Federer uses medicine balls and resistance bands to build strength, coordination and balance for his tennis playing.

Roger Federer’s workout training routine is formulated by Pierre Paganini, Federer’s tennis strength and conditioning coach. The Swiss born Federer met Paganini while training as a junior in the Swiss National Tennis center. The pair have worked together for over a decade and have remained good friends. Together they put roughly 100 hours of fitness training throughout the season. Prior to a big tournament or in the off-season, they often work for about 10 or more hours a week. “When you’re with good friends, training can also be a lot of fun,” Federer told Tennis.com. Not only will it be more fun, but it can be more productive. There has been research that confirms that training with a friend or partner can increase fitness levels. As long as you don’t talk to your friend too much in the gym, you can really benefit. I’m sure Federer and Paganini go right to business!

In terms of his workout, Federer said “I like lifting weights but tennis players do a lot of different kinds of exercises- gym, muscle training, sprints, footwork, coordination. I like to mix it up.” In addition to his workout, Federer sleeps at least 10 hours a night, giving his muscles ideal recovery time. Usually, eight hours is known as the standard to many so those extra two hours can provide even more recovery.

The 6’1, 177 lb. Federer does a large variety of workouts and exercises. However, here are two of Federer’s main exercises in his routine, courtesy of Tennis.com:

LATERAL LUNGES WITH TWIST

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. (1) Lunge with your left leg out at a 45- degree angle, then (2) lower your upper leg and twist the left side of your torso forward. Hold, return to starting position, and repeat with right leg. Do 10 times on each side. As you get stronger, place a barbell with little or no weight on it across your shoulders.

This exercise strengthens all the muscles that are needed to hit the ball with full force. This especially works the glutes, obliques, torso, and core. This mirrors the twisting and turning that you do on the tennis court.

MEDICINE BALL TOSS

Stand across the net from a partner with both of you at the singles sideline, about halfway back to the service line. Moving quickly across the court with shuffle steps, pass a medicine ball of comfortable weight back and forth, keeping the ball at chest level. Go from sideline to sideline three times.

This exercise improves agility and strengthens the core and upper body. So much of your power and explosion on the tennis court starts in your core. This is a great exercise to build up some additional core strength.

As far as his diet routine goes, Federer is cautious with what he puts into his body, especially on the road with occasional indulgences. “I try to make sure I eat correctly. But when I’m in Switzerland, I don’t watch it so much. I want to give myself a treat occasionally.” As a result of having too strict of a diet for too long, your body can get used to being in a caloric deficit for too long and your metabolism can slow down. Providing yourself a “treat occasionally” will actually boost the metabolism because your body isn’t used to it.

When it is all said and done, Roger Federer will go down as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, if not the best. His workout and diet routine have provided him with the durability and longevity on the tennis court to achieve greatness.

Source

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/fitness.aspx?articleid=1149&zoneid=21