USTA Eastern celebrates American Heart Month

Several USTA Eastern facilities—in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian—will host free USTA Cardio Tennis events to commemorate American Heart Month and spotlight the many cardiovascular benefits of the sport.

Tennis has long been heralded as a fantastic option for bolstering heart health. As NewYork-Presbyterian Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Ajay Kirtane notes in the video above, 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise around five times a week can ultimately strengthen the heart and other muscles in the body over time. One of Dr. Kirtane's favorite activities for fulfilling this requirement? Tennis.

"Tennis was my sport growing up," he explains. "I actually started playing as a kid and played on my high school team. My whole family plays tennis! My parents actually met on a badminton court in India and transitioned to tennis here in the states."

Thanks in part to its many benefits, the game has remained a throughline over the course of Dr. Kirtane's life. He notes that he and his extended family take a trip each summer to Bethany Beach, Delaware, and tennis serves as one of the major cornerstones of the vacation.

"We literally have 4-5 courts going simultaneously in the evening and play across multiple generations," he says. "Between that and our grand slam group text activity, the sport definitely keeps us alive at all times!"

With its USTA Cardio Tennis offering, USTA Eastern and NewYork-Presbyterian hope to transform the sport into a similar constant for those across the New York and New Jersey area. USTA Cardio Tennis is a high-energy fitness workout that combines the best features of tennis with cardiovascular exercise, delivering a full-body, calorie-burning workout in a fun, social setting. You don't need to be a seasoned pro to try cardio tennis! In fact, more than 2.5 million people have participated in the program since it debuted at the US Open in 2005.

Learn more about USTA Cardio Tennis

Those who participate in the upcoming USTA Eastern and NewYork-Presbyterian events will learn first-hand what makes tennis such a great activity for heart health. Participation in the sport has been shown to:

• Reduce risk for heart disease. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. Playing sports like tennis can also help reduce high blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.
• Strengthen the heart. Playing tennis helps exercise your heart muscle so it can pump blood more efficiently.
• Provide social connection. Research has found that social isolation and loneliness are associated with higher rates of heart failure. Playing sports is a great way to build community.

Upcoming USTA Cardio Tennis events

USTA Eastern facilities and NewYork-Presbyterian will host events at the following locations throughout the month of February:

• Cunningham Tennis (Queens, New York)  
  • Friday, February 23 (6:00-7:00 PM) REGISTER 
  • Friday, February 23 (7:00-8:00 PM) REGISTER
• The Cary Leeds Center (Bronx, New York) 
  • Saturday, February 24 (3:00-4:00 PM) REGISTER
• Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center (Queens, New York)
  • Saturday, February 24 (1:30-2:30 PM) REGISTER
  • Saturday, February 24 (3:00-4:00 PM) REGISTER
• The Club at Great Neck Estates (Great Neck, New York)
  • Saturday, February 24 (7:00-8:00 PM) REGISTER
  • Saturday, February 24 (8:00-9:00 PM) REGISTER
• USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (Queens, New York)
  • Sunday, February 25 (4:30-5:30 PM) REGISTER

For more information on scheduling Cardio Tennis events in your area, email Michele Krause at michele.krause@contractor.usta.com.

Interested in teaching USTA Cardio Tennis? Explore USTA’s Cardio Tennis Instructor network where you will find videos, online courses and education on all Cardio Tennis delivery and programming topics.