Tennis
Singles or doubles on court.
How to start
Take a group beginner lesson to learn forehand, backhand and serve, then rally with a friend on a court. Short tennis or mini courts are gentler to start.
How to progress
Play weekly, then add matches.
What the evidence says
Evidence: limited
We found no trials of this particular sport. We could not retrieve reliable cohort evidence on racket sports and mortality in our search, so we rate it limited.
Take care: Serving and sudden movement strain shoulders, elbows and knees. Warm up and build up.
Sources
12-week starter plan
A lesson a week and some play.
Tick each week as you finish it; your ticks are saved on this device only. Repeat a week if it felt hard. Weeks 4, 8 and 12 hold steady so you can settle. This is a general plan, not medical advice.
Add reminders to your calendar
Pick your days and time. You will download a calendar file that adds 12 weeks of reminders to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar.
Calories and weekly minutes
Enter your details for a rough estimate. Based on about 7.3 METs (Typical effort for this activity (estimated)). Real figures vary by 20% or more between people.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Take a few lessons.
- Warm up shoulders.
- Use the right grip size.
Common mistakes
- Gripping too tightly.
- Skipping warm-up.
- Playing too much too soon.
Kit and cost
Moderate Approximate UK prices.
- A racket (about £25 to £100)
- Tennis shoes
- Court hire (about £5 to £12)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need lessons?
Some are helpful to learn the basics.
Is it good for fitness?
It involves bursts of movement. We found no trials to quantify benefits.
Can older people play?
Yes. Doubles and short tennis suit all ages.
Good for: Heart & fitness Skill Fun & social
Compare with similar options
| Tennis | Badminton | Padel | Table Tennis | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical session | 60 min × 2/wk | 60 min × 2/wk | 60 min × 2/wk | 45 min × 2/wk |
| Effort | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●○○○ |
| Cost | Moderate cost | Low cost | Moderate cost | Low cost |
| Equipment | Some equipment | Basic kit | Some equipment | Basic kit |
| Impact | Medium impact | Medium impact | Medium impact | Low impact |
| Fitness needed | Some fitness | Any level | Some fitness | Any level |
| Evidence | limited | limited | limited | limited |