What are the benefits of tennis? Are you considering starting a racquet sport? If so, this is something you might be curious about. It has been said that cardiovascular health can be improved by it, and also that it can be beneficial for weight-loss. But did you realize it has also been demonstrated to alleviate the signs of depression? Or that it’s great for social distancing?
We’ve examined the studies involving tennis and talked to an experienced chief coach, to ascertain all the advantages to health and wellbeing that tennis can provide. We have information regarding the consequences of playing tennis on one’s joints, in addition to suggestions on how to begin playing and how to pick the most suitable gear.
Benefits of Tennis
If you are uncertain if playing tennis is something you would enjoy, continue reading to learn more about the advantages of this hobby.
1. Improves Balance and Coordination
In tennis, players need to be able to have excellent coordination between their hands and eyes in order to accurately hit the ball with the middle of the racket for a strong serve or return.
Tennis necessitates rapid shifts in posture so as to occupy the entire court, as well as maintaining equilibrium when lunging and sending the ball back with power. This activity will demand that you engage all of your core muscles, as well as your buttocks, thigh muscles, and calf muscles. Eventually, this will help you stay balanced and stable when playing a game of tennis and in everyday activities.
Research backs this up. In 2015, a study conducted an eight-week experiment on a group of university students to see what effects tennis training would have, with half of the participants having never played a ball sport previously. At the conclusion of the session, it was observed that the participants had greatly improved their equilibrium and coordination between their eyes and hands.
2. Helps with Weight Loss
It is recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that adults should be participating in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as tennis, each week. Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis can aid in decreasing your weight and keeping the weight off.
3. Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Studies have pointed to swimming, aerobics, and tennis as being particularly beneficial for decreasing mortality rates due to heart disease. When compared to running, football, and cycling, tennis has been proven to be the most beneficial in terms of lives saved.
Tennis players have to stay in shape due to the physical demands of the game, which involves an abundance of movement around the court. This benefits their lungs and airways by staying in good condition, as well as protecting against a buildup of bad cholesterol, which can put someone at an increased risk of heart disease. This therefore significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Rapid action of the different body parts when participating in sport helps to enhance the health of the human heart as the amount of fat remains at a desirable amount. Controlling the amount of fat around the essential organ helps to raise the heart’s ability to deliver blood to other areas of the body, as well as helping to guard against various heart issues.
4. Strengthens Bones
As per the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, playing tennis is a great way to strengthen bones. When engaging in running and leaping, the bones experience pressure, which can help make them larger and stronger.
Playing tennis improves and maintains bone health. The activity strengthens bones and increases their density. Over time, playing tennis on a consistent basis lowers the possibility of developing osteoporosis. Bone mass reaches its highest point near 30 years old, and then slowly decreases according to the National Institute of Health.
By engaging in physical activity on a regular basis, it is possible to reach peak bone mass before the age of 30. Following that, continuing to exercise can help minimize the decrease in bone mass after turning 30.
5. Lowers Blood Pressure
Aerobic activities assist in reducing blood pressure due to the expansion of the blood vessels and an enhanced circulation throughout the body.
Some experts seem to favor tennis over other sports. Investigators discovered that a single 45-minute session of beach tennis had an incredible lasting effect on the blood pressure of participants suffering from hypertension, lowering it for 24 hours.
6. Reduces Risk of Musculoskeletal Conditions
Musculoskeletal issues concerning the bones, joints, muscles and vertebral column are a prevalent source of handicaps in old age, and the World Health Organization has declared that they are growing.
However, tennis can significantly improve musculoskeletal function, say experts. A recent research project conducted in 2020 demonstrated that tennis players have stronger muscles and bones in their upper and lower bodies in comparison to non-tennis players. This might protect against conditions like osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis, along with back or neck pain.
7. Improves decision-making skills
One of the essential parts of playing tennis is being able to make decisions quickly, as it’s uncertain where the ball will go when the other player hits it. This is needed to keep the match going and give yourself a chance to win.
Doing the same exercise repeatedly helps to train those taking part on how to make quick choices as the game progresses rapidly. The players gain an understanding of how to capitalize on the decisions they make over the course of the game in an effort to maximize their points. By doing this, it assists in enhancing the judgment-forming abilities which can be applied to the many industries the members find themselves in.
8. Increases motivation
Playing tennis engenders a competitive atmosphere, as it is against other opponents. The game can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including students, those in working life, and those with retirement, as it is a great way to keep their brains actively engaged in the areas of their interest. When there is a contest, the people who come out on top are driven to continually provide the same level of excellence in the other endeavors they undertake, having been inspired by their success. This leads to an improvement in bodily processes that can be linked to a rise in the enthusiasm to do assignments given to kids at either school or home. Achieving success in tennis can help build confidence, making it simpler to take on challenges that may seem daunting.
9. Improves memory
Studies have concluded that partaking in different aerobic activities stimulates an increase in the amount of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. By engaging in aerobic exercises, new neurons are created in the hippocampus, even if the number of neurons already present at birth tends to remain steady besides growth.
The protein neurotrophic factor contributes to the preservation of a neuron, which suppresses a range of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The brain is activated in various areas as someone plays the game, assisting in carrying out its roles properly. Doing tennis, which is one type of aerobic activity, appears to prolong the life of brain cells and promote the growth of recollection in animals.
10. Improved aerobic and anaerobic health
When playing tennis, breathing becomes deeper and quicker, leading to a rise in heart rate and effectively circulating blood throughout the body. This facilitates the production of a large number of capillaries and capillary networks inside the muscles, ensuring that the muscles get adequate and improved blood circulation.
This postpones exhaustion of the muscles and enhances their effectiveness. It also assists in maintaining aerobic fitness, which encourages more efficient utilization of oxygen and gives rapid and powerful energy boosts to provide reaction speed.
Is Tennis Bad for Your Joints?