.

Posterior chain & hip stability

Do 1–2×/week, moderate load.

Exercises

• Romanian deadlifts (RDLs)

• Hip thrusts or glute bridges

• Single-leg deadlifts

• Lateral band walks / monster walks

Why

• Absorbs deceleration forces

• Protects knees and lower back

• Improves court movement efficiency

D.

Anti-rotation & deep core

This is where tennis players often undertrain.

Exercises

• Pallof presses

• Dead bugs

• Side planks (with reach or rotation)

• Cable chops (slow and controlled)

Why

• Stabilizes spine during serves and groundstrokes

• Reduces asymmetric overload

E.

Mobility that restores, not stretches blindly

Daily or post-tennis, 5–10 min.

Priority areas

• Thoracic spine rotation

• Hip internal rotation

• Ankle dorsiflexion

• Forearm soft tissue (ball or massage stick)

Avoid aggressive stretching right before play.

3. How to place this around YOUR tennis schedule

Given:

• Mon 6pm

• Wed 11am

• Thu 6pm

• Fri 11am

Suggested weekly rhythm

Monday (AM or midday)

• Scapular stability + light core

• NO heavy lifting

Tuesday (off tennis)

• Posterior chain

• Eccentric tendon work

• Hip stability

Wednesday

• Tennis at 11am

• Evening: mobility only

Thursday (AM)

• Scapular + forearm eccentrics

• Short core session

Friday

• Tennis at 11am

• Evening: gentle mobility, walking, or swim

Saturday

• Optional light strength OR yoga-style mobility

• Nothing ballistic

Sunday

• True recovery (walks, heat, light stretching)

4. What to

avoid

adding

❌ Extra HIIT

❌ Heavy overhead pressing

❌ More rotational power work

❌ Plyometrics on top of match days

Tennis already gives you all of that stimulus.

5. One simple rule to keep you healthy

Train what tennis neglects, not what it already gives you.

If you want, I can:

• tailor this to a specific tendon issue (biceps, Achilles, elbow)

• give you a 15-minute “tennis armor” routine

• or adjust volume if you feel cumulative fatigue building

You’re doing enough tennis — the trick now is making sure your body agrees with that decision.