Picking up a new sport is an excellent way to improve your physical (and mental) health.
Some sports, like weightlifting, are great for your muscles. Other sports, like yoga, are great for your mind. Pickleball is the best of both worlds!
Here are 4 reasons to include pickleball in your weekly fitness routine…
1. Cardiovascular Health
Anyone who has played a tough pickleball opponent knows that it can be downright exhausting. When you play pickleball, your heart beats rapidly and increases the rates of oxygenation to your heart.
Studies have shown that racket sports like pickleball offer unmatched protection against heart attacks. Doctors recommend engaging in at least 30 minutes of daily aerobic exercise to keep your heart healthy. Pickleball is an excellent, fun way to meet this target.
2. Flexibility
Reaching for well-placed shots requires limberness and flexibility. While many people think “I’m not flexible,” the fact is that flexibility is a skill that can be worked on and improved. Over time, most pickleball players are able to stretch farther and bend their knees lower to reach the ball.
One of the best ways you can work on flexibility is by designing a pre-game stretching routine. I recommend using our Coach’s Clipboard and pairing a different stretch for each section of the court.
3. Muscular Strength
A strong pickleball serve and return works out your arm muscles including your triceps and biceps. Chasing a ball around the court is a killer leg workout. There is no doubt that pickleball is a great way to work on your muscular strength, just check out the physique of the top players like Ben Johns.
Many players like to “jump-start” their strength routine by using our Plyometric Boxes. Practicing box jumps is a great way to prepare your body for the rigorous start-and-stop motion in a pickleball game.
4. Depression
Depression is a mental disorder that is shockingly common in the United States. Being depressed makes it difficult to get outside and take pleasure in daily activities.
If you feel like you’re affected by depression, contact a medical professional immediately. That said, a recent study showed that pickleball uniquely correlates to a reduced risk of depression among older adults. Simply pick up your pickleball gear, head to the courts, and enjoy the endorphins released by an exciting game.
Final Thoughts
Pickleball’s health benefits are both physical and mental. It’s an excellent way to exercise, make friends, and release some stress. Pickleball truly is the perfect sport for all ages!
Kalindi Dinoffer is trained in multiple aspects of mindfulness in life and in sports, sharing on her blog MindfulKalindi.com. She is also certified to teach yoga, fitness, reiki, and MFR. Kalindi also serves as VP marketing at OnCourtOffCourt.com, a leading supplier of tennis, pickleball, fitness and yoga training aids and equipment and has been published in Tennis industry Magazine and Pickleball Magazine, and has conducted workshops at conferences around the world. In her spare time, Kalindi plays tennis, pickleball and table tennis and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and biking and cross country skiing in the winter.
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