Exercise Better

The next focus area on our journey exploring topics inspired by The Happiness Project is “Exercise Better.” It might seem counterintuitive that tennis players would have anything to learn here. After all, tennis is one of the healthiest sports and people who read this blog are also likely to play a lot. In her book, Gretchen Rubin highlights the profound connection between physical activity and happiness, emphasizing how regular exercise boosts energy, reduces stress, and fosters a sense of accomplishment. For tennis players, enhancing fitness improves performance on the court.

While it’s true that playing tennis is an excellent way to stay active, relying solely on matches for exercise can limit your performance potential. Playing tennis is an inherently dynamic activity. However, if you’re not engaging in off-court training, you might be selling yourself short. Incorporating resistance training, cardio workouts, flexibility, and agility exercises into your routine can enhance your game in ways that spending time on the court playing the sport cannot.

Resistance training is essential to build the muscle strength needed to produce power and increase endurance during matches. For example, stronger legs allow for explosive movement to chase down wide shots, while a stable core enhances balance and shot precision. Cardio workouts, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT) which mimics tennis points, improve cardiovascular endurance, enabling you to maintain peak performance during long points and matches.Additionally, exercises focused on flexibility and mobility, such as yoga or dynamic stretching routines, reduce the risk of injury and improve range of motion.

The “exercise better” material in Rubin’s book sparked the realization that there is room for improvement in my off-court training. While I am religious about the 15-minute mobility flow that I credit with ending my lengthy plantar fasciitis ordeal, that daily practice has cut into other off-court activities. Additionally, I have recently fallen into the habit of spending time on the court or performing cardio, but rarely both on the same day. In particular, my resistance training has become lackadaisical lately, which is dumb for a woman of my age since that builds bone density and heads off osteoporosis.

For the month of January, I have set minimum targets for the different types of off-court training I should be doing. First, I will perform both resistance and agility training a minimum of three times a week. I also intend to perform cardio training every day, which does not include any tennis played. In addition to my daily 15-minute plantar fasciitis flow, I have set a target to perform additional flexibility training three times. I also know that I need to add more variety to my off-court training, but I have decided against setting specific targets for that intention. I anticipate that time will be the most significant challenge in meeting these performance targets. Given my current rhythm of life, it will take intentional planning to meet the commitment.

January might also be your month to commit to exercise better. Start by evaluating your current fitness routine. Are you getting the strength, cardio, flexibility, and agility training your body needs to support your desired level of tennis performance? Are you doing enough for your own long-term health objectives? If not, consider setting a few small achievable goals that could make a difference.

Gretchen Rubin’s philosophy in The Happiness Project reminds us that small, deliberate changes can have a profound impact on our overall happiness. By dedicating time to improving the quality of your exercise routine, you’re not just setting yourself up for better tennis performance—you’re investing in a healthier, happier you.

Fiend At Court participates in the Amazon associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article. Details on the disposition of proceeds are available on the “About Fiend at Court” page.

Throughout 2025, I am dedicating the first full weekend of every month to exploring how ideas from Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project (<- Sponsored Link) can spark greater enjoyment and happiness in tennis. This is a non-tennis book that I have come to believe everyone should read. Seriously, you should get your hands on a copy of this book and consider trying some of the techniques described by the author.