Take Up the Lifetime Sport of Tennis This Spring

People tend to look to spring for a new beginning with perhaps a hobby that will engage their minds or a physical activity that provides exercise, fitness and better health. But although there are many ways to get what you seek in today's world, it may be difficult to find something that collectively stimulates your brain cells, tones your body, activates your social calendar and stays within an acceptable budget.

Is such a panacea possible from only one pursuit? I say it is, and the vehicle to achieve these goals is tennis. Now I know what some of you are thinking. Tennis looks easy but is really difficult to play, the ball bounces fast and all over the court, and you need to really work hard to not look foolish as you play in a very public park venue. Well, I'm here to put that old-style thinking to rest. The "new" tennis, utilizing a variety of more progressive equipment, is so easy to play that you can be successful right from the start. As someone who has been playing and teaching this game for decades, I can rattle off a multitude of reasons you should consider picking up a racket this spring. Here are just five:

• Low barrier to entry: All you need is a racket (about $15-$30), balls ($3 to $5 depending on the level of bounce you want), sneakers (I'll bet you already have those), one other person to be your partner, and FREE public tennis courts.
• Great workout for the entire body: Anyone who has played will agree that tennis works all the muscles as you run, stretch, and hit balls across a net to your partner. The health benefits for regular tennis players is off the charts, and the more you play and better you get, the more intense and beneficial the workout becomes.
• Socially entertaining: Tennis is loads of fun with your friends or family, and a little social competition is a blast. Think of it as a board game that not only works your mind but also lets your body burn off the stresses of your work day or week. Many courts have lighting available for evening play.
• Ageless and timeless: Anyone of any age can begin to play at one stage or another with today's variety of lightweight racquets, more user-friendly tennis balls, and simplified scoring. Adults can play with children, teens with grandparents, and brothers and sisters with their siblings.
• Videos, blogs, podcasts and more share free information on the web about every aspect of the game, and for those seeking a more hands-on approach, local low-cost tennis lesson programs may be available through your neighborhood recreational department.

There is really no time like the present to begin your tennis adventure. I've barely scratched the surface of the extensive benefits that tennis can provide, but for those needing some additional prodding, check out the study, done in June of 2009 by Jack Groppel, PhD and Nicholas DiNubile, MD, entitled Tennis: For the Health of It!

If you are interested in gaining a flavor of what the "new" tennis provides, plan on stopping by Gloucester Twp. Community Park on April 14, between 9 and 11:30 AM, for a FREE Family Event. I will be teaching some fundamentals, explaining about today's player-friendly equipment, and getting you and yours started in this truly LIFETIME sport.

Ron Miller is a PTR certified tennis instructor who teaches group and private lessons for kids and adults through Gloucester Twp. Recreation in the SJ area. His website and podcast provide free instructional content for beginners to advanced players.