The multiple health benefits of tennis

Tennis is a game of repeatable patterns in four specific areas: serve, return, concentration and approach. Study the patterns, learn the winning percentages and simplify the game.

This discipline focuses on the importance of psychophysical balance, it can be practiced at any age unless you want to practice professionally, in this case you should start in early stages.

There are different modalities to be able to train this sport, since it can be done individually, in doubles or mixed. The important thing is to get advice on which modality is appropriate for each person and organism.

It is a sport that gives us resistance, improving the cardiovascular system and preventing diseases such as obesity, hypertension and heart attacks.

Health benefits of tennis

Keep in mind that to see results you should practice at least three times a week for approximately one hour. If your physical level is that of a beginner, you should dedicate 20 to 30 minutes to adapt to this rhythm. The lack of physical preparation can generate a circulatory imbalance, an oxygen deficit and injuries to joints and muscles, for this reason be very careful when getting in shape, because everything must be progressive and for this reason it is important to exercise with experts in the field.

Over time, doing this sport brings significant changes to health such as improving circulation, activating both the heart and the brain, releasing stress, developing body growth and stimulating the motor system.

It is a sport that gives us resistance because it is of long duration, but at the same time it improves the cardiovascular system, which will have benefits mainly for the heart, which is the prevention of diseases such as hypertension, heart attacks, causing blood pressure levels to decrease. It also generates better microcirculation in the heart. This reduces the incidence of coronary events. In addition, it lowers the levels of fat, cholesterol and triglycerides, which is what clogs the arteries and causes problems in the future, even death.

In the case of patients with diabetes, it improves sugar levels, since this enters the muscle, due to the exercise, which lowers blood glucose levels and helps to improve the patient’s quality of life.

On the other hand, it is a sport that also presents moments of high intensities, it is necessary to go from one space to another, this improves the condition of the daily strength of the individual who practices it, staying upright, in good posture.

Likewise, the muscle improves its condition, both to maintain strength for a long time or at a given moment. In addition to this, it prevents conditions such as osteoporosis as it strengthens the bones through repetitive impact.

Finally, coordination plays a fundamental role, as it is necessary in the management between hand and eye, agility to go from one place to another quickly and return, as well as balance.

Physical benefits of tennis

Beyond all of the above, tennis is a game of great power, speed, large and fleeting bursts to go after a ball in short spaces, which gives its faithful practitioner greater resistance, muscle power, and good posture.

It  works thoroughly in the coordination of the whole body, fundamental and necessary in the handling between hand and eye, in relation to the rest of the body to be able to execute the blows correctly, giving agility and improving the balance.

Mental benefit of tennis

This sport provides a lot of discipline, creates habits, builds values, strengthens personality and character, among many positive aspects that can be attributed to it.

Whether in classes since childhood, playing with family or friends, with the goal of having a professional career or even on weekends where you play at the club, this beautiful sport provides physical and mental health, makes friends, creates professional careers and gives unforgettable moments. Do not hesitate and start enjoying the white sport.

On a social level, it is an activity that is done with other people, which improves the relationship with them, avoiding selfishness and individualism. In addition, tennis helps eliminate stress. Of all the benefits offered by this sport, the specialist highlights the mental one. « In very high-level tennis players, the strength that makes them win matches is not only physical but mental. If this capacity is stimulated from an early age, it favors the control of emotions. This sport helps to respond with optimism in the face of adversity, to admit that the opponent is better. When you play in a group, you can help your partner, giving him the ball. That makes tennis a good sport for proper mental development, » says Tabuenca.

Avoiding injuries

 Like any sport, playing tennis can cause injuries that are important to be aware of. The goal is to follow some guidelines to avoid them. In professional tennis players there are injuries, which are often caused more by the demands of high competition than by the sport itself. If we think of acute injuries, those that occur during the match, the most frequent are those that occur in the lower limbs, the most common being an ankle sprain. Another type of injury is to the shoulder. « Young tennis players have a lax and unstable shoulder. Older players have more rotator cuff injuries. In addition, they are at greater risk of suffering osteoarthritis in the future than the normal population, » says Dr. Tabuenca.

Wrist injuries are also frequent. And to avoid them, it is important to learn the correct way to hold the racquet. In addition to the aforementioned injuries, two others stand out: hip and spine injuries. The hip injury is manifested by the violence and power with which the ball is hit and with the supporting foot. Correct game mechanics helps tennis players with professional orientation to avoid these injuries.

In the amateur player, the most common injury is tennis elbow or epicondylitis. « There are many amateurs who are not muscled. They do not have a correct technique and that makes the vibrations of the ball go to the racquet and from the racquet to the elbow. It is also frequent in people who play 4 or 5 hours a week, » the orthopedic surgeon points out. It is necessary to work to prevent injuries and to know what factors cause them.

One of those elements that condition injuries is the court on which tennis is played. It is known that there are more injuries on grass or hard courts than on clay. That is why when a professional tennis player draws up his circuit plan, he tries to compensate for the type of surface.

Another reason that influences the racquet and the way of holding it. By correcting the grip, wrist problems can be avoided.

Conclusions : Physical Improvements of tennis

Tennis can help you improve:

• Aerobic and anaerobic
• Muscle power by forcing you to react quickly and powerfully in order to hit the ball.
• Speed due to short sprint runs.
• The strength of the lower body due to the starts and braking.
• General coordination as the body must adjust to the ball.
• Control of the large muscles of the body by having to move the body and execute the strokes.
• Agility by forcing you to change direction up to 5 times in 10 seconds.
• Dynamic balance through starting, braking, changing direction and hitting the ball in motion.
• Cross training is a fun and very complete sport that can be used by athletes who specialize in other sports.
• Bone density and strength by strengthening the bones of young players and preventing osteoporosis in older players.
• Improves the immune system through physical conditioning effects that promote overall wellness.
• Nutrition habits forcing me to eat well before and after exercise.
• Hand-eye coordination.
• Flexibility through movement to be able to reach the balls.
• Psychological Improvements

In terms of psychological benefits, tennis can help you to:

• Develop work ethic because you improve through lessons and practice.
• Develop discipline because you learn to work on your game and control your stroke rhythm.
• Manage mistakes because you learn to play according to the skills you have, realizing that in tennis, as in life itself, minimizing mistakes is essential.
• Learn to compete.
• Accept responsibility.
• Handle adversity and the pressure that this sport can cause.
• Plan and implement strategies because one learns to anticipate the opponent’s strategy and plan an appropriate response.
• Learn to solve problems because the strategy of tennis is to solve the problems presented to you by the opponent.
• Develop performance rituals.
• Learning to compete with integrity.
• Learn to win and lose.
• Work as part of a team.
• Develop social skills.

It is not at all surprising that scientists and doctors around the world see tennis as one of the healthiest activities one can participate in. There are many other sports that can offer many health benefits, and others that can offer psychological benefits and emotional maturity. But no sport has been applauded as much as tennis for offering great benefits in all of these areas.

Tennis is an ideal sport for children and youth. What parent wouldn’t want their children to have all the benefits tennis has to offer?

It’s not too late for adults either. The human body can be trained and improved at any stage of life.