Tennis as a Cardio Workout

By Fadi Bejjani

As director of clinical research at American Cryostem, LLC, in Eatontown, New Jersey, Fadi (FJ) Bejjani, MD, develops trials for chronic and terminal diseases like multiple sclerosis. In his free time, Dr. Fadi Bejjani stays active by playing tennis.

Tennis serves for players of all levels as a great form of cardio exercise. When boiled down to its most basic elements, tennis consists of both lateral and front-to-back sprints that work the abdominals, forearms, and various other muscle groups.

Introduction

The scoring nature of tennis can both hinder and help the sport as a form of cardio, as a one-sided, three-set match can end in under 30 minutes, while a close thriller can last two or more hours. Therefore, individuals looking to use tennis as exercise should find a player with comparable skills and a similar desire for a full-body workout.

While the stop-and-go nature of tennis emphasizes sprints, a long match can also help a person build up endurance and stamina. In fact, it is not uncommon for a professional tennis player to cover several miles over the course of a match.

Tennis