For years, doctors have cited swimming and running as two of the best ways to strengthen your muscles and improve cardiovascular health. But now, new research says that racket-based sports like tennis could be even better for your body.
The new study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, claims that some sports that are often considered leisurely are good for the heart and can lead to increased life expectancy. The study, which included more than 8,500 participants in Denmark, found that tennis and badminton especially were associated with the greatest longevity boost of any physical activity.
Furthermore, the research shows that tennis added up to 9.7 years of life expectancy, while badminton added 6.2 years on average. Comparatively, running and swimming only added 3.2 years and 3.4 years, respectively. Another recent study by British researchers also supports these findings, comparing the overall impact of various sports with the effect they have on the player’s health.
A big part of why racket sports are so good for you is because they keep you in constant motion, with moments of fast sprinting and constant directional changes, all of which can benefit your body greatly. As a result, players are constantly burning calories, making tennis one of the best ways to keep your weight in check, too.
Further, the researchers agreed that the repetitive, weight-bearing motions that play a big part in racket sports can help stimulate bone growth and density, which are especially important as our bodies age. This discovery opens the door for other cardiovascular-focused sports to become viable options for those trying to lose weight instead of simply swimming or running.
Considering how difficult it can be to build a habit of exercise, and some of the other research surrounding exercise — like how time seems to slow down when you’re exercising — having more than a few ways to reliably workout and burn calories will go a long way for many people.
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