In Her Campus’ series The College Try, our writers test out viral wellness, dating, fashion, productivity, and pop culture trends firsthand. This time, Molly Sloan gives tennis workouts the ol’ college try.
With the U.S. Open under way, tennis is everywhere. And while I love watching professional athletes make the sport look effortless, I have never actually played organized tennis myself — unless you count a few units in high school gym class. So, when I moved into a new apartment directly next to tennis courts, I decided there was no better time to give the sport a try.
During a typical week, my workout routine consists of runs and walks, yoga classes, and light weightlifting. Tennis was completely outside my normal routine, which made me curious about how my body would feel after a week of training for a sport rather than sticking to my usual workouts. I did some research into how professional players like Aryna Sabalenka train and created a much more beginner-friendly version for myself, incorporating everything from serves and groundstrokes to strength training, footwork, match play, and recovery.
Going into tennis training, I was cautiously optimistic. I knew I wasn’t going to become U.S. Open-ready in a week, but I figured being relatively active would give me a decent starting point. I quickly learned that going for a run and chasing a tennis ball around a court are two very different things.
Day 1: Drills
On my first day, I woke up early and headed across the street to the tennis courts for about 90 minutes of beginner drills. After warming up with jogging and high knees, I practiced hand-eye coordination, serves, and groundstrokes, using YouTube videos to help with my form. I finished with a drill where I had to hit 20 consecutive groundstrokes past the service line without missing — and restart at zero if I did. Needless to say, I restarted a lot. I was definitely tired by the end, but I loved being up early and practicing when nobody else was around.
Day 2: Strength and conditioning
On my second day, I went to the gym to focus on strength and conditioning. After warming up with a mile run, I did lateral lunges, goblet squats, squat jumps, and planks with rotation to target the legs and core. The workout felt good, and I could tell I was activating muscles I don’t usually target during a typical week. Between the strength workout and the previous day’s drills, I was definitely starting to feel sore.
Day 3: Match day
Day 3 was probably my favorite. I asked my friend to play a tennis match with me in the morning, and we played for about an hour. Neither of us had much experience with tennis, but we found ourselves getting into a groove the longer we played. I got to apply what I had been learning to an actual game, and playing with a friend was so much more fun than practicing by myself. Plus, I didn’t have to retrieve my own ball after every shot, which made the workout much more enjoyable.
Day 4: Cardio and footwork
On Day 4, my muscles were pretty sore, but luckily, I love cardio and running. I started with sprints on a nearby soccer field before heading back to the tennis courts for baseline-to-net sprints, agility ladders, and zigzag shuffles. I also realized that my past playing volleyball had some similarities to tennis training, especially the quick lateral movements. I finished with a two-mile walk, and despite being tired, I really enjoyed this day.
Day 5: Technique
On Day 5, I revisited the skills from Day 1 and took videos of myself practicing different strokes. I compared them to videos of experienced players to see what I was doing well and what needed improvement. Watching myself play was humbling, to say the least. I hadn’t realized how many small movements and angles go into achieving a good stroke until I saw myself on video. I was tired by this point, so this workout wasn’t as intense, but I think it was the day I learned the most.
Days 6 & 7: Recovery and reflection
For the final two days, I prioritized stretching, flexibility, and rest. I went to a yoga class on Day 6 and took long walks on both days. During yoga, I could feel exactly which muscles had been working throughout the week, and I realized how important flexibility is when you’re constantly reaching and moving around the court.
Looking back, Day 3 was my favorite because I got to play with my friend and put what I had learned into practice. My biggest challenge was form and technique, and I definitely underestimated the mental and physical effort it takes to play tennis. The videos I took on Day 5 revealed that I am far from U.S. Open material, but I noticed small improvements in my confidence and instincts from Day 1 to Day 7.
After a week of training like a tennis player, I have a newfound respect for anyone who plays the sport. I had a lot of fun, and as I watch the U.S. Open, I’ll have a much better appreciation for just how effortlessly the pros make an incredibly difficult sport look.
