Tennis is one of the best sports for keeping your body and mind in great shape – and it offers lots of health benefits that you might not know about.
Tennis is an accessible sport to get involved in and it’s also a great social activity. It’s easy to meet new people and you can play as much or as little as you like. Now summer is here the and the sunshine tempts you outside, grab a racquet and start seeing the health benefits of playing tennis!
Here are ten ways this great sport can improve your health:
#1 – Tennis burns calories
Depending on your skill level and how vigorously you play, an hour of tennis can burn up to 600 calories – equivalent to jogging or swimming fast. This makes it a great option for people who are trying to lose weight through a combination of eating less and moving more.
#2 – Tennis is great for your heart
Tennis is a game of “a thousand little sprints” and this constant stop-start movement is like interval training. By regularly raising your heart rate for short bursts you improve your cardiovascular health more than if you were to exercise steadily for the same period of time. Strengthening your heart lowers your risk of heart attacks, heart diseases and strokes.
#3 – Tennis strengthens your muscles
Playing tennis makes you stronger, faster and more flexible. The intense bursts of activity that are good for your heart are also great for your muscles and help them to use oxygen more efficiently. And because you’re not just repeating the same movements over and over again, tennis targets almost every muscle in your body, including the legs, back, forearms and core muscles.
#4 – Tennis improves your co-ordination
The finesse and control needed to play tennis at a high level develops your fine motor control, but getting involved as a beginner is just as good for your co-ordination. Getting your body into the right position to hit the ball and using large muscle groups to swing and strike the ball improves your gross motor control. The best news is that it doesn’t matter how co-ordinated you are to begin with – you’ll see improvements in your balance, speed, footwork and hand-eye co-ordination that also benefit you in other aspects of your life.
#5 – Tennis supports your immune system
Improving your overall health and fitness is an effective way to improve your immune system. If you are mildly ill with a common cold, taking exercise such as tennis is a good way to boost your body’s white blood cell production and fight the virus off sooner.
#6 – Tennis helps to prevent osteoporosis
In young players, the dynamic movement and intensity of playing tennis helps to improve bone strength and density. In older players, staying active and fit helps to prevent or slow the onset of osteoporosis.
#7 – Tennis makes you think tactically
Playing tennis can help you develop tactical thinking – similar to the brain changes that take place in chess players. This is because remaining constantly alert and thinking ahead to create shot patterns are a critical part of improving your game. Over many years, regular tennis sessions can maintain brain development, keeping your mind sharp well into old age.
#8 – Tennis is brilliant for your mental health
Getting active is one of the best ways to reduce stress and improve your mood, but tennis is particularly effective. Tennis players are more optimistic and have higher self-esteem, even compared to athletes who play other sports regularly.
# 9 – Tennis encourages discipline
Whether you knock a ball around with a friend once a week or compete regularly in a league, committing to training and seeing your skills improve is very rewarding. Many people find that this reinforces the value of hard work in their minds and gives them a better work ethic at work, school or university.
10. Tennis is fun!
Playing tennis is sociable – it can be a fun activity to do with a friend or family member and it’s easy to meet like-minded people at your local club.
