When we think of sports, our minds tend to jump to things like basketball, football, or hockey. While these are all fantastic games that provide their own benefits, there are so many more out there that can help keep you fit and healthy.
For example, have you ever heard of tennis? This game is not as niche as you might think; it has a massive following and is played by everyone from young school kids to retired professionals because best health benefits of playing tennis.
So, what exactly is tennis? It’s a racquet sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each. You hit a ball back and forth over a net with the aim of hitting it past your opponent and into the area they have to return it in. Sounds simple right? Well, not exactly – It takes concentration, precision, agility, and endurance!
8 Best Health Benefits of Playing Tennis
1. Toning Your Body
First glance, tennis may not seem like a game that helps you tone your body. However, it is a very physical sport where you need to exert a lot of energy. This means that when you play tennis, you will be burning extra calories, which in turn helps you to tone your muscles and get in shape. You can also increase the intensity of your game to make it even more effective.
For example, you can try playing with a larger and heavier ball, which will require you to use more energy when you hit it. Another option is to increase the frequency and intensity of your matches. If you are serious about tennis and want to really get the most out of it, you can also choose to play on grass, which is a much more intense surface than the normal tennis court. This will make it much more challenging to play and help you to tone your muscles even more.
2. Improving Your Coordination
When you are just beginning to play tennis, you may find it challenging to hit the ball and move your arm. Although this may seem undesirable, it’s really a good thing! Every time you hit the ball and miss, you’re improving your coordination. You’re learning to adjust your technique and move your body properly every time you miss.
As you continue to practice, your coordination will improve, and you will begin hitting the ball more often. You will also notice that your coordination is improving in other sports. When you are learning a new sport, any difficulties you encounter are actually signs of improvement. As you continue to practice, your coordination will improve.
3. Helping You Breathe Better
When you’re playing a physical sport, you’re likely to breathe faster and deeper than usual. This will help you to get more oxygen and calories into your body, which can help your metabolism. When your metabolism is healthy, you can flush out toxins from your body more effectively, which can help you to breathe better in the long run.
This can be great for those who suffer from asthma, as tennis can help to strengthen your muscles around the lungs and help to reduce your symptoms. Playing tennis can also help to build up your endurance, meaning that you can play for longer without getting tired. All of these benefits can help you to breathe better in the long run and make it much easier to manage asthma symptoms.
4. Strengthening Your Core
Your core is your center of power and strength. It’s made up of your abdominal muscles, pelvic muscles, lower back muscles, and your back muscles. When these are strong, you can lift heavier objects, walk more easily, and avoid back pain.
Tennis can help to strengthen your core by requiring you to stand upright with a straight back, even when you’re waiting to hit the ball. It also requires you to rotate your body, making your muscles work harder. You can also make your game more challenging by adding extra exercises, such as crunches to increase the intensity of your core workout.
5. Helping You Lose Weight
Playing tennis regularly is a great way to burn calories, which can help you to lose weight. For example, a one-hour game of tennis can burn around 500 to 700 calories for an average-sized person. This can be increased by increasing the intensity of your game, choosing a more challenging surface, and adding in extra exercises, such as crunches.
This can help you to lose weight much more quickly and get into shape. If you’re new to tennis, you may find that it takes you a while to get into a good rhythm. This is normal, and you’ll likely notice that your stamina is increasing as you keep playing.
6. Keeping Your Mind Healthy and Sharp
Tennis is a sport that keeps your mind healthy and sharp. This is because of the intense concentration that you need to play well. No two games will be the same, and you’ll need to be quick-witted as well as physically fit to succeed in this sport. You’ll need to keep track of where your opponent is, where the ball is, and how you’re moving your body.
This will help boost your memory, improve your decision-making skills, and keep your mind sharp in the process. You can also challenge yourself by playing against stronger opponents, meaning that you’ll need to sharpen your skills even further to win.
7. Improving Your Mood and Self-Esteem
Playing tennis regularly can help to improve your mood and self-esteem. This is thanks to the fact that you’re challenging yourself and taking part in a physically fit sport. You may find that playing against stronger opponents also helps to boost your self-esteem, as you’ll likely feel proud at winning against a stronger opponent who will make you feel confident about yourself.
8. Stress Relief
Tennis is a sport that helps to relieve stress. This is to the fact that it is often played in a group, meaning that you can socialize and make new friends. You can also challenge yourself and play against stronger opponents in one-on-one matches too.
When you’re playing, you’ll likely find that you’re not thinking about anything else apart from the game itself. This can help you to clear your mind and make you forget about any issues which might be bothering you. Playing tennis will have a therapeutic effect on you, and it is a great stress buster.
FAQ related to Playing Tennis
Does playing tennis give you a good body?
Compared to other sports, tennis is a unique workout for the whole body. While playing tennis, your legs, arms, hands, shoulders, etc., get an excellent workout. Playing tennis regularly helps you to strengthen your core muscles and also helps your body to stay fit.
Why is tennis the healthiest sport?
As we all know, tennis is a good cardiovascular workout that boosts strength and endurance. People who like to play tennis will get significant health benefits, including improved muscular strength, a lower body fat percentage, improved bone health and more.
Is tennis better than the gym?
Some studies show that playing tennis is better than going to the gym because playing tennis strengthens your complete body as well as improves your cardiovascular system.
Is playing tennis reduce my belly fat?
Well, playing tennis can be considered good exercise if you want to reduce belly fat. It is suggested that one should go for cardio workouts if looking to burn excess belly fat.
Is 60 too old to play tennis?
No, tennis is not a game that an adult can only play. Many older people are learning to play tennis for many health benefits. Well, there is no age limit on when you can start playing tennis.
Summing Up: Benefits of Playing Tennis
Tennis is a great form of exercise that can help improve your endurance and give you a nice workout. If you’re new to the sport or wish to add some variety to your current routine, you may also want to consider practicing with a friend or family member. Tennis can help to improve your endurance, posture and balance and can be a very beneficial exercise option.
Playing tennis regularly can help to improve your mood and self-esteem, as well as relieve stress. It is a challenging sport that requires intense concentration and skill, meaning that it is great for keeping your mind healthy and sharp. Tennis is a great sport for people of all ages, and getting started is never too late.
