© National Strength & Conditioning Association

Volume 23, Number 5, pages 62–66

Speed, Quickness, and

Agility Training for
Senior Tennis Players
Joshua M. Miller, MS, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Scott C. Hilbert, MS, CSCS

Student Wellness Center, Director
Florida Atlantic University

Lee E. Brown, EdD, CSCS, *D

Arkansas State University

Keywords: speed; quickness; agility; seniors; tennis.

TENNIS IS A SPORT THAT CAN BE
played year round and therefore
requires training throughout the
year to help players stay at the top
of their game. Today, there are a
variety of players who enjoy this
great sport, including seniors.
Speed, quickness, and agility de-
cline with age, and in tennis, all 3
are very important to the success-
ful athlete. The rationale behind
training this population is to help
reduce injuries and increase their
ability to play tennis.
Seniors benefit from an appro-
priate strength training program
by increasing their functional
strength, increasing muscle mass,
decreasing reaction time, and by
decreasing the incidence of osteo-
porosis later in life, especially in
women. It has been found that ex-
ercise training programs can help
reduce the incidence of falls and
debilitating injuries in elderly
women (2).
Today, many athletes train
specifically for speed, quickness,
and agility. Many advantages are
gained from this type of training, in-
cluding improved speed and quick-
ness, less wasted movement and
actions, and a greater improvement
in agility, balance, and timing (3).
Speed, quickness, and agility train-
ing has become an integral part of
the athlete’s weapon for gaining ex-
plosive power in his or her respec-
tive sport. In tennis, this explosive
power can be seen in returning a
serve, chasing down a volley that is
cross-court, and putting away the
overhead lob to win the match.
Speed is important in senior players
because they need to achieve high
velocity when chasing a lob. Agility
deals with the changes in direction
and the ability to effectively couple
eccentric and concentric actions in
ballistic movements (6). Quickness
encompasses both aspects of speed
and agility while incorporating flex-
ibility, strength, and neuromuscu-
lar coordination by allowing the
athlete to move at a higher rate of
speed (1,4).
■ Getting to Know Your Athlete
Today, anyone can be an athlete.
There are Olympics held for every
population—youth, people with
special needs (Special Olympics),
and seniors. Seniors are no differ-
ent than younger athletes when it
comes to wanting to win and be
No. 1 in their sport. The main dif-
ferences seen with seniors are in
stability and balance, decreases in
muscle mass, aerobic capacity,
and anaerobic capacity (8). As a
trainer, you will need to be aware
of seniors’ specific needs (i.e.

62 Strength and Conditioning Journal October 2001


Table 1
Agility
Line drills Description
Lateral jumps Place a jump rope straight on the floor and jump back
and forth laterally over the rope rapidly, just high and
far enough to clear the rope. Do 3 sets of 10 –15 seconds
with a 1-minute rest break between sets.
Forward/backward Using the same rope, jump forward and backward
jumps rapidly over the rope just high and far enough to clear
the rope. Do 3 sets of 10 –15 seconds with a 1-minute
rest break between sets.
Cycling Using the same rope, straddle the rope with your feet
perpendicular to it. Change your foot position in rapid
succession, moving just high and far enough to clear
the rope. Do 3 sets of 10 –15 seconds with a 1-minute
rest break between sets.
Criss-cross Using the same rope, straddle the rope and rapidly
change foot position by crossing the right foot in front of
the left bringing it to the other side of the rope while at
the same time crossing the left foot in back of the right
foot bringing it to the other side of the rope. Do 3 sets of
10 –15 seconds with 1-minute rest breaks.
Angle board Stand in the center of the board and step across with
the right foot onto the angle piece. Return to the start-
ing position and do the same movement to the left. Do 3
sets of 10 –15 seconds with a 1-minute rest beak.
Box drill: step on Stand in the center of the box and place one foot on the
box with the other on the ground. With quick succes-
sion, alternate the feet while jumping in the air. This ex-
ercise is completed without stopping. Do 3 sets of 10 –15
seconds with a 1-minute rest break.
health history, medicines, training izontal plyometric box designed for
habits, injuries, the metabolic de- lateral plyometric drills. As the
mands of their sport, etc.). athlete gets better, allow for an in-
crease in speed until he or she can
■ Getting Started
complete the activity without any
As with any program that you de- problems. Once this is accom-
sign for athletes, start with the ba- plished successfully, you can add
sics and then work up to the more another variation to the move-
difficult movements. Safety is very ment. An example would be hav-
important with any athlete, but ing the athlete pretend to hit a ten-
with seniors you need to be more nis ball with his or her backhand
careful. You should be confident or forehand while moving on the
that they are able to complete a angle board. The program focuses
movement safely before adding a on activities that would have a
new twist to an exercise. For ex- carry-over benefit from the weight
ample, if using an angle board, room to the tennis court (5).
have your athlete start out slowly
and with complete understanding ■ Program Setup
on how to accomplish the exercise Unlike plyometrics, speed, quick-
correctly. An angle board is a hor- ness, and agility training does not
October 2001 Strength and Conditioning Journal
require a high level of fitness.
Many agility drills like line, step,
and certain medicine ball drills re-
quire only a moderate level of fit-
ness. Any individual with regular
tennis experience should be able
to perform these drills with mini-
mal difficulty. When the athlete
has mastered each drill, the train-
er then emphasizes the speed at
which the drill is to be performed,
thereby increasing the intensity of
the movement.
Each training session should
begin with a 5–10 minute warm-
up, and speed, quickness, and
agility drills should be performed
before resistance training. Many
club tennis players have long,
competitive seasons that may last
from October to April; therefore, to
ensure optimal results, all the
basic principles of periodization
should be applied. The off-season
starts with 1–2 weeks of active
rest, followed by a low intensity,
high volume hypertrophy resis-
tance training phase with low em-
phasis on speed, quickness, and
agility (7). As the start of the sea-
son approaches, the volume of re-
sistance training is reduced while
intensity increases, and speed,
quickness, and agility training re-
ceives greater emphasis. During
the season, volume is reduced fur-
ther and intensity is kept high
while speed, quickness, and agili-
ty training receives high priority.
■ Types of Drills
Line drills are a good introduction
to speed, quickness, and agility
training. Line drills require only a
painted line or a jump rope placed
on the floor. Table 1 lists some low
intensity, low amplitude, general
agility drills. Once the basic move-
ment is mastered, the athlete
needs to perform each drill as fast
as he or she can, with feet spend-
ing as little time as possible in
63
Figure 1. Box drill.
contact with the ground. One ex-
ample is the step-on-box drill per-
formed with the athlete placing 1
foot on the floor and the other on
the box (Figure 1). The athlete will
change position by jumping in the
air and reversing foot position.
This will ensure the optimal devel-
opment of both agility and quick-
ness.
Speed is as vital to a tennis
player as is quickness and agility.
The ability to accelerate is impor-
64
Figure 2. Resisted running drill.
tant, and speed drills can enhance
this quality. Caution must be used
when training at higher intensities
to avoid overtraining. Resisted
running can improve speed and is
performed by the partner applying
resistance to the athlete’s shoul-
ders (Figure 2). The athlete runs
against resistance while the part-
ner backpedals and resists the for-
ward motion. This exercise can
improve, for example, the ability of
a player volleying at the net who
Strength and Conditioning Journal
may need to accelerate to the
baseline to chase an overhead lob.
Table 2 lists some general speed
development drills that can be
performed at any level of intensity.
Cone drills (Figure 3) provide
more specificity in speed, quick-
ness, and agility training. The
trainer can use cone setups that
closely mimic movements made in
tennis. Additionally, medicine
balls are extremely valuable pieces
of equipment that can be used to
October 2001
 Table 2
Speed

Description
Partner assisted Mimic a running posture by leaning forward and
let-go having a partner support the front of the runner’s
shoulders to prevent them from falling forward. On the
count, the partner lets go and steps aside while the
runner breaks into a sprint. Do 3 sets of 6 –8 reps with
2 –3-minute rest breaks.
Partner resisted Mimic a running posture as in the above exercise and
runs have the runner run while the partner resists. Do 6 –8
repetitions lasting about 10 yards with 2 –3 minute rest
breaks. Figure 3. Cone drill.
Partner resisted This exercise is the same as above, but after 5 yards of
run with let-go resisted running, the partner lets go and steps aside
while the runner breaks into a short sprint. ball should not spend much time
Partner resisted This exercise begins exactly as the above, but, when the in the hands of the athlete. Table 3
run with let-go partner lets go, he or she turns around and sprints lists some basic quickness drills.
plus tag away in the same direction as the runner who then
must try to accelerate and tag the partner. ■ Program Design
After a thorough warm-up lasting
develop upper-body quickness, these drills the athlete must treat at least 5–10 minutes, you can
simulating movements that are the medicine ball like a “hot pota- start the training program. Table 4
sport specific. It is important to re- to,” catching the ball and throwing suggests a sample weekly program
member that when performing it back as quickly as possible. The that utilizes 3 workout days a

Table 3
Lower/Upper Body Quickness

Cone drills Description

Lateral shuffle Place 2 cones about 15 –20 feet apart and stand in the middle of the cones. Shuffle laterally to
the left cone and touch the top of the cone and then shuffle to the right and touch the other
cone. Repeat for a total of 10 cone touches.
Forward/backward Using the same cone setup as in the lateral shuffle, stand near the base of 1 cone and run for-
running ward to the other cone. Circle this cone and run backward toward the first cone. Repeat this
pattern for 3 sets of 6 –8 reps.
Zig-zag Position 6 cones about 6 –8 feet apart in the shape of a continuous letter “W,” and run through
the cones to the outside of each cone, working on changing directions quickly. Repeat for 3 sets
of 6 reps.
Medicine ball drills
Chest pass Standing in an athletic ready posture and hold the ball close to your chest, just below the chin.
In an explosive motion, throw the ball from the chest to a partner. As the partner throws the ball
back, catch the ball in front of the body and throw the ball back again. Catch and throw the ball
as quickly as possible. Do 3 sets of 8 –12 reps with 1 –2 minute rest breaks.
Overhead throw Standing in an athletic ready posture, hold the ball with hands on opposite sides of the ball and
bring it overhead to just behind the neck and throw the ball to a partner in an all out explosive
motion. Do 3 sets of 8 –12 reps.
Lateral throw Standing in an athletic ready posture, hold the ball below the waist with arms straight. In a pen-
dulum-like motion, reach to the left and explode back to the right, throwing the ball to a partner.
Do 3 sets of 8 –12 reps on each side of the body.

October 2001 Strength and Conditioning Journal 65

 Karlsson. Muscle strength and
Table 4 speed of movement in relation
Sample Program Design to aging and muscle morphol-
ogy. J. Appl. Physiol. 46:452–
456. 1979.
Monday Agility: angle board, 3 sets; criss-cross line drill, 3 sets.
7. National Strength and Condi-
Quickness: zig-zag cone drill, 3 sets; lateral shuffle, 3 sets.
Wednesday Agility: line drills and forward/backward jumps, 3 sets; tioning Association. Essentials
cycling, 3 sets. of Strength and Conditioning
Speed: partner-assisted let-go, 3 sets; partner-resisted run (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL:
with let-go, 3 sets. Human Kinetics, 2000.
Quickness: medicine ball drills, overhead throw, 3 sets of 8 reps; 8. Spiraduso, W. Physical Dimen-
chest pass, 3 sets 8 reps. sions of Aging. Champaign, IL:
Friday Agility: angle board, 3 sets; line drill, lateral jumps, 3 sets. Human Kinetics, 1995.
Quickness: cone drills, lateral shuffle, 3 sets; forward/backward
running, 3 sets; medicine ball drills, lateral throw,
3 sets of 8 reps.

week, with all exercises accom-
plished in 3 to 5 sets. Agility drills
usually last 10–15 seconds with a
1-minute rest between each set.
Speed drill repetitions should be
6–8 per set, with rest breaks last-
ing 2–3 minutes, depending on
how out of breath your client is.
Finally, quickness drill repetitions
range between 6 and 12 and rest
intervals last, at most, 1 minute
(4).
■ Summary
Tennis is a sport that has become
very popular in the senior popula-
tion. As a trainer or strength
coach, one of the primary tasks is
to analyze an athletic movement
and duplicate it in the gym or on
the tennis court by adding resis-
tance to help strengthen the play-
er. All exercises should progress
from simple, low intensity drills to
more complex, higher intensity
drills. As long as each exercise is
biomechanically sound and prop-
erly addresses the needs of the
athlete, it will not be absolutely
wrong. This will allow the senior
athlete to perform at a higher per-
centage of their maximal capacity.
Speed, quickness, and agility
training is perfect for seniors be-
cause it will condition fitness as-
pects that are generally lost with
age—speed, agility and quick-
ness. ▲
■ References
1. Brown, L.E., V.A. Ferrigno, Miller Hilbert
and J.C. Santana, eds. Train-
ing for Speed, Agility, and
Quickness. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics, 2000.
2. Campbell, A.J., M.C. Robert-
son, M.N. Gardner, R.N. Nor-
ton, M.W. Tilyard, and D.M.
Buchner. Randomized con-
trolled trial of a general prac- Brown
tice programme of home based
exercise to prevent falls in el- Joshua M. Miller, MS, CSCS,
derly women. BMJ. 315:1065– NSCA-CPT, received a Master’s
1069. 1997. degree from Florida Atlantic Uni-
3. Costello, F., and E.J. Kreis. versity and is currently a PhD can-
Sports Agility. Nashville, TN: didate at the University of Nebras-
Taylor Sports Publishing, Inc., ka-Lincoln.
1993.
4. Fleck, S.J., and W.J. Kraemer. Scott C. Hilbert, MS, CSCS, re-
Designing Resistance Training ceived a Master’s degree from
Programs (2nd ed.). Cham- Florida Atlantic University. He is
paign, IL: Human Kinetics, currently the Wellness Director at
1998. FAU’s Student Wellness Center.
5. Hageman, C.E., and R.C.
Lehman. Stretching, strength- Lee E. Brown, EdD, CSCS, *D, is
ening, and conditioning for the Assistant Professor and Director of
competitive tennis player. Clin. the Human Performance Labora-
Sports Med. 7(2):211–228. tory at Arkansas State University.
1988. He also serves at the NSCA State
6. Larson, L., G. Grimby, and J. Director for Arkansas.

66 Strength and Conditioning Journal October 2001