Is Tennis Good For You?
Wimbledon season is with us again and many of us watch this fast paced intensive sport.
But is tennis good for you? Some say that tennis is the sport for a lifetime. You can play as a child, you can play when you are older. You play at a pace that suits you.
Research shows that tennis is physically good for you. Doctor, Ralph Paffenbarger, studied 10,000 people over 20 years and found that people who played tennis 3 hours per week cut their risk of death by 50%.
Tennis gives you a total body work out. It –
- Strengthens arms, abdominals, bottom, legs and back.
- Gives a good cardiovascular workout.
- Improves speed
- Improves coordination
- Improves balance
- Improves competitiveness
- Improves your inner and outer thighs
- Improves aerobic fitness
- Improves anaerobic fitness
Tennis is also good for your bones. The National Osteoporosis Society says that tennis is good for our skeleton as it is a weight bearing exercise, which helps prevent osteoporosis.
Tennis is not just good for you physically, it is also good for you mentally. It is a challenging game requiring speed and good reaction times. Research at the University of Illinois found that tennis generates new nerve connections in the brain as it requires tactical thinking and alertness.
Exercise is also good for our mood, so tennis can improve your mood and make you happy. Research by Finn et al at the Southern Connecticut State University found that tennis players scored lower in depression, confusion, anxiety, anger and tension than other athletes and non-athletes. And higher in optimism, self-esteem and vigour. Dr Jim Gavin, author of The Exercise Habit, says that tennis leads to positive personality characteristics, more than other sports such as golf.
It is also good for children’s development. It can help to improve their –
- Fitness
- Coordination
- Self confidence
- Balance
- Respect
- Concentration
- Independence
- Determination
- Communication
Above all, tennis is also fun. It is good for us mentally and physically.
Learn more about
The Psychology of Health eBook
Aerobic Fitness eBook
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Sports Nutrition 100 hour course
Stress Management 100 hour course