Cardio Tennis, the high-energy group fitness workout that combines the best features of tennis and cardio exercise, ranked No. 1 in year-over-year growth in terms of participation in the latest Physical Activity Council (PAC) annual sports participation study.
“Cardio Tennis plays to Americans’ health and fitness preferences, and also helps tennis coaches and facilities grow their player base,” says Tennis Industry Association Executive Director Jolyn de Boer.
Developed by the United States Tennis Association and the TIA in 2005, Cardio Tennis delivers a full-body, calorie-burning workout.
“Cardio Tennis is a very social group-fitness class that uses tennis to provide aerobic and anaerobic workouts,” says Cardio Tennis Global Education Director Michele Krause. “More than 3,000 tennis professionals are delivering Cardio Tennis in the U.S…It’s possible to burn 500 to 1,000 calories safely in an hour on court — all while improving your tennis skills and having a lot of fun.”
The national survey included 118 sports and activities, with Cardio Tennis adding 2.12 million participants for a 16.7 percent increase from 2015-16 in the latest data. The activity was added to the survey in 2008, and has since increased 156 percent.
The group aspect of a Cardio Tennis session also a draw for participants.
“With 6-8 players on a court in a Cardio Tennis workout, there’s a real team camaraderie to the session,” says Heather Silvia Killingsworth, president of the Silvia Tennis Academy in the Atlanta area and a Cardio Tennis global trainer. “What’s great is that players will not only do Cardio Tennis with their friends and teammates, but participants also meet new people, too, who all share a common goal to get healthier and fitter.”
Managed by the TIA, Cardio Tennis also is spreading around the world, with formal partnerships with tennis associations in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy and most recently, India.
“We think we’ll continue to see Cardio Tennis participation increase, as more and more Americans becoming concerned about the ‘inactivity pandemic’ and the rise in obesity rates in the U.S.,” de Boer says.
The annual Physical Activity Council Participation Report is produced by a partnership of eight of the major governing bodies and trade associations in the U.S. sports and leisure industry.
For more on Cardio Tennis, including where to find a location or certified professional delivering Cardio Tennis, visit www.CardioTennis.com.
