Tab tries: tennis cardio

The Tab sends in a tennis rookie to participate in a tennis cardio class.

Getting acquainted with this unfamiliar weapon.

I was immediately signed up for this class when our dear editor Rosie, discovered I had never played tennis (I have about as much experience with tennis as I have with crystal meth). Conveniently, resident Tab writer Tom Bowers runs the class so it only made sense that I would attend for the sake of journalism.

Mind you it’s held at the antisocial hour of 10am on a Saturday. I’m not a morning person, nor am I very fit so it was always going to be a challenge and a half. I was reassured (if that’s the right word) that it was more a question of willingness to subject myself to an hour of arduous physical activity, rather than my capability, so I was more worried about having to drag myself out of bed instead of running laps.

I look deceivingly relaxed/happy but I was already exhausted here. I’d only just arrived.

I didn’t get off to a very good start arriving 10 minutes late. I miscalculated the time it would take me to walk from Clive Booth to Florence Park. Awkwardly jogging with a backpack is neither efficient nor attractive and I don’t recommend it to anyone. Having finally made it (already sweating a little and seriously regretting wearing skinny sweatpants) I was forced into a number of drills that required a lot of balls.

Drills included practicing skills I do not possess like: serving, volleying, lobbing and backhanding and there was a whole lot of running involved. For a first time player, I was described as being “a natural” by some members of the group but I think that was a nicer way of saying “you’re pretty awful but you made some good shots”.

I was definitely the best runner out of the group (which consisted of middle aged mothers and an old man named Trevor), but they were all far superior tennis players. I’m used to embarrassing myself in front of people though, so it was okay.

I’m definitely not holding the racket correctly but I actually hit a sick volley after this.

Towards the end of the session, I was sweaty, tired and wheezing from my asthma and excessive smoking. I was trying hard  to keep up but the lack of fitness and experience meant I pretty much gave up and enjoyed the sun instead. The drills were even more of an effort but I compensated not being able to hit the ball by doing more quick feet up the ladders.

I’m better at taking selfies than tennis.

Final verdict?

For someone who is pretty damn lazy I’m actually glad I got up early to go to this class. It was fun, I did some exercise for this month, the people in the group were nice, and Tom (despite having really rubbish music that took me back to a really weird time in 2009) was a great coach and very encouraging.

I think the most important part of doing a sport you’ve never done is just to be open minded about it, and try to enjoy it, even if you’re not very good. In terms of going again, I’d be happy to pay £5 to go next Saturday, but realistically I’ll probably be spending that morning in bed.

For more information about tennis, go to www.tennisoxford.com.