Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cardio Tennis
With more attention being given to the nation’s obesity epidemic, people are looking for unique workouts that don’t feel like exercise. Although there are plenty of entry-level tennis activities, most people probably don’t think of tennis as a heart-pounding activity, unless you’re Jim Courier or Serena Williams.
In the past, park-based tennis lessons consisted of stretching, whacking a few balls, retrieving the missed balls--and it was over. It wasn’t much of a workout because one’s heart rate probably never popped above that of a couch potato reloading the snack bowl. (The Centers for Disease Control recommends a weekly dose of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity plus strength-training exercises.)
Additionally, most of the class was usually spent listening to an instructor, so participants didn’t get much on-the-court practice time.