July 2005 -- I am very much a traditionalist. I love the customs and history of our sport. Cardio Tennis, on the other hand, is as modern an approach to spreading the popularity of our game that I have embraced, and my introduction to the concept was a revelation.
In 2004, I ran the New York City Marathon for the first time. I became accustomed to wearing a heart-rate monitor during my training and, for curiosity’s sake, wore it while playing tennis one day. I was absolutely amazed by how high my heart rate got while hitting balls – considerably higher, in fact, than it ever got on a stationary bike or other cardio machines in my fitness club. Frankly, I had never considered tennis to be exercise. It was always my favorite sport, but to “exercise” I would go to the fitness club or would take my daily run. I have been trying to spread this message ever since.
So, what is the best way to get more people to realize the remarkable health benefits of playing tennis? To my mind, it is to have them take a play-based Cardio Tennis class. It is great exercise, but it is not hard work. The class is fun, so the time flies by. I have run a lot of miles on a treadmill, and never has the time flown by while I was on one of those!
There are two primary approaches for running a Cardio Tennis class. The first is to offer
drill-based exercises, where the instructor gets students moving briskly by feeding balls rapidly from the teaching cart. The alternative, and the mode I prefer, is to offer fast-moving
play-based drills. The class agenda for Cardio Tennis might vary widely from place to place, but one constant is the importance of offering consumers what they are seeking. Of course, there are many programs that offer a combination of play-based and drill-based exercise, but here I am focusing on why I like the play-based approach better.
A huge benefit to offering play-based Cardio Tennis classes is that people feel like they are
playing tennis, and not simply exercising like mad. One of the darndest things about competing in our sport is that half the players lose every day. In Cardio Tennis, you (and your teammates) might win or lose a game to 10 points, but within seconds you are playing another fast-paced game. While it might get competitive at times, it is definitely an exercise-based class when compared to a skill-based clinic. Frequent players love getting their exercise on a tennis court, and they leave feeling motivated because no one has lost.
This is also a
great class for beginners. I have found that new players actually improve their tennis games quickly while taking part in these classes. Admittedly, in our Cardio Tennis classes there is no formal instruction on technique or traditional tactics. Without instruction, how do the players get better then? They improve by hitting a lot of balls, by being on the court in “play situations,” and – perhaps most importantly – they learn through trial and error. It has been great to see brand new players, who otherwise would get all of their exercise at a fitness club, recognize the health benefits – and the fun – in playing Cardio Tennis games.
On a broader scale, it seems easier for the teaching professional to learn how to cleverly run “team games,” with perhaps six to eight players on a court, as opposed to feeding balls endlessly. The on-court stresses are less physical for teaching professionals when they offer back-to-back play-based classes.
It is important to understand a few elements that make the play-based Cardio Tennis class vital. Be sure to prevent one player (or one duo) from dominating the action. Give more experienced players the most challenging balls to play off the first ball feed and give the less experienced players easier balls to manage to start a point. This evens the playing field when players of varying ability levels share the court. I will caution you that with a play-based approach it is more difficult to put true beginners on the court with a few 5.5 level players. Be certain to keep things moving briskly. There is plenty of built-in exercise in our sport, but this can be undermined if the teaching professional opts to talk too much out there. Instead encourage and motivate, but do not lecture or choose to teach the way you might during a typical clinic. We tend to use “transition balls” frequently, even with better players. Utilizing these balls lengthens the points and – in effect – forces players to hit more shots.
Finally, I have embraced this play-based model due to a comparative study we did last winter at the USTA National Tennis Center. We offered Cardio Tennis classes that were entirely play-based and those that were completely drill-based simultaneously. During these sessions, we measured the average heart rates for the participants, the length of time players were in the training zone, and the number of calories burned during the one-hour session. Interestingly, the statistics were virtually the same on all counts for both styles. However, there was an intangible difference that has shaped my philosophy. Those who took the play-based class
loved it and couldn’t wait to do it again. Meanwhile, those who took the drill-based class
liked it, but found it “not as fun.”
Ultimately, participants in either class got excellent exercise. In fact nearly all of the players were in their cardio training zone (which is 65 percent to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate) for nearly 45 minutes of the hour-long class. That is very good. Getting them to want to continue, or maybe even to play more often, boiled down to how much they enjoyed their experience.
In the end, it is up to the teaching professional to successfully deliver the Cardio Tennis class. I believe the advantages of the play-based model outweigh those of the drill-based style. It is important to understand and experiment with both models before you reach your own conclusion. Either way, the message is crucial: Tennis is the best form of exercise.
To view various Cardio Tennis play-based drills, go to Partners. CardioTennis.com. Then go to Curriculum, View Drills. Bill Mountford is the director of tennis at the USTA National Tennis Center and the president of the USPTA Eastern Division.
