There’s a lot that goes into being one of the top tennis players in the world. For Novak Djokovic, the current number one ranked tennis player, drills are just one aspect of his daily routine. This is because maintaining your game, especially in the highest level, requires much, much more.
In this article, we will be talking about the workout plan of tennis star Novak Djokovic. We will give you a breakdown of some of the things he does to improve his body and his game, like the training routine that he does so you can emulate what the pros do in order to level their game up.
Stretching
Djokovic starts his training regimen by stretching, mainly to get rid of accumulated muscle stiffness that happens after sleeping for eight hours. He begins his training regimen with a light run or a bike ride, and he does this until his body warms up. Then, Novak moves into his dynamic stretching routine.
A dynamic stretching routine involves stretching exercises that are aimed at simulating everyday movement. In Novak’s case, his routine involves a 5-minute jog or some time riding a stationary bike. Afterwards, he proceeds to the following exercises:
- Inverted hamstring stretch
- Squat thrusts
- Jumping jacks
- Reverse lunge with backward reach
- Lunge with side bend
- Walking high knees
- Low side-to-side lunge
- Walking high kicks
- Inchworm
Foam Rolling
While Djokovic does have an on-call masseuse (as does any other high-level athlete), he is also a firm believer in foam rolling. Foam rolling has similar effects to a massage, in that it loosens up the connective tissue around the muscles and reduces stiffness. This, in turn, increases Djokovic’s mobility.
If you have a foam roller, Djokovic suggests that you use it on the following areas:
- Calves
- Glutes
- Lower Back
- Upper Back
- Hamstring
- Quads
- Hips
- Shoulder Blades
The Space Egg
This is one of the most unique aspects of Djokovic’s training routine, so much so that it was the talk of the tennis world when it was revealed. Don’t let its look fool you – aside from Novak, a considerable number of professional athletes attests to the CVAC Pod’s ability to stimulate the body on a cellular level, increase oxygen absorption, and promote muscle recovery. And while the science behind it is still young, it is clear that Djokovic gained a noticeable edge after he started using the CVAC Pod, and, as we all know, even the most minor edge can make a massive difference, especially at his level.
Conditioning
Djokovic has a habit of training in high altitudes before matches. In fact, he recommends hiking up a mountain to build endurance. While not much changes in his training regimen when he transitions to high-altitude areas, the drastic change in environment allows him to increase his conditioning and endurance to the maximum, which is definitely noticeable once he goes back to sea level. Also, it helps that he grew up in the mountains of Serbia, and this might be the reason why altitude training comes more naturally to him.
Yoga
Novak Djokovic is quite a yoga enthusiast. In fact, not only does he practice the yoga poses that you can see on his social media, he also embraces the spiritual side of it. Perhaps this is why he is known as Spider-Man, and the most flexible player in tennis, stretching his arms and legs beyond the normal limit.
Djokovic considers yoga as an integral part of his tennis workout plan. In fact, you will often see him practicing a few yoga poses, like the cobra or the downward dog, right before a match. While yoga is a great way to unwind while relieving sore muscles and managing stress, Novak also credits the discipline for strengthening his hips and lower backs, as well as his resistance to injury.
There you have it! This is how Novak Djokovic trains for a big tournament. Do note that while the intensity of his tennis workout plan increases whenever he is getting ready for a match, we can still learn something from the way Djokovic trains. Nevertheless, we recommend that you try to emulate Djokovic’s training routine – we guarantee that your tennis game will improve as a result.
Taking your personal fitness to the next level will involve bringing more fitness specific gear to the court – foam roller, massage ball, stretch bands, massage gun, and reflex lights just to name a few. Keeping your gear well organized is what the Axiom series of tennis bags from Geau Sport is all about. Check out this link to browse our entire collection of premium Geau Sport tennis bags.
Very interesting article…on Djokovic attitude to life and training…..🌷🌷🌷