Previously I have discussed the merits and drawbacks of many exercise types, including swimming, running, walking, using a gym , doing gym exercise classes and yoga. Today we look at racquet sports, which includes tennis, squash and badmington.
The Positives about –
- Fun – The best thing about racquet sports is they are fun. If you enjoy what you do then you will not need to find any motivation to go out and do it. Enjoyment is probably the biggest element of fitness motivation.
- Multi-directional – All racquet ports require you to move in multiple directions, be it forwards, sideways, backwards or diagonal. This is good for the body and good for maintaining movement function.
- Sociable – You cannot play the sports alone so through meeting others it gives a social element to the event. This makes it fun but also has serious health benefits for our mood and for our eating habits (lack of fun social contact is a big reason our eating goes awry).
- Focus – As with any sport if you take it seriously then by definition of improving your racquet game you will want to improve fitness, function, maintain ideal body weight and more. This is great for the motivation side of things.
The Negatives about –
- Amount of Movement / Calorie Burn – Some racquet sports have very little movement for the time spent doing it. An hour of doubles tennis can be no different to 10-15 minutes walking. While this is fine if accounted for many people overestimate the energy used in such games.
- Facilities & Logistics – Unless you have your own court and someone always on hand the logistics of arranging a game can be a little difficult which leads to many players not being consistent over time. For people playing outside it can also be difficult to play during the harsher winter weather conditions.
- Injuries – Many racquet players have shoulder injuries, which can be overcome with sensible rehab and rest from the aggravating activity. However, I have met a good few who refuse to rest as they love playing so much which can do more serious damage. It is similar to runners who pick up pains from running too much without rehab and rest.
Summary
Any sport that people enjoy and move for fun is a huge advantage. The only caution to note is if fat loss is the main goal to not overestimate the benefit/calorie burn from certain racquet sports/ type of games you play. The use of a fit bit will give you a comparable figure to make effective evaluations of its contribution.
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