I have been a tennis player for over 20 years and it has remained the most consistent form of exercise that I do. It has helped me keep a slim, healthy, and muscle toned physique year around.
Is tennis a good workout?
Yes, in general, tennis is a great workout because it utilizes the whole body: legs, core and arms to move around the court and hit the ball. Tennis is a good cardiovascular exercise because it increases your heart rate and breathing, and it can leave you feeling sore the next day.
Playing tennis is a lot like playing basketball in terms of footwork and running. Players are usually standing with their legs bent facing the net. Movement consists of shuffling side to side, sprinting short distances, and maneuvering both forward and backward to get in position to hit the tennis ball.
However, there are some drawbacks to a “tennis workout”, depending on the type of tennis you are playing:
Is Doubles a Good Workout?
The exercise benefits of tennis can greatly diminish based on the type of tennis you are playing. For instance, in doubles (2 vs 2), one player does half of the running, covers half of the court, and does half of hitting the ball back over the net.
Compared to doubles, playing singles is a much better workout. You have the whole court to cover by yourself and you will do a lot of running back and forth. Doubles does bring the extra benefit of the social factor but is much less of a workout.
Also see: Is Tennis a Rich Person Sport?
Is Tennis a Good Workout for Beginners?
Novice players are usually inconsistent at getting the ball in play. They have shorter rallies which can lead to less exercising and more picking up balls. Nevertheless, players are likely to have gotten in their 10,000 steps, regardless of their level of play.
Don’t let this stop you because I have seen beginner players get an awesome workout from playing tennis. Since your partner will not be hitting the ball straight to you, make sure to hustle around the court and try to get to the balls so you can hit them back.
If you are a beginner, a major suggestion I would give is to take some tennis clinics at your local club. The tennis instructor will make sure you get a good workout and let you hit lots of balls.
Other benefits of tennis are that it is generally done outside. Being outdoors can bring a healthy dose of Vitamin D, if not getting sunburned, and is good for breathing fresh air.
Check out: Is Tennis a Girly Sport?
Is Tennis Anaerobic or Aerobic?
Doubles tennis is usually aerobic. Singles tennis can be either anaerobic or aerobic depending on your level of play, who you are playing with, and how “hard” you are playing.
I am an advanced player (USTA 5.0) and former college player. When I play singles tennis, it turns into more of an anaerobic sport, especially if I am playing someone on my level who is consistently getting the ball into play. I will likely be sprinting back and forth, moving with fast footwork, jumping, and swinging my racquet with fast racquet head speed. I focus on feeling explosive with my movement.
If I am playing with someone who hits the ball hard but the points are very short, tennis moves into the aerobic zone of exercise for me.
And when playing doubles, tennis is more likely to be aerobic since you will have a partner, will be running half the amount, and only hitting half the balls.
Thanks for reading!