{"id":503,"date":"2017-07-19T13:52:02","date_gmt":"2017-07-19T13:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/hwbstaffnews\/?p=503"},"modified":"2017-07-19T13:53:14","modified_gmt":"2017-07-19T13:53:14","slug":"tennis-health-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/hwbstaffnews\/2017\/07\/19\/tennis-health-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the 10 ways playing tennis makes you healthier and happier?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inspired by Wimbledon? Here\u2019s why you should keep picking up the racket long after the trophies are lifted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By\u00a0Dr David Broom<\/a>
\nAcademy of Sport and Physical Activity<\/a><\/p>\n

As Wimbledon draws to a climax, tennis courts across the country are full of budding Andy Murrays’ or Johanna Kontas’. But you don\u2019t have to compete at the highest level to feel the benefits of playing tennis.<\/p>\n

A study published in the\u00a0British Journal of Sports Medicine<\/a>\u00a0found that playing racket sports significantly reduces the risk of death from heart disease. And that\u2019s not all.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 reasons to keep playing tennis long after the Wimbledon trophies have been lifted.<\/p>\n

1. You get a full body workout<\/h2>\n

Whether playing singles, doubles or hitting the ball against a wall, tennis is a full body workout. Swinging the racket works the muscles of your arms, shoulders, back and core. You use the muscles of your lower body to run, jump, crouch and move on the spot.<\/p>\n

2. It reduces the risk of a heart attack<\/h2>\n

Tennis demands continuous movement \u2013 even while standing on the spot. Your heart rate increases to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. This improves your aerobic fitness and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.<\/p>\n

3. You improve your stamina<\/h2>\n

Tennis is a fast-paced sport. The average rally lasts for 5\u20137 seconds and you have to sprint for the ball. Working at a high intensity for short periods like this improves your anaerobic capacity \u2013 which means you can make explosive movements without getting tired as quickly.<\/p>\n

4. It tones muscles all over your body<\/h2>\n

Repeatedly performing forehands and backhands will tone your muscles in your upper body and the core. And bounding and jumping will tone your muscles in your lower body.<\/p>\n

5. You\u2019ll lose weight<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re trying to lose weight, tennis can help. You can cover a distance of up to 5 miles in an hour-long match. That means burning around 600 calories. Just hold off on the strawberries and cream afterwards!<\/p>\n

6. It\u2019s good for your bones<\/h2>\n

Research shows that tennis players have stronger bones than people who don\u2019t play racket sports. The impact of hitting the ball, stopping and bounding improves your bone density \u2013 which can prevent osteoporosis (brittle bones) later in life.<\/p>\n

7. You\u2019ll improve your balance<\/h2>\n

Not falling over while moving requires good dynamic balance. In tennis, you have to reach and stretch while holding the racket to use your full range of motion. And if you have good balance, then you\u2019re less likely to fall over.<\/p>\n

8. It makes you agile<\/h2>\n

In a typical tennis point you can change direction up to five times in just 10 seconds. So the more you play tennis, the more agile you\u2019ll become.<\/p>\n

9. It makes you react faster<\/h2>\n

In tennis you have to react fast to where your opponent is moving, and judge the timing between the oncoming ball and where it\u2019s going to land. In other words, it\u2019s a great workout for your hand-eye coordination.<\/p>\n

10. You could improve your mental health<\/h2>\n

Tennis is a tactical sport that requires planning and thinking \u2013 great brain training. And playing a game releases the feel-good hormones known as endorphins, which can improve your mental health, reduce stress and lower your risk of conditions like depression.<\/p>\n

Tennis is suitable for all ages and abilities. No matter what your skill level, you can always find an opponent for a bit of friendly competition.
\nGo to the British Tennis website and\u00a0find your nearest court today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What are the 10 ways playing tennis makes you healthier and happier?\u00a0first appeared on the Sheffield Hallam University website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inspired by Wimbledon? Here\u2019s why you should keep picking up the racket long after the trophies are lifted. By\u00a0Dr David Broom Academy of Sport and Physical Activity As Wimbledon draws…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9105,"featured_media":506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[21],"tags":[23,22,25,24,26],"class_list":["post-503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-academy-of-sport-and-physical-activity","tag-dr-david-broom","tag-health","tag-tennis","tag-wimbledon"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/hwbstaffnews\/files\/2017\/07\/Tennis-image-1.jpg?fit=844%2C564&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8KEAX-87","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":597,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.ac.uk\/hwbstaffnews\/2017\/08\/18\/excercise-as-a-weight-loss-strategy\/","url_meta":{"origin":503,"position":0},"title":"Excercise as a weight-loss strategy","author":"Jane Gardner-Florence","date":"August 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Hallam research, led by Dr David Broom was referenced in New York Times feature looking at exercise as a weight-loss strategy. 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