Physical training.
Also called conditioning, tennis physical training includes a set of fundamentals: upper-body work, lower-body work, full-body workouts, strength training, speed drills, endurance training, and so on. The purpose is simple: to improve an athlete's physical ability — to become more adaptable to tennis and perform better on the court.
To Ryohei Rin, among the five basic attributes, endurance was the most crucial. No matter the sport, superior control of the body and stamina is indispensable.
Hyotei Tennis Club — training ground.
Ryohei ran laps across the field — not fast, only a pace slightly quicker than walking. Even at that speed, his faint presence somehow drew a few glances from other club members.
"Isn't that too slow? Even a first-year shouldn't jog like that," one muttered.
"Can someone like that even be in Hyotei's club? Has the bar dropped that much?" another scoffed.
"What's the point of running laps at that pace? That's just a stroll, not training."
They knew Hyotei's daily conditioning well: laps were long and timed tightly. To meet Coach Taro Sakaki's standards you usually had to run far faster than Ryohei's current pace. To these members, his pace looked like a casual walk on holiday.
"Idiot!" Taki Haginosuke snapped as he arrived and cut off their comments. "That's obviously a warm-up. Can't you recognize a warm-up when you see one?"
Taki had watched Ryohei's performance before and trusted his judgment. Those who had been flattering Taki immediately fell silent and resumed their training when they saw him.
One lap. Two laps. Three. Ten. Ryohei kept his steady, unhurried pace. The onlookers' expressions shifted from scorn to confusion. Warm-up… shouldn't it end sooner?
Taki laughed it off and disappeared into the training crowd. He'd learned not to judge Ryohei by appearances.
"Hoo… hoo… hoo."
Even after ten laps, Ryohei deliberately kept the same pace and breathing. This wasn't aimless jogging — his running was targeted. With only 2 points in stamina on his basic panel, long matches would exhaust him quickly. Rather than simply "training," he was doing specialized endurance and cardiopulmonary conditioning.
To improve aerobic capacity, the simplest and most direct method was long-distance running. Marathon-style conditioning doesn't make you the most explosive athlete, but it builds the best long-range stamina and metabolic control — essential for sustaining advantage over a full match.
"Control energy metabolism and develop the ability to maintain an edge," he muttered to himself, eyes narrowed. "This is how I cover my weakness. At minimum… I must be able to finish an entire match without collapsing."
Time passed quickly when someone is focused. As the sun dipped, painting the sky red, other club members began filing home. But those who had mocked Ryohei earlier didn't leave immediately; they lingered and watched.
"How many laps has he done?" one whispered.
"Fifty…?" another guessed.
"Fifty?" they repeated in disbelief.
"To be exact — fifty-eight laps," came the answer.
They stared at one another. Fifty-eight laps. This wasn't a casual stroll. It was a display of iron discipline. Even at a slower speed, that many laps pushed the limits of body, spirit, and will. Most of them trained to pass the time; they simply didn't have the endurance or resolve for this.
"This willpower… it's terrifying," someone admitted. "If he keeps this up, he'll be a starter for sure."
Others were speechless — none of them wanted to argue. Fifty-eight laps was something few could match.
On the field, Ryohei's eyes were bloodshot and his vision blurred; dizziness rolled in. His chest felt heavy; breathing was hard. Still he didn't stop. The Strongest Player System had given him a clear direction — and he planned to test his limits for that future.
"Compared to my old life… the training grounds in this world are smaller," he thought. "No wonder Seigaku's training often starts with fifty laps."
His thoughts cut off as a blackout flickered at the edge of his vision: a warning sign of severe oxygen debt. His body had reached its limit.
Finally, Ryohei halted mid-lap and collapsed to a crouch, gasping for air.