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Athletic Endeavors

Learn a life-long skill with these gym alternatives designed to bring out your inner sportsman. —Jamie Samons

TENNIS Check out Cardio Tennis to improve your running, jumping and ball skills—all set to motivating music—while burning 300 to 500 calories in this hour-long class. Tennis guru Brien Morrissette leads a group of ten to fifteen participants through a series of cardiovascular drills (think sprinting across the court to chase down a ball) and core-strengthening exercises to enhance stamina and power. Class meets throughout the week. ForeCourt Athletic Club, 44 Cray St., Cumberland, 333-4480, forecourtri.com.

SWIMMING Afraid of the water? Nail the ABCs of swimming or improve your strokes in an adult-level Swimming for the Fearful class. For new or anxious swimmers, instructors use buoyant waist belts to keep your face splash-free as you acclimate to floating in the water. Eventually (sometimes in as few as three sessions), most participants ditch the belt. Not only will you work on the mechanics of the freestyle and breast stroke, you’ll also amp up your endurance, and vaporize 500 calories. Thursdays at 11:15 a.m. Newport County YMCA, 792 Valley Rd., Middletown, 847-9200, newportymca.org.

RUNNING Learn the basics of good running form, build your endurance for hills and sprints, and get ready to tackle your first (or next) road race injury-free in a trekking class. You’ll torch 300 calories in a half-hour to forty-five- minute class. Classes daily. Gold’s Gym, East Greenwich, 100 Division Rd., East Greenwich, 223-4444; 550 Pawtucket Ave., Pawtucket, 722-6600, goldsgym.com.

ROLLER DERBY Looking for high-speed mayhem? Devise an intimidating pseudonym and join Frida Destroyer, Bloody Cianci, and the other derby gals at a training clinic for the Providence Women’s Roller Derby League. At the clinic, newbies work with a coach on the fundamental skills (like skating, stopping and falling correctly) that are needed before learning the finer points of contact. Tuesday evenings. Ocean Skate Rink, 360 South Pier Rd., Narragansett, 783-1711, providencerollerderby.com.

CLIMBING If pounding the pavement isn’t your thing, how about leaving it? Master the fundamentals of rock climbing for as little as $36 per lesson, including gear rental. Soon you’ll be throwing around words like “belay” and “bouldering” while showing off your rock-solid shoulders and biceps. Lessons daily. Rhode Island Rock Gym, 100 Higginson Ave., Lincoln, 727-1704, rhodeislandrockgym.com.