Explore Metro Detroit in a vehicle built for discovery. Chevy Equinox combines sleek looks, maximum comfort and cutting edge entertainment to navigate your city in style.
It’s workout season, which essentially means you may be looking for innovative ways to exercise. If hitting the weights isn’t your thing, folding your body into a piece of origami in a yoga class seems too difficult or you are tired of Pilates, then whatever are you to do?
Have you ever played racquetball or cardio tennis? Check that, have you ever even heard of cardio tennis? I can admit I had not until recently. With that being said, both of the aforementioned activities are great calorie-burning workouts and a lot of fun.
For those still curious, cardio tennis is a “high-energy fitness activity that combines the best features of the sport of tennis with cardiovascular exercise, delivering the ultimate, full-body, calorie-burning aerobic exercise,” per www.cardiotennis.com. Racquetball is more commonly known, so no need to define that, but basically you play with a hard ball and racquet in a four-walled court.
Where should you go to accomplish such activities, you ask?
Cardio Tennis
Eastside Tennis and Fitness Club, 18201 E. Warren Ave., Detroit, offers cardio tennis and a variety of other tennis activities. The club provides United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) certified professionals for all kinds of tennis instruction. The cardio tennis program is a fast moving workout to music, combining tennis with aerobics. A session consists of a warm-up, cardio workout and a cool down phase. It is great exercise no matter your tennis skill or fitness level. One session costs $20.
Birmingham Racquet Club, 2100 E. Lincoln, Birmingham, has six indoor hard courts (in the warmer months, the domes come down and players enjoy outdoor tennis). Cardio tennis provides a group workout for participants of all skill levels and features drills to make sure all parties involved are receiving a high-energy workout. The class consists of a 10-minute warm-up, 40 minutes worth of cardio and a 10-minute cool down. Drop-in rates are $17 for members and $20 for guests. Catch a class on Tuesdays or Thursdays through Sundays.
Dearborn Racquet and Health Club, 2727 S. Gulley, Dearborn, has five indoor courts. Cardio tennis is one of the many tennis programs at the DRHC. Several programs are sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association and instructed by nationally recognized staff members. Once again, cardio tennis incorporates drills here and consists of a warm-up, cardio training and a cool down. There are a ton of other fitness classes at the DRHC and racquetball, among other activities.
Racquetball
Coliseum Racquet Club, 8715 Telegraph Rd., Taylor, is a great option for racquetball. The club offers 12 racquetball/handball courts, 10 wallyball courts and three basketball courts for your convenience. No membership is required and racquetball will run you about $14 an hour, while wallyball costs $4 per hour. There are also leagues. House leagues take place on Monday nights and are available to all skill levels.
Body Rocks Fitness & Racquet, 36600 Plymouth Rd., Livonia, has five courts and is open to the public. It costs $8 per person per hour, and if you need to rent a racquet, you can do so for $2. The courts can also be used for wallyball or basketball. In terms of fitness, there are several classes offered, including kickboxing and zumba. Body Rocks does offer memberships, as well as couple and buddy programs. Personal training is also available here.
Chances are high you can find a racquetball court or cardio tennis class in close proximity to you. The hardest part for a lot of folks is actually dedicating time to exercise, but once you choose to do so you’ll feel much better about yourself. I always do. Get up, and get active!
