Physical Reasons to Play Tennis

There are many specific physical reasons why we should consider playing regularly tennis.

Here is what tennis enhances:

1. Aerobic Fitness by burning fat and improving our cardiovascular fitness and maintaining higher energy levels.

2. Anaerobic Fitness by offering short and intense bursts of activity during a point followed by rest, which assists muscles to use oxygen efficiently.

3. Ability to accelerate by providing sprinting, jumping and lunging quickly while getting to the ball.

4. Powerful first step by requiring anticipation, quick reaction time and explosion into action.

5. Speed and agility through a series of side-to-side and up and back sprints to chase the ball.

6. Leg strength through hundreds of starts and stops that build stronger leg muscles.

7. Control of the body through movement and ball striking skills using large and small muscle groups such as touch shots like angled volleys, drop shots and lobs.

8. Cross-Training through a physically demanding sport that's fun for athletes who specialize in other sports.

9. Dynamic Balance through changes of direction and hitting the ball on the run.

10. Bone strength and density by strengthening bones of young players and helping prevent osteoporosis in older ones.

11. Immune System through its conditioning effects, which promote overall health, fitness and resistance to disease.

12. Nutritional Habits by eating appropriately before competition to enhance energy production and after competition to practice proper recovery methods.

13. Hand-Eye Coordination because you constantly judge the timing between the oncoming ball and the proper contact point.

14. Flexibility due to the constant stretching and maneuvering to return the ball to your opponent.

And, this last reason I believe is the "essence" of what tennis really means to all of us:

15. Tennis is truly the sport for a lifetime! The proof is in the playing.

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