Peripheral Vision in Tennis: Anticipation, Awareness & Reaction Drills

Key Points

• Key Takeaways

  • The exercise aims to improve peripheral retinal awareness and visual precision
  • Equipment needed: 8 cones (4 colors, 2 of each),1 tennis ball

• Setup:

  • Place 4 cones on the ground in front of you for orientation
  • Ideally do this on the floor (not a table) to include foot coordination
  • One person stands in front of you holding a tennis ball at eye level
  • A second person stands at your side (left or right) with the other 4 cones

• Objective:

  • Keep your gaze fixed on the tennis ball
  • When a cone is shown in your peripheral vision, identify the color without looking away from the ball
  • Respond by tapping your foot as a motor action
  • Start with easy angles and gradually increase difficulty
  • This drill improves coordination, attention, and the use of peripheral vision without losing central fixation