You don’t have to play tennis every day to become a better—and healthier—tennis player.
If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing quite like getting out on a tennis court.
But as we get older, we also start to realize something:
Our days away from the court matter too.
When I was younger, I could play tennis, recover quickly, and do it all over again without thinking much about it.
These days, I pay a little more attention to what I’m doing between tennis days.
The good news is that you don’t need a complicated training program.
There are several simple things recreational players over 50 can do on non-tennis days that can help us stay active, feel better, and be more prepared for our next match.
Here are five of my favourites.
1. Go for a Walk
It sounds almost too simple.
But walking is one of the easiest ways to keep your body moving on a day when you’re not playing tennis.
You don’t need to turn it into a race.
A comfortable walk can get your legs moving, give you some fresh air, and help break up a day of sitting.
And there’s another benefit for tennis players:
You’re still spending time on your feet.
Tennis involves a lot of movement, stopping, starting, and changing direction. Maintaining a regular habit of walking helps keep movement part of your everyday routine.
Try this:
Take a 20–30 minute walk on a non-tennis day.
If that feels like too much, start with 10 minutes and build from there.
The goal isn’t to exhaust yourself.
It’s simply to keep moving.
2. Work on Strength
This is one area that becomes increasingly important as we get older.
We don’t need to become bodybuilders.
But maintaining strength can help us continue doing the activities we enjoy—including tennis.
For tennis players, useful areas to work on include:
- Legs
- Glutes
- Core
- Back
- Shoulders
- Arms
You don’t necessarily need a gym membership, either.
Simple exercises such as squats, lunges, calf raises, wall push-ups, resistance-band exercises, and basic core work can be a starting point.
The important thing is consistency.
A little strength work done regularly is better than an ambitious workout you only do once in a while.
If you’re new to strength training or have an injury or medical condition, it’s a good idea to get guidance from a qualified professional before starting a new program.
3. Spend a Few Minutes on Mobility
Strength is important.
But so is being able to move comfortably.
Tennis requires us to rotate, reach, bend, turn, and move in different directions.
As we get older, it’s easy to become a little less mobile without even noticing it.
That’s why I like the idea of spending a few minutes on mobility on non-tennis days.
You could work through gentle movements for areas such as:
- Ankles
- Hips
- Upper back
- Shoulders
- Wrists
You don’t need to spend an hour stretching.
Even 5–10 minutes of gentle mobility work can become a useful daily habit.
Think of it as keeping the moving parts moving.
One important distinction:
Mobility work shouldn’t be painful.
If a movement causes pain rather than simply feeling like a gentle stretch or controlled movement, stop and get appropriate advice.
4. Give Yourself Time to Recover
This one might be the hardest for people like us.
Sometimes we think that doing more must be better.
But recovery is part of staying active.
If you played a long singles match yesterday and your legs are telling you that they need a break today, listening to them isn’t being lazy.
It’s being smart.
A non-tennis day can be a good opportunity to:
- Get enough sleep
- Stay hydrated
- Eat nutritious meals
- Take an easy walk
- Do some gentle mobility work
- Simply give your body a break
There’s no prize for being exhausted all the time.
The goal is to feel good enough to enjoy your next tennis day.
5. Do Something That Keeps You Connected to Tennis
This is my favourite one.
Not every non-tennis day has to involve exercise.
You can also spend a few minutes working on the skills and habits that make you a better player.
For example:
Practice your footwork
Without a ball or racquet, spend a few minutes practicing small side-to-side movements.
Stay light on your feet and concentrate on balance.
Practice your ready position
Grab your racquet and work on getting into your ready position.
Racquet up.
Knees slightly bent.
Balanced.
Ready to move.
Visualize your strokes
It might sound a little strange, but you can mentally rehearse a forehand, backhand, serve, or volley.
Picture yourself making clean contact and recovering for the next shot.
Watch and learn
You can also spend a little time watching tennis and paying attention to movement and strategy.
Instead of simply watching who wins, watch how players position themselves.
There’s always something to learn.
What About Rest Days?
Here’s something I think is worth emphasizing:
You don’t have to do something every single day.
Sometimes the best thing you can do on a non-tennis day is rest.
Especially after a hard match or a busy week, your body may benefit more from recovery than another workout.
The goal isn’t to turn every day into a training day.
The goal is to build a lifestyle that allows you to keep doing the things you enjoy.
And for us, that often means tennis.
A Simple Non-Tennis-Day Routine
If you want to keep things really simple, here’s one possible routine:
20–30 minutes: Walk
5–10 minutes: Mobility
10–20 minutes: Strength work, a few times per week
A few minutes: Tennis-specific footwork or visualization
Then: Recover and get on with your day.
That’s it.
You don’t need expensive equipment.
You don’t need a fancy training facility.
And you don’t need to spend hours exercising.
Consistency matters more than complexity.
From Patrick
I’ve come to appreciate that playing tennis is only one part of staying on the court long-term.
As we get older, what we do between matches starts to matter too.
I’m not looking to turn myself into a professional athlete.
I just want to keep moving, keep playing, and keep enjoying tennis for as long as I can.
Some days that might mean a walk.
Other days it might mean some strength or mobility work.
And sometimes it might mean doing absolutely nothing and letting my body recover.
I think that’s part of getting older as a recreational athlete:
You learn to listen to your body instead of always trying to push through it.
And if taking a day off means I’m feeling better when I get back on the court, that’s a pretty good trade.
Final Takeaway
You don’t have to play tennis every day to support your tennis game.
On the days you’re away from the court, think about doing something simple:
Move. Strengthen. Mobilize. Recover. Stay connected to the game.
You don’t need to do all five things every day.
Just find a routine that works for you and stick with it.
Because the goal isn’t simply to play tennis this weekend.
It’s to keep enjoying tennis for years to come. 🎾
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