I had never heard of Cardio Tennis until my daughter-in-law suggested it would be a good subject for a fitness article. She’s a bit of a fitness freak, so I knew there had to be something to it. Turns out it’s a real global thing. So, I checked around to find out if there were any programs in the Scenic 98 Coastal area. There are!

Cardio Tennis is an engaging group fitness program featuring the heart-pumping effects of tennis drills, games, and activities that deliver the ultimate full body and calorie-burning aerobic workout. It’s a social activity for all ages, abilities, and fitness levels. The Cardio Balls level the playing field and enhance the workout.

Ten years ago, the United States Tennis Professional Association started Cardio Tennis and it’s grown to over 2.2 million participants in the U.S. alone. A typical Cardio tennis class involves a warm-up featuring dynamic movement, catching and ball tossing skills,  light-hitting, followed by a variety of games and activities, and a cool down. The warmup is a nice way to get moving and break the ice with fellow players. Typically, groups rotate between courts so that participants experience a mixture of cardio, skills, and matches.

I visited with Matt McKelvain, one of the tennis pros at Lakewood Club in Point Clear, to learn more about Cardio Tennis. While Covid impacted their group classes, Cardio Tennis classes are ramping back up. The class includes upbeat movement to music. With three primary steps to improve your tennis skills; a sidestep, a karaoke crossover, and a back step, it’s a rigorous workout.

According to the website, Cardio Tennis is an excellent way to achieve a more active lifestyle and improve your tennis. In one class,  men burn between 500 and 1000 calories, and women burn between 300 and 500 calories. Cardio Tennis is international and is offered in over 30 countries.

While we were talking, one of the club members who participated in the Cardio Tennis workout with her friends, stopped by to say hello, and told us, “We wanted to get back into tennis, wanted to get some exercise, and wanted to have some fun!”

Check your local tennis center for Cardio Tennis classes. Many will begin this fall throughout the Scenic 98 Coastal area.

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