Court forethought pays off

Press, 18 December 1986, Page 13

Court forethought pays off

Unless you happen to be Boris Becker or Martina Navratilova, the chances are that your knockabout tennis match isn’t doing much for you in the way of aerobic

activity. For all but the world’s best players there’s too much stopping and starting to keep your heart pumping at an aerobic pace, even though tennis

does use up a nifty 350 to 500 calories an hour.

But with a little court forethought you can get more health benefits out of your game than before if you follow the advice of Bryant Stamford, he’s' director of the exercise physiology laboratory at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, in Kentucky. He claims that you should aim for sustained play if you are after a

healthy heart, and not simply impressive triceps and tanned forearms.

If you heed Dr Stamford, new balls are out for a start. He recommends playing on the slowest possible court with well used tennis balls. This enables you to return the ball easily and keep up lengthy rallies. It is therefore best to liaise with your opponent first to ensure you both

understand that you are trying to keep the ball in play for the longest possible rally. This will avoid them systematically defeating your quest for fitness with unreturnable smashes.

And although it may not be quite so sociable, try to play singles in preference to doubles — you run around the court much more without a, partner. The net result? Your heart gets a better workout.