Justin Russ

5 Lower Body Strength Staples for Tennis Athletes

Tennis is a one-leg-at-a-time sport.
Cutting, pushing, landing, changing direction — it all happens off one leg.

That’s why unilateral strength training matters.

It helps players:
• Build strength that actually transfers to movement on court
• Improve balance and control when changing direction
• Reduce stress on joints by keeping both sides strong and aligned

These 5 exercises show up in my programs all the time:
— DB Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
— DB Single Leg RDL
— BB Front Rack Split Squat
— Multi-Planar Lunges
— Physio Ball Hamstring Curl (eccentric focus)

And the key for coaches and parents to understand:
There’s no one “right” version of these.

Each can be adjusted — modality, position, tempo, load, range of motion —
based on the athlete’s level, movement quality, and needs.

Simple exercises.
Done the right way, for the right athlete.

Train with purpose. Move better on court.

Group & semi-private training works… until it doesn’t.

Most players don’t plateau because they aren’t working hard enough.

They plateau because they’re doing the same training as everyone else.

Same lifts.
Same progressions.
Same plan.

That works early.

After that… it holds you back.

Because your body, your game, and your demands aren’t the same as the person next to you.

At a certain level, training needs to reflect that.

Not cookie-cutter programs.
Not group progressions.
Not guesswork.

Individual. Intentional. Built for you.

If you’re serious about your development…

Shoot me a DM, and I’ll show you what your program should actually look like.

⸻

✈️ Priming the system before hitting the road. Strong body = explosive training = better tennis.