Shuttle Drill

Why Is This Shuttle Drill So Good?

I was really glad to hear the analysts at the recent US Open 2008 talking about the big upturn in the importance of fitness on the tour.

Not that anyone didn’t know it was important (you do don’t you???), but they just pointed out that players like Isner & Karlovic who “just” have big serves and poor speed and movement will struggle to break the top 100 soon with the majority of the players adding the speed, agility, endurance etc fitness elements to their game “big time”.

Here is a simple to execute but very effective exercise to improve and test your anaerobic fitness.

Set Up & Method

Place two cones at either end of a court, level with the baseline and one in line with the other two but at the net.

Have a partner give you starting command and start a stopwatch.

You must perform 12 shuttle runs between the cones (6 runs baseline to baseline and back followed by 6 runs baseline to net and back touching the cone you come to every time.

When you complete the final sprint, your partner will stop the watch and write down the time.

(You can use tennis balls instead of cones - see video below!!)

Because the distance when run is quite fatiguing, your ability to offset this fatigue will be tested.

So, if you can do the right anaerobic training , when you come to repeat the test (in say 6 weeks), you should notice a drop in the time it takes you to complete the same task.

All this will mean that you will increase your ability to sprint around the court quicker and for longer with less fatigue.

Here is a video to show you how to do it!

If you want a complete tennis training programme and fitness planner go HERE

Use the shuttle drill it's great! - Now go HERE for more GREAT Tennis Training Info