What is cardio tennis?
Cardio tennis takes the format of a group fitness class and borrows its tools from the tennis court: rackets, cones, a net and a coach calling out drills to a beat. Unlike a traditional tennis lesson, it isn't about technique, scoring or match play — it's about keeping your heart rate up for the full session through a mix of footwork patterns, forehand and backhand drills, and short sprints between stations. You don't need to have ever picked up a racket before; the format is built so that a complete beginner and someone who grew up playing club tennis can be in the same class and both leave with a proper workout. Music sets the pace, a coach keeps the group moving, and the scoreboard never gets involved.
Why cardio tennis is catching on in Costa da Caparica
Costa da Caparica has spent the past few years building out a proper training scene alongside its surf reputation — running along the boardwalk, functional training on the sand, and now formats like cardio tennis that bring a social, coached workout to people on holiday as much as locals training year-round. Doing a class outdoors, with the Atlantic a few metres away and a sea breeze instead of an air-conditioned studio, changes how a fitness class feels: the same drills that would be a chore indoors turn into something closer to a reason to get out of bed. It also fits naturally into a trip built around the beach — a morning class doesn't compete with an afternoon in the water, it complements it. Locals and instructors who already train along this stretch of coast were part of the reason the format arrived here in the first place — cardio tennis fits naturally alongside running, boxing and the other outdoor sessions already on offer, rather than requiring a separate studio built specifically for it.
Inside a typical cardio tennis class
A class usually opens with a short warm-up to get footwork and shoulders moving, then rotates through stations: ladder drills for quick feet, a stretch of forehand and backhand shots hit back-to-back against a coach or a ball machine, short sprints between cones, and the odd station built around agility rather than the racket at all. Sessions typically run 45 to 60 minutes, with the coach adjusting intensity for whoever is in the room that day rather than running one fixed programme for everyone.
There's no serving, no scoring and no need to rally with a partner — which removes the pressure that stops a lot of people from trying tennis in the first place. The workout comes from constant movement rather than from winning points, so a class of complete beginners can get just as much out of an hour as a group of regular players.
Who cardio tennis is for
The honest answer is almost anyone reasonably mobile, regardless of tennis background. Because the format is coached and self-paced — you can hit a slightly slower ball or take a shorter sprint between stations without holding the group up — it works for solo travellers looking for a structured workout, groups of friends wanting something social to do together, and parents looking for something more interesting than a treadmill while their kids are in a lesson elsewhere. The common thread among people who stick with it is that it doesn't feel like a workout in the way running or a gym circuit does, even though the numbers on a fitness tracker say otherwise. It's also a popular pick for anyone recovering from a minor injury that rules out high-impact running, since a coach can dial the intensity down station by station rather than forcing a fixed pace on the whole group.
The physical benefits, beyond calories burned
Cardio tennis trains cardiovascular endurance the same way an interval class does, through repeated bursts of effort followed by short recoveries, but it adds a coordination and reaction-time element that a straightforward cardio class doesn't — reading where the ball is going, planning footwork, adjusting a swing mid-drill. The constant lateral movement, stopping and changing direction is also lower-impact on the joints than a straight run on pavement, since a softer surface absorbs more of each step. And because the sessions are genuinely fun rather than something to grit your teeth through, people tend to actually keep showing up, which matters more for long-term fitness than any single session does. For anyone specifically training for surfing, the rotational core work involved in swinging a racket also carries over reasonably well to paddling and popping up, even though the two sports look nothing alike on the surface.
Where to try cardio tennis in Costa da Caparica
Cardio tennis classes run as part of the training programme at the Dr. Bernard beachfront wellness space, right by the boardwalk, alongside gym sessions, boxing and ocean-side recovery. Classes are scheduled through the week and sized for small groups, so a coach can still call out individual corrections rather than running a class too large to actually coach. If you're already planning gym time or a boxing session during your stay, cardio tennis is an easy addition to the same week rather than a separate trip to a different part of town.
What to bring to your first class
You don't need your own racket — it's provided, along with cones and any other gear used during the session. Come in normal sportswear and trainers you're comfortable moving quickly in, bring a bottle of water, and since classes run outdoors, sunscreen is worth applying before a mid-morning or afternoon session. If you're coming straight from the beach or a surf lesson, leave a little extra time to change, since the footwork drills work best with dry shoes rather than sandy trainers.
Pairing cardio tennis with surf and the rest of your stay
A lot of guests build cardio tennis into a week that already includes surf lessons, treating it as the land-based training that builds the paddling stamina and general fitness surfing rewards. A common rhythm is a surf lesson early, when the water is calmer, and a cardio tennis class later in the morning or in the late afternoon once the sun has eased off — the two don't compete for the same muscles or the same energy in the way two intense sessions back-to-back sometimes do. It also works well dropped into a rest day between longer surf sessions, keeping the body moving without adding to the paddling fatigue. For visitors staying a full week, alternating the two most days tends to work better than trying to fit both into a single, exhausting session.
Where to stay and refuel afterwards
If you're staying nearby, the Villa Caparica hostel keeps you within easy walking distance of the wellness space, so there's no need to plan transport around a morning class. Afterwards, the Dr. Bernard restaurant is a straightforward option for a proper meal rather than skipping straight to the next thing on the schedule — a session like this burns through more energy than it might feel like in the moment, and showing up hungry to dinner is a good sign you trained hard enough.
Ready to try your first class?
Class times and availability can shift with the season, so the most reliable way to see what's currently on offer is to check the wellness schedule directly. Whether you're after a one-off session to break up a beach day or a few classes across your stay, cardio tennis is an easy way to add a proper workout to a Costa da Caparica trip without giving up a morning in the water.
