Medicine Ball Trunk Rotation I–V For Tennis | 7.04–7.08
Book exercises 7.04–7.08 from Advanced Concepts of Strength & Conditioning for Tennis. Establish the arm movement in two-foot support before adding a lunge or single-leg stance.
Exercise Demonstrations
The clips show the two-foot arm movement, rotations in a lunge on both sides, and rotations on each supporting leg. The two-foot clip omits the placement rings and turns the head with the ball; follow the written forward-gaze task within a comfortable rotation range. The single-leg clip extends the free leg behind the body, while book level III specifies approximately 90° free-knee flexion. Use these clips as movement references, with the written setup and one-second endpoint holds for the selected level. The alternating side-step sequence of IV–V is not clearly demonstrated.
Level I — Two-Foot Support
Level II — Diagonal Lunge
Level III — Single-Leg Support
Technique Photos
Setup And Execution
I — 7.04: place two rings shoulder-width apart and stand inside them, facing a fixed reference or partner. Keep the hips and knees slightly flexed. Raise the medicine ball in both hands to shoulder height with slight elbow flexion. Initiate rotation through the trunk, turning left while keeping the arm reach and elbow angle consistent. Hold for one second, rotate right and hold for one second, then return to the starting position. Retain forward gaze and planted-foot support. Use a controllable rotation range rather than forcing the shoulders to a fixed angle.
II — 7.05: establish a right-foot diagonal lunge with the front foot flat and weight through its heel. Lean forward with a controlled back, raise the ball to shoulder height and complete the left and right rotations with a one-second hold at each endpoint. Return before switching lead legs. III — 7.06: use diagonal single-leg support with slight knee and hip flexion, the free knee flexed approximately 90° and the trunk inclined forward. Complete both rotations and holds on that support leg, recover, then repeat on the other side.
IV — 7.07: side-step left into a right-leg diagonal lunge, complete both rotations and holds, then recover before repeating to the right with the opposite lead leg. V — 7.08: retain that side-step and recovery sequence but use diagonal single-leg support. Complete both rotations before changing legs. If balance deteriorates, flex the elbows to bring the ball closer to the body, reduce the rotation range or simplify the support position.
The rings mark placement; they do not restrain the feet. Keep the fixed-foot task by reducing range when a pivot becomes necessary. Retain a comfortable forward gaze without forcing the neck. These are controlled rotations with endpoint holds, rather than medicine-ball throws or passing repetitions.
Book Family Progressions
| Reference | Variation | What Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 7.04 | MB TRUNK ROTATION (I) | Hold the ball in front and rotate left and right while retaining a two-foot stance and forward gaze. |
| 7.05 | MB TRUNK ROTATION (II): DIAGONAL LUNGE | Maintain a diagonal lunge while rotating the ball left and right with the gaze toward the forward reference. Complete the return before changing the lead leg. |
| 7.06 | MB TRUNK ROTATION (III): SINGLE LEG | Rotate with a medicine ball while maintaining single-leg support and an inclined trunk. Preserve the single-leg task; it is not a lunge variation. |
| 7.07 | MB TRUNK ROT. (IV): ALTERNATE DIAGONAL LUNGE | Connect a lateral step to a diagonal lunge, complete controlled rotations in that stance, recover and mirror the sequence with the opposite lead leg. |
| 7.08 | MB TRUNK ROTATION (V): ALTERNATE SINGLE LEG | Connect lateral travel to diagonal single-leg support, complete controlled rotations, then recover and repeat on the other supporting leg. |
Common Errors
Forcing range beyond the fixed-foot task; an uncontrolled arm sweep; unplanned foot movement; losing the selected reach; forcing the neck to retain forward gaze.
Equipment And Level Selection
Use a controllable medicine ball and a fixed forward reference or partner. The rotation drill uses two rings shoulder-width apart for the two-foot setup. The book levels I, II and III distinguish two-foot support, a lunge and single-leg support; they are progression identifiers, not a readiness score. Reduce the load, reach or support difficulty when the athlete cannot preserve the stated movement.