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Is tennis a HIIT workout?

Author

Rachel Ellis

Published Jan 08, 2026

Since tennis matches incorporate a lot of bursts of energy coupled with moments of rest and subtle contemplation of your opponent it's considered an HIIT or “high-intensity interval training.” This kind of work-out boosts cardiovascular health because you engage your core, upper and lower-body muscle groups.

What type of workout is tennis?

Whole body workout.

Tennis is an activity that works out your entire body: You run across the court, working out your leg muscles. Your core is engaged as you keep your balance while chasing the ball. Your arms provide the power to swing your racket and hit the ball ‌

Can you lose weight by playing tennis?

Playing singles is a high calorie-burning activity, but even doubles can help you shed unwanted fat from the body. If a person weighing 70 kilos plays singles tennis match for an hour, it would help him to burn 520 calories.

What sports are HIIT?

HIIT workouts can be performed on all exercise modes, including cycling, walking, swimming, aqua training, elliptical cross-training, and in many group exercise classes. HIIT workouts provide similar fitness benefits as continuous endurance workouts, but in shorter periods of time.

Is tennis a full body workout?

Unique among other sports, tennis is truly a workout for the entire body. Your legs, shoulders, arms, hands, upper back, and lower back all get a good workout. You strengthen your core muscles. Playing tennis regularly is an optimal rigorous strength training routine for your whole body.

33 related questions found

Is it OK to play tennis everyday?

So if you're in good health, and under age 30, you can safely play at a high level 3-4 times per week. If you're between 30-50, 2-3 times per week is a good number. After age 50, you might not want to play competitive tennis more than twice a week, and if you must exceed that number, keep the 3rd match friendly.

Is tennis good for cardio?

Tennis is an excellent cardiovascular exercise that improves muscular strength, endurance, balance, coordination, and agility. Since you need a partner to play a match, it can also increase social interactions. Plus, tennis is a sport you can play at any age. Here are some of the top benefits of playing tennis.

How long is a HIIT session?

A typical HIIT session should last anywhere between 4 minutes (like Tabata) and 15 minutes. Overuse injuries can arise if workouts are too long; cap HIIT workouts at 30 minutes.

Why HIIT is better than cardio?

HIIT is definitely better at burning calories and helping you shed unwanted pounds. The biggest reason is the anaerobic form of exercise. It burns more calories than cardio both during and after exercising. This phenomenon is called the afterburn effect, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect.

Is HIIT good for weight loss?

One of the many reasons why HIIT workouts are so popular is because they're extremely effective for weight loss. When trying to lose weight, you want to burn fat and build lean muscle to continue to burn more fat. HIIT forces your body to use energy from fat as opposed to carbs. This makes losing fat more efficiently.

Does tennis help lose belly fat?

However, tennis is considered a good workout to lose belly fat. Generally, cardio workouts are considered to be helpful when it comes to burning belly fat. The fact that you are using your lower and upper body while playing tennis will help with the activation of your whole body, which will help with losing belly fat.

Is tennis better than gym?

The results revealed that the tennis players enjoyed a more favourable BMI and displayed better upper body and lower extremity function than the gym-goers who are those not used to holding a racket. Jackson explains: “As we age, we lose muscle mass and we lose bone mineral density over time.

Is tennis better than running?

Calories Burned

According to the Mayo Clinic, a singles tennis match burns 584 calories for a 160-pound person, while high-impact aerobics burns 533 during that same time. Tennis also provides a longer post-workout calorie burn.

What kind of cardio do tennis players do?

Running is widely considered to be the best form of aerobic conditioning for tennis, not just because of the cardio and endurance benefits but also due to the improvements it can bring in the speed and footwork of players.

Does tennis work your abs?

Every tennis game or practice session works both major ab regions simultaneously, so the increased definition is noticeable and consistent. Playing tennis truly is a full body workout.

Can HIIT replace running?

“Numerous research studies have shown that HIIT programs can yield similar cardiovascular improvements when compared to more traditional, steady-state exercise programs, like running or cycling,” Kusmiesz said.

Is it OK to do HIIT everyday?

HIIT is a great, safe, and effective workout, but there's no need to do it every day. Keep it to three times per week. You'll still reap the benefits and give your body time to recover properly. Aaptiv has strength training and HIIT workouts you can do at any time.

What are the disadvantages of HIIT?

Cons of HIIT

It's a highly demanding form of training and can put strain on the body if you don't have a reasonable training base behind you. If a progressive training program is not followed overuse of HIIT can lead to over training and increased injury risk.

Is 20 minutes of HIIT a day enough?

General Fitness Recommendations

Vigorous-intensity training, such as HIIT, should be at least 20 minute per day for at least three days per week or 75 minutes per week. Or a combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity exercise.

Is Tabata a HIIT?

Tabata is HIIT but not all HIIT is Tabata. Basically, Tabata is basically a higher intensity version of HIIT, with shorter and more rigidly defined workouts, says Lawton. HIIT routines offer you a bit more flexibility. “They're very similar and both good for you,” says Lawton.

Is HIIT better than running?

While running will definitely help get your heart rate up and boost your conditioning, HIIT workouts are a better option if you're looking to actually get stronger.

Is tennis the healthiest sport?

After tracking more than 8,500 people for over 25 years, the data showcased that seven sports contributed to increased life expectancy for active participants compared to sedentary peers. Tennis was not only included in the seven sports that contribute to a healthier life, but it came in on top.

How many calories burned 1.5 hours tennis?

Cardio Tennis is a heart pumping, fun way of burning calories. For a competitive singles tennis game, the average person burns 575-775 calories per hour. If they are hitting balls in non-competitive play, the average person will burn 350-500 calories per hour.

Is tennis more physical or mental?

We all know the old adage that tennis is just as much of a mental game as a physical game. However, tennis is actually significantly more mental than physical – 84.2 percent mental to be exact, according to two time Olympic gold medalist and 17 time Grand Slam champion Gigi Fernandez.

How do tennis players stay relaxed?

10 Ways to Calm Your Nerves When Playing a Tennis Match

  1. The Ideal State of Mind. ...
  2. Rituals and Repetition. ...
  3. Be in the Moment. ...
  4. Play Matches Regularly. ...
  5. Be Prepared. ...
  6. Don't Overdo Your Warm Up. ...
  7. Go Conservative if You're Going Through a Rough Patch. ...
  8. Strategize During Downtime.