Photo by Travis Pratt Amy Hammond hits a shot over the net during a Cardio Tennis class at West Winds Tennis and Fitness Center.

Instructor Jason Anderson gave those orders to his students at the beginning of a recent Cardio Tennis class at West Winds Tennis and Fitness Center on Gas House Pike. Getting people moving and active is the goal behind this high-energy program developed by the Tennis Industry Association and the U.S. Tennis Association a few years ago.

"It's a great way to have fun and get in shape," said Anderson, who is one of the center's certified Cardio Tennis instructors and an assistant tennis pro. "It works the whole body -- stomach, shoulders, legs -- and you don't have to have any previous tennis experience to do it."

Donna Hashiguchi, 48, of Mount Airy , started tennis lessons a few weeks ago and Cardio Tennis the week before. "I wanted a fun fitness workout. I like this," she said following a recent 60-minute class.

"You hit a lot of balls and it helps with your forehand and backhand strokes," she said.

Working out with four other women also at the beginner to advanced beginner tennis levels, instructor Ted Meyer ran the class at a pace that got hearts pumping and bodies sweating.

"You have to gear the skills and drills to their level," Meyer said. He's the director of tennis and co-owner of West Winds. "The beginner level gets a little more instruction" than classes with more advanced players. That instruction also helps develop good skills and prevent injury.

Classes start with about 10 minutes of warm-ups, 35 to 40 minutes of cardio and a five- to 10-minute cool down.

In between sessions, players round up balls using ball tubes and return them to the instructor's ball cart.

"You're hitting tennis balls and moving the whole time," said Karen Beaumont, recreational tennis coordinator at West Winds.

"It's important to hit a lot," said Amy Bumhardt, 50, of Mount Airy , who has been taking tennis lessons for about two years. "The footwork and the focus are helping my tennis game."

Anderson started his group with a warm-up that had players side shuffle across the court while he fed them balls from across the net to return, then continue the shuffling footwork weaving back across the court and through a line of colorful cones.

There were net balls, misses and balls whacked out of bounds. In this class, it doesn't matter. Perfecting forehands, backhands and ball placement is not the goal. Getting fit is.

"It's a blast, because you're being fed a ball (by the instructor)," said Amy Hammond, 46, of Urbana . She competes in USTA events. "You definitely get some tennis and it's definitely more fun than a treadmill."

"I've been doing it off and on since it started here (four years ago)," said Maureen Olson, 57, of Frederick .

She's been playing tennis for about 25 years and competes in USTA events. "It's a strong workout. It's very physical. It helps me with focus and concentration" on hand-eye coordination and footwork, she said.

Classes are small, with four to six people. Each phase has drills designed to be fun, challenging and to get people moving.

"It was a lot of cardio," said Cheryl Knapp, 43, of Frederick , after her first class. "Ted teaches a lot of instruction, like different forehand and backhands and being ready in position for either -- those things you tend to forget when you start running around.

"It's a group (activity) and it's social," Knapp said.

TIA and USTA developed the program to get people interested in playing the sport. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, participation in tennis was up 43 percent from 2000 to 2008, more than other traditional sports including ice hockey and gymnastics. TIA is the not-for-profit trade association for tennis. USTA is the national governing body for the sport in the U.S.

Cardio Tennis classes are held Mondays at 9 a.m. at West Winds. Frederick County Parks and Recreation is offering four-week sessions at West Winds, both beginner and intermediate levels, starting April 9, May 7, June 4, July 12 and Aug. 9.