Exercise with Tennis: An Alternative to the Gym

If lifting weights, working the elliptical or doing yoga aren't quite up your alley, you may want to consider hitting the tennis courts to lose weight. Not only is it a fun alternative to the gym, it's also an effective way to get into great shape.

So it's February already and, if you're like me, you've now reached a pivotal point in the execution of your most recent New Year's resolution. That moment where it's been a few weeks and the novelty of the whole thing has begun to wear off.

You want to shed that spare tire, but you've remembered the truth of what doing so actually entails. – i.e. you have to keep exercising. A lot.

And while you probably got a sweet deal on your gym membership, actually going to the place and working out several days each week is only slightly more fun then getting your teeth fixed or doing your taxes.

Thankfully, there are other ways for you to meet your weight loss goal. Ways that don't involve pumping iron or killing yourself on the elliptical.

For me, it's as simple as grabbing one of my racquets, some balls and heading to the local park for an hour or two of tennis. If the gym, or lawn care, isn't your scene, a little bit of tennis might be something you could get into as well. Even if you're a beginner, it's a fun way to get out and about, enjoy some competition and get into tip-top shape while you're at it.

According to estimates from the American Dietetic Association, recreational tennis players can burn anywhere from 600 to just over 1300 calories during a two-hour session. For serious, competitive players, that range jumps to between 768 and more than 1700 calories. Just how much you burn depends on a number of factors, including your weight and activity level.

As a general rule, the more you weigh, the more you burn. According to Harvard Health Publications, a 155-pound person could burn as much as 520 calories in a single hour. Add 30 pounds and that number jumps by 100. A heavier person could burn even more by getting in a game or two.

That is some serious burnage.

It should come as no surprise, however, given the number of complex muscular and cardiovascular operations that are happening when you play tennis. The running and sharp movements work everything from your feet and legs to your core and even your upper body.

Meanwhile, serving and returning balls is going to work your arms, neck and back, all the way down through the waist and abdominals. It's a total body workout without the need to hyper-focus on specific body parts.

In addition to working your muscles, burning calories and losing weight, you could see increased flexibility, footwork and improved hand-eye coordination as well. Not to mention the increased stamina that comes with regular cardio work.

NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward was a star tennis player in high school; that experience has helped his lateral movement skills on the hardwood. He's also one of the more active players in the league. Last season, he traveled a combined 202 miles on the court over the course of 80 games.

Coincidence? I think not.

His history as a tennis player helped him become one of basketball's elite athletes. If hitting the gym isn't your thing, you might consider following in his footsteps to lose that weight. Tennis isn't just an effective way to shed unwanted pounds and improve your cardiovascular health – it's also fun.

And if you can improve your body and have fun doing it, you're probably doing pretty well for yourself.