Best Tennis Training Aids

Why Use Tennis Training Aids?

The aim of using a tennis training aid is to accelerate the improvement of your game whilst practicing.

Of course, seeking out individual coaching, be it in person or through an online course,  is a fantastic way to get detailed feedback from a coaching professional.

However, if you are on a budget, do not live near a tennis facility or are struggling to find people to play with, using a tennis training aid can help you improve your game on your own!

This means you can ultimately spend more time hitting balls, working on your technique and improving your feel, one shot at a time.

With technology becoming ever more present in tennis these days, there are a lot of useful training aids out there to choose from.

Whilst they are all designed to improve your game, there are a wide variety of products out there that have a range of different benefits.

Some help you work on your topspin, whilst others will feed you balls to your heart’s content. So, let’s dive into the best tennis training aids and see what’s what!

The 9 Best Tennis Training Aids

Here is our summary of some of the best tennis training aids on the market today.

Whilst they all serve a different purpose, they can all be used to improve your game!

Many of these aids can be used in combination, so be sure to try some of them out and see which ones best suit your needs.

Topspin Pro

The Topspin Pro is a great tool for working on your “brushing” motion as you try to generate topspin.

This tennis aid comes with a stand, built in ball and resistance guards that are set at a steep upward angle, forcing you to hit with heavy topspin.

The contrasting colours of the built in tennis ball really pop, so you can see them spinning quickly if you have produced a lot of spin!

In order to hit the ball, you really need to get underneath it and drive your strings up the back of the built in ball.

It also forces your racket to finish high, meaning you will have produced heavy topspin.

The Topspin Pro is a sturdy device that won’t be knocked over easily.

It stops players from hitting from high to low or through the ball, which is great for juniors or beginners who want to feel comfortable when developing their topspin groundstrokes.

Tennis Mate Tee Mate

The Tee Mate by Tennis mate is an adjustable, dual arm tennis training aid that is great for players of all levels.

It is a step on from the Topspin Pro, as it has arms that can fully rotate, meaning you can hit the built in ball with any shot you wish.

As you hit the ball, it will rotate and show you the spin you have hit, whilst the arms themselves will fold down and then spring back into place.

It is a very sturdy and well put together device that can be used by multiple players at once.

The adjustable height allows you to work on both high and low groundstrokes, also making it ideal for players of all ages.

The Tee Mate is easy to assemble and comes in a convenient and compact carry case.

It really is the ideal tennis trainer for those who want to learn how to hit topspin, whilst developing their technique.

Tennis Power Trainer

The Tennis Power Trainer is an adjustable cover that fits on the head of your tennis racket, designed to add resistance to your swing.

This simple but effective invention is a fantastic tool for those wanting to train alone, as you can hit shadow swings with the added air resistance from the Power Trainer Sleeve.

This additional resistance forces you to swing harder to get the racket through the air, meaning that when you come to hit the ball you will be able to swing with more racket head speed.

This is turn will help you generate more power and more spin, as your racket will feel a lot lighter and easier to swing without the sleeve attached!

Tennis Twist Ball Machine

Tennis ball machines have historically been very expensive, bulky and powerful devices.

Whilst this is ideal for heavy duty use across multiple courts for hours on end, what if you are after a light, compact and portable ball machine that can effectively ‘hand’ feed you balls?

Well, the Tennis Twist Ball Machine was designed for just that! It is a low cost alternative to the more traditional ball machines on the market, offering a unique alternative that is accessible to all.

The Tennis Twist features a relatively low powered propulsion mechanism compared to its rivals from Lobster and Spinfire, but this means it can feed the ball when you are up close and personal, rather than having to be at the other end of the court.

This makes it ideal for juniors or beginners that are looking to focus on their technique without having to worry about a fast incoming ball!

This machine is also great if you are looking to improve your consistency and technique on your own, as you can focus specifically on striking the ball exactly where you want it, time after time.

Lobster Phenom 2

This is the top of the range ball machine from the world’s best known and most reputable tennis ball machine brand.

The Lobster Phenom 2 really pulls out all the stops to offer the most complete, high quality hitting experience possible.

Its highly powerful cannon will fire balls between 35 and 85mph, meaning that no matter your playing ability or experience, the Phenom 2 can cater for your needs.

It comes with 6 pre programmed training settings for you to choose from, along with a customizable mode that you can create your own 18 shot sequence with!

With its ability to hit topspin, backspin and flat balls in any direction and at any speed, the Lobster Phenom 2 really is an all singing all dancing tennis ball machine!

If you are looking for the most versatile and well rounded ball machine out there, look no further than the Phenom 2 by Lobster.

Solo Tennis Trainer

The Solo Tennis Trainer has taken the world of tennis social media by storm!

It is an incredibly simple and highly effective tennis aid that does a great job of improving your consistency.

Effectively, it is a tennis ball on a string attached to a weighted base. We said it was simple…

The Solo Tennis Trainer comes in a compact configuration that simply needs to be unravelled before use.

There is a removable cap that houses the water chamber, which needs to be filled up to weigh the base of the trainer down.

This keeps it stable on the ground and stops your ball from flying away!

Once you have done this, simply tie the string attached to the ball to the designated mental chain on the base, and you’re good to go!

You can simply set the base down in front of you and hit the string attached ball and it will come right back to you!

This can help improve your consistency, technique and footwork, as you will have to stay on your toes to be in the right position to hit the next shot.

The Flex Trainer

Most of the tennis training aids on our list so far have been centered around hitting the ball and improving your technique and consistency.

However, the Flex Trainer takes a different approach. It is a belt and ankle strap training aid that aims to improve your leg drive and power generation.

This device has been around for a number of years and has really stood the test of time.

The waist belt and ankle straps are connected via 3 resistance bands that span the length of each leg.

These are adjustable in length so can be fitted to any player. The bands effectively pull your waist down, encouraging you to bend your knees and play in a more athletic stance.

This helps with your agility as you will have a lower center of gravity and will be able to change direction more quickly.

However, the main benefit of using the Flex Trainer is the increase in power generation.

The resistance bands add load to your legs, forcing you to really drive up against the bands and explode into your shots.

This is a great tool for players who are developing their strokes and want to start using their body more as they play at a more advanced level.

Many of the pros have been seen using this training aid, and it is easy to see why!

Backswing Solution

If you are struggling with your return of serve of volleys, then the Backswing Solution is the ideal tennis training aid for you!

This plastic pole slides into an easy to wear, adjustable vest strap and sits right on your chest.

You can then position your arms in front of the pole and it will completely stop you from swinging your arms behind your body!

This is ideal if you are looking to reduce your backswings and contact the ball out in front, which is exactly what you need to do when returning fast serves or looking to hit crisp volleys.

The Backswing Solution is a very simple but effective tool that can help stop those long swings when you don’t need them!

Cones and Lines

Going back to basics and using good old cones and throw down lines can be another great way to improve your accuracy on the tennis court.

Cones are ideal when you are looking to hit a specific target on the court, such as when you are practicing your serve or a delicate angled drop shot.

Whereas throw down lines are a great solution for when you need to aim towards a designated area on the court, such as when you are hitting cross court and then changing direction to go down the line.

Both of these tools help to focus your mind and improve your accuracy. They are great for coaching and can be used by anyone!

Takeaways: Best Tennis Training Aids

Ultimately, there is a wide range of tennis training aids out there that can help you get the most out of your time on the tennis court.

Use our guide as a basis for comparison between the different types of tools you may come across, and be sure to try them out for yourself.

You never know when training aid will suit you best!