Overhead Medicine Ball Pull-Over I–V For Tennis | 7.09–7.13
Book exercises 7.09–7.13 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 pull-over arm path in lunges and on each supporting leg. A separate level I two-foot repetition is not embedded; the two-foot photographs below show its arm positions. The single-leg clip extends the free leg behind the body, while book level III specifies approximately 90° free-knee flexion. Follow the written support position and one-second forward hold for I–III. The alternating side-step sequence of IV–V is not clearly demonstrated.
Level II — Lunge Position
Level III — Single-Leg Support
Technique Photos
Setup And Execution
I — 7.09: face a fixed reference or partner approximately two to three feet away. Use two-foot support with the knees slightly flexed, the trunk controlled and the gaze comfortably forward. Hold the medicine ball in both hands behind the head. Guide it over the head and forward to chest height, retaining slight elbow flexion through the forward reach. Hold for one second. Return along the overhead path, extending the elbows as the ball rises, then flex them to restore the behind-head starting position. Retain control of the ball throughout; this drill does not include a release.
II — 7.10: establish a right-foot forward lunge, with the front foot flat and weight through its heel. Keep the pelvis controlled and the back straight through the pull-over, one-second forward hold and return. Complete the cycle before switching lead legs. III — 7.11: use single-leg support with slight knee and hip flexion and the free knee flexed approximately 90°. Complete the same arm path, forward hold and return while maintaining that support, then repeat on the other leg.
IV — 7.12: start in an athletic stance, side-step left and establish a right-foot diagonal lunge. Complete the pull-over to chest height and return the ball behind the head before side-stepping right into a left-foot diagonal lunge. V — 7.13: retain the side-step and recovery sequence but use diagonal single-leg support, repeating on the opposite leg after the return. IV–V do not prescribe the additional one-second forward hold used in I–III.
Keep the starting range comfortable and the forward reach controlled. Use a lighter ball, shorter range or shorter reach when the athlete cannot retain the support position or returns by arching the back. Bringing the ball closer to the body is a deliberate regression. The photographs establish the shared positions; coordinate the elbow and shoulder movements without forcing an abrupt transition or rigid elbow lock.
Book Family Progressions
| Reference | Variation | What Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 7.09 | OVERHEAD MB PULL-OVER (I) | Complete the pull-over in a stable two-foot stance before adding a lunge or single-leg support. |
| 7.10 | OVERHEAD MB PULL-OVER (II): LUNGE POSITION | Complete the same controlled arm sequence while maintaining a forward lunge. |
| 7.11 | OVERHEAD MB PULL-OVER (III): SINGLE LEG | Complete the pull-over, one-second forward hold and return while balancing on one support leg. Repeat on the other leg. |
| 7.12 | OVERHEAD MB PULL OVER (IV): ALTERNATE LUNGE | Side-step, establish a diagonal lunge, complete the pull-over and recover before repeating with the opposite lead leg. |
| 7.13 | OVERHEAD MB PULL OVER (V): ALTERNATE SL | Side-step into diagonal single-leg support, complete the pull-over, recover and repeat on the other supporting leg. SL denotes single leg. |
Common Errors
Forcing the starting range; losing the grip; jerking the ball over the head; an uncontrolled forward drop; excessive back arching; unplanned foot movement; omitting the one-second forward hold in I–III.
Equipment And Level Selection
Use a controllable medicine ball and a fixed forward reference or partner. 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.