Warm-Up Games for Tennis Beginners

by Michele M. Howard, Demand Media

Conducting a short warm-up before a tennis lesson or workout is a must even if your players are beginners. Beginner-level warm-up activities or games don't require a lot of skill, but they can be effective in physically preparing your players for the task. While some games are designed to elevate your players' heart rate, get their blood flowing and increase their flexibility, other activities help your players warm-up their strokes and improve their skills.

A relay game can be used as a warm-up and can also help improve the hand-eye skills of your players. Divide your players into two teams of two or more players and have the teams line up behind the baseline. Give each player a tennis ball and on your signal, the first player in each line walks or runs to the net and back as fast as he can while bouncing the ball down on the court with his racket. When the player gets back to the baseline, the next player goes. When all players in a team have had a turn, that team wins the relay. A variation is to have players bounce the ball up in the air with their rackets.

Your players can warm up with a timed speed and agility competition. Place a cone at each net post and each back corner of the court where the baseline meets the doubles sideline. Have the first player start at the "T" -- where the center service line and the service line meet. On your signal, start your stop watch, have her run as fast as she can to the cone at the right net post, touch the cone and return to the "T." Have her run to the cone at the left net post, touch the cone and return to the "T." Your player continues to each back corner cone, returning the "T" after each touch. Stop your watch when she returns to the "T" after touching the last cone. The next player takes a turn and tries to record a faster time. Continue until all players have had a turn. The fastest player is the winner.

Warm-ups should also include games where players warm up their strokes. This game requires four players. Use chalk and draw a 2-foot circle in the middle of each service box. Have each player stand 2 feet behind a circle. Players can only hit the ball to the player straight ahead, across the net. Have the players on one side of the net start a rally by dropping a ball and tapping it over the net. If the ball lands in the circle during the rally, the player who hit the ball scores a point. Players continue to rally balls back and forth, scoring a point each time the ball lands in the correct circle. After 10 minutes, the player with the most points wins the game.

With four or fewer players, this game gives your players an opportunity to hit many balls and warm up their strokes. Have one of your players stand on the middle of the baseline. Stand 6 to 8 feet in front of him with a ball hopper that holds a minimum of 150 balls. Underhand toss a ball toward his forehand. If he hits the ball over the net, have him shuffle back to middle of the baseline and then toss a ball toward his backhand. If he hits it over the net, have him shuffle back and then toss a ball to his forehand. Continue tossing balls to his forehand and backhand until he makes an error. Have him keep track of the number of balls he hits over the net. Repeat with each player and give each player multiple turns. The goal is for your players to beat their previous number for a new personal best number.

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