Last Tuesday, I published a post confessing my aversion to performing traditional sit-ups and crunches. It was inspired by the fact that the “Behind the Scenes” training room feed from the Miami Open never shows any professional tennis players performing that move. The absence made me suspect that sit-ups may have fallen out of use in high-performance tennis training.
It is the kind of question that sparks my curiosity, which sent me looking for a more structured answer. The first obvious source to consult is one that was already at my fingertips. It is a tennis training book that I have always regarded as essential, but have somehow never formally reviewed on this site. I am talking about Complete Conditioning for Tennis, published under the combined banner of the USTA and Human Kinetics.
I own copies of three versions of this book, published in 1998, 2007, and 2016. For years, I had mentally grouped them together as essentially the same resource with minor cosmetic updates. On further reflection, that assumption does not hold. In fact, this book has a somewhat muddled version history. The 1998 and 2007 editions, which both credited Paul Roetert and Todd Ellenbecker as the authors, are labeled as the same edition. The 2016 edition adds Mark Kovacs as the lead author, along with the original two. That release bills itself as the Second edition.
So you would think that any changes between 1998 and 2007 would be minor, and that more significant updates would be made to the 2016 release. Paradoxically, that is not the case. A fairly significant restructuring occurred between the 1998 and 2007 versions. By my eye, the changes made between 2007 and 2016 were mostly inconsequential.
Those discrepancies were very apparent since I was on a quest to find out if sit-ups had indeed fallen out of favor in the sport. For example, the 1998 edition treats core work as part of a broader “Strength Training” chapter, with a clear emphasis on traditional sit-ups and crunches. By 2007, the book’s structure had changed significantly, including a dedicated chapter on Core Stability Training. Sequence-wise, that topic now appears before a separate chapter on Strength and Power Training. That ordering is not accidental but reflects a shift in how tennis conditioning is now conceptualized and prioritized.
Even more telling is the detailed content. The only recognizable sit-up variation appearing in the 2007 version is performed on a Swiss ball, introducing instability into the movement. The training emphasis has clearly shifted from isolated torso flexion toward rotational stability, balance, and control. That philosophical shift aligns almost perfectly with what is visible in modern professional training environments.
So, to answer my earlier question, it appears that my instinct was not entirely unfounded. Sit-ups and crunches have not completely disappeared, but they are no longer regarded as the primary way to train the core stability necessary for tennis. That is a satisfying conclusion. Unless I completely lose my mind and decide to start attending group fitness classes, I feel like I now have personal justification to never do a sit-up again.
The 2016 version of Complete Conditioning for Tennis adds another layer to this evolution. While I have a hard copy of that book, I was unable to locate it while working on this post. What stands out from that edition is not just the addition of Mark Kovacs, but the integration of digital content. The book advertises access to an online video library of exercises. The Kindle version goes even further, embedding direct links to those videos within the text. At that point, it becomes difficult to argue for investing in any other format.
In fact, these books serve as a case study in the evolution of training technology itself. The 1998 edition relies on static images and written descriptions. The 2007 edition includes a DVD tucked into the cover. By 2016, the video content had moved online. Sometime in the interim, the videos are integrated directly into the eBook format. That progression mirrors the broader shift in how athletes learn and consume information.
Stepping back, I need to underscore that Complete Conditioning for Tennis is the book I regard as the authoritative resource on tennis training. There are plenty of other off-court fitness books on the market, but this is the one that all players should have, particularly with the addition of Kovacs and the continued refinement of its underlying philosophy. This resource continues to reflect not just exercises, but an evolving understanding of how tennis players actually move, prepare, and perform.
I have never given Complete Conditioning for Tennis a proper review, and I am not sure this post fully corrects that oversight. However, back in 2020, I included it in a post titled “The Three Books Every Tennis Player Should Own.” For players who do not already have a copy, my current recommendation is simple. Skip the older formats and get the Kindle version. It is the most complete and convenient expression of a great resource that has quietly shaped how tennis players train for decades.
Complete Conditioning for Tennis (<- Sponsored Link)
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.
