February 2007 -- People are always looking for something new to mix up their normal fitness routine. This is one of the many reasons Cardio Tennis will attract nonplayers to our great game. Want a great workout that doesn’t keep you on a treadmill or a bike? How about one that lets you train outside and play a game? Cardio Tennis: It’s like recess for adults.
Cardio Tennis for the beginner is a great way to:
- Be introduced or reintroduced to the game
- Meet other players to play with
- Demo racquets, and hit lots of balls to see which racquet is right for you
- Get a great cardio workout and burn lots of calories
- Ensure a safe and healthy workout, often with the free use of a heart-rate monitor
- Have fun and learn while exercising
These are all great selling points to encourage nonplayers to take up the game! In fact you could promote cardio classes to nonplayers with this message:
If you have been putting off the effort it takes to get in shape - don’t even go there. Instead, drop in at your neighborhood tennis courts and discover "what condition your condition is in" with Cardio Tennis.
Did you know that with Cardio Tennis you can burn as many (oftentimes more) calories in one hour as you could on a treadmill? Besides, how many of us want to be on a treadmill for an hour? One of the reasons you burn so many calories with Cardio Tennis is because you are getting a total body workout. Not only do you use your legs in all directions but you use your arms, hips and waist the entire hour. Secondly, you are pushing yourself much harder (without realizing it) in Cardio Tennis because you are having fun chasing a yellow fuzzy ball. Most people on a treadmill are not using maximum effort and need a TV in front of them to feel even slightly engaged. Plus, with Cardio Tennis you are in a social environment with your very own personal cheerleader (the pro), along with new and old friends.
One of the biggest challenges for beginner tennis players is finding people with whom to practice - not a problem, just head to your local Cardio Tennis class and you will meet lots of people like yourself. Cardio Tennis helps the new member "break the ice" in meeting new players, and beginners get over the fear of "I’m not good enough to play tennis with anyone."
What a great way to help customers into a new racquet. As we know, many beginners come to class with a wood racquet and strings that are at least 15 years old. Here is an opportunity to put a new racquet in their hands and Cardio Tennis is a great demo environment. You can try out the demos for an hour, hit lots of tennis balls, get a great workout and experience each racquet in drills and game-based situations. Here’s a suggestion: Get together with your local racquet rep and plan a "free Cardio Tennis demo day." The rep provides all the demo racquets and the only requirement for the participants is using the free demo racquets. With all these new customers coming to your facility make sure you have a good supply of demo racquets to use. Some facilities are finding that the new Cardio Tennis participants own heart rate monitors but not racquets! Visit www.partners.cardiotennis.com for special offers on the purchase of demo racquets for official Cardio Tennis sites.
Most people go to work out and are never sure how hard to work out the first time - so they kill themselves and can’t move for a couple of days and decide, "That hurt, maybe I will wait a couple of weeks before I try that again." With Cardio Tennis, your heart rate monitor lets you know when you need to work harder and when to slow down - it "beeps" to talk to you.
When it is all said and done, your heart rate monitor will tell you:
- Yes, how many calories you burned
- How long you were in your zone
- How long you were out of your zone
- Your average heart rate
- And much more, depending upon what you wish to know and which heart-rate watch you have
What is really nice about Cardio Tennis for beginners:
- They experience tennis at a fast and exciting pace
- They get to hit all the strokes during every class in a nonthreatening environment
- They have a place to go for fun, meet new friends and get involved in other tennis programs offered at the club
- Their body is in motion and they start to feel good about themselves as athletes and having a sport they can play
- They are excited to tell others about their experience and bring their friends to the next class.
Most of all, they have discovered that tennis is a very moving experience.
Ken DeHart is a USPTA Master Professional, national Cardio Tennis speaker and director of tennis at San Jose Swim & Racquet Club in San Jose, Calif.
