The greatest part about this post is that it can help players of all levels. First we can observe how players like Roger Federer and Andy Roddick rotate and maintain proper postural alignment.

Notice how relaxed Federer’s neck is and how whip like his arms are. Ground force from his leg drive facilitates torso rotation. His smooth kinetic chain sequence is enabled due to his well aligned torso.

Roddick achieves maximal torso rotation on his serve which is made possible by a perfect 90 degree knee bend and finishing in a balanced position. If you observe carefully you’ll notice that his arm is not culprit in producing force yet it is his legs and torso rotation that provides this force. His posture is neutral throughout the swing’s entirety.

If we look at some yoga postures that are specific to tennis postures then we are on our way to finding solutions to achieve mechanical perfection in tennis. These are beginners exercises that do not involve rotation but mainly focus on awareness and maintaining neutral spine.

The cat cow stretch is perfect for mechanical proprioception, lower back pain and training posture in a very stable and simple position.

This is advertised as a golf exercise but this position is important for landing after the serve. If you go back to Roddick’s serve you’ll notice he is in this arabesque position after all of his serves.

The downward dog pose is very good for creating a perfect hinging angle for your hits whilst opening up your shoulders, gluteals and hamstrings. If you beginning this pose I recommend you keep bending your knees while you’re in the pose to you can continuously realign your lower back.

I really like warrior 2 for tennis because it promotes centered balance and alignment for open stance forehands/backhands.

So there you have it, these are some simple exercises for any level to improve some mechanical fundamentals. There will be more exercises soon to come. If you’re interested in comprehensive yoga training then go try a beginners class at your local gym or yoga centre. Enjoy!