It’s fun, keeps you fit, and that’s not all…
Just before Padel became the “in thing” to do – I started playing tennis again. It changed my life in more ways than I ever could have imagined.
At first, my motivation was to get fitter and maybe shed a few kilos. I considered it a form of exercise that was more tolerable than running and I enjoyed the satisfaction of hitting and releasing feelings of frustration. But I noticed that what it really helped me with was to improve my focus, where after a lesson or a game, I could think more clearly and work better. I was sleeping well and my mood swings were less erratic. What’s more, my husband and I started spending a lot more time together. We gained a new circle of new friends. In general, I became a happier person.
Is tennis the healthiest sport?
The truth is that this should be no surprise. A number of studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of racket sports, especially in terms of longevity.
It’s estimated that tennis players who play regularly (two to three times per week) can expect to increase their life expectancy by an average of almost 10 years.
One study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine – tracked more than 80,000 adults over a period of nine years, and compared the impact of different sporting activities on participants’ health. Its authors concluded that people who regularly played racket sports had a 47 per cent less chance of all-cause mortality than those who were not physically active.
Body and mind games
From a physical perspective, racket sports challenge and help improve all components of fitness, including speed, endurance, power, balance, agility and flexibility. The coordination skills required help with developing neuroplasticity, which means you’ll get smarter and sharper – keeping your brain fit, too.
That being said, the biggest contributing factor to longevity comes from the social aspects of playing. According to experts, loneliness and social isolation are listed amongst the most contributing factors to the shortening of life. A recent Standford study even reported that having strong and secure relationships not only increases our happiness but also our longevity by roughly 50 percent.
What’s brilliant about racket sports like tennis, Padel and pickleball (which I’ve never played but looks interesting), is that you’re guaranteed to meet new people. There’s cheering, laughing and bonding in the form of sweaty palm handshakes.
If you take it more seriously, perhaps you’ll join a league team and go out to play against different clubs – where it’s protocol to treat others with curtesy and appreciation.
Last year, at 40 years old, I won my first ladies singles intermediate tournament and was appointed captain of the ‘B’ team. It may sound silly, but it’s done so much for my confidence and sense of self-worth. I feel like a champion.
That’s all thanks to hitting balls!