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Aerobics, racket sport team up for doubles

Linda Garner stepped onto the tennis court at Pelican Preserve with some trepidation.

Garner, 55, had only taken one tennis lesson in her life. She had no idea how she would fare participating in the country's latest fitness fad: cardio tennis.

Cardio tennis is a one-hour workout that combines aerobics and tennis while music blasts in the background.

The workout starts with stretches, using a tennis racket, some light running and then lots of drills hitting balls.

Even with one lesson under her belt, Garner hit the balls like a seasoned player. It doesn't really matter if you hit the balls ¡ª it's all about chasing the balls and swinging at them.

The goal is to get a participant's heart pumping between 65 percent and 85 percent of its maximum heart rate, said Bob Bueckert, tennis pro at Pelican Preserve in Fort Myers.

"If it's too low, we pick up the pace and too high, we slow it down," he said. "This is a very safe program."

Bueckert, along with several area pros and 70 pros from around Florida, recently attended a cardio tennis workshop at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center in Fort Lauderdale. Cardio tennis was introduced by the Tennis Industry Association during the U.S. Open for the first time last week.

Tennis professionals hope the new tennis fitness workouts catch fire because they want to inspire people to get on the courts.

"We were losing tennis people to fitness programs," Bueckert said. "Now we have a fitness program designed around tennis."

Felix Llamido, 66, is an intermediate tennis player, and found his cardio tennis workout at Pelican Preserve satisfying.

"I like a lot of action," he said. "I like moving, moving, moving."

For people who don't like moving all the time, there are breaks in cardio tennis. It's like interval training: One minute you're smashing balls over the net, running around orange cones and then running back in line to wait your next turn. Some people, like Bob Shaw, use the downtime to dance to the beat of the music.

"It's great exercise," Shaw smiled as he grooved to the tunes.

Helen Brudner, 60, was dripping sweat during the workout.

"I'm here to drop 30 pounds today," she joked.

She plans to come to the next class.

"It's better to exercise and have fun than just exercise," she said. "You also get to practice some tennis so you get double the benefits."

Karen Price doesn't even like fitness programs.

"I don't like to work out but I'd play tennis all day," she said.

Benefits of Playing Cardio Tennis

• Participants consistently elevate their heart rates into their aerobic training zone.
• It is much more fun than working out on a machine or other fitness activities.
• You get short cycles of high-intensity workout and periods of rest, almost like interval training.
• It is a fun, group activity where players of all abilities enjoy tennis together.
• While you are playing tennis, the focus is primarily on getting a great workout.
• You naturally improve your game because you hit so many balls and repeat various shots.

Cardio Tennis For existing Players

There are programs and drills geared for existing players to get a great cardio workout while improving your game. Continue to learn more about tennis, please visit News-Press.

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