Ever since pickleball was introduced, it has only grown in popularity. Besides being easy to play, pickleball’s age-friendliness has made it even more popular. People of age 6 and beyond can play pickleball.
Furthermore, over the years, pickleball has proven to be an excellent alternative to cardio and aerobics. Because of the movements like running and rotating, pickleball is great for moderate exercise. These movements make your muscles work.
Without a doubt, cardio and working out daily are hard. You can come up with any excuse not to work out. Therefore, you can accomplish your weekly exercise goals by playing pickleball. Despite being a fun alternative to aerobics, you should not only rely on it.
This pickleball health benefits article covers the following
- What are the health benefits of playing pickleball
- how does pickleball benefit your mental health
- Frequently Asked Questions related to the health benefits of pickleball
Top Ten Pickleball Health Benefits
Playing pickleball is a great way to work out. Besides, helping with burning calories and maintaining balance, pickleball has many health benefits. Continue reading further to know about the ten pickleball health benefits that have helped many pickleball players.
A Great Cardio Workout
On average, you can burn 600 calories per hour playing pickleball. Moreover, playing pickleball also means getting a great cardio workout. As a result, you can notice an improvement in blood sugar levels, lung functions, blood pressure, and cardiovascular conditioning. Besides this, the boost your cardiovascular system gets helps to avoid stroke.
Furthermore, playing pickleball is proven to be better than walking. It accounts for better physical activity.
According to U.S. News & World Report
“ Lance Dalleck, a professor of exercise and sport science at Western Colorado University, co-authored a 2018 study that explored cardiovascular benefits as well.
“We showed that pickleball players who played at least three days per week … can expect to see improvements in fitness and heart health; namely a 12% increase in cardiorespiratory fitness, a 3.5% reduction in blood pressure and a 5% improvement in good cholesterol,” Dalleck says.”
It Helps You Stay Sharp
Unlike any other sport, pickleball is a mind game. It does not only require your physical fitness but also your mental fitness as well. What’s more, how well and quickly you think under pressure is just as important. Further, the fast pace of this game will aid you in making split-second decisions. Also, it challenges players mentally. Your goal is not only to hit the ball but also to make it land with a strategy.
Furthermore, your hand-eye coordination is improved. In addition to this, playing pickleball will strengthen your memory and elevate your cognitive functions.
Finally, pickleball has both physical and mental benefits. Get into this sport and see your brain make decisions in seconds.
It Is Good For Your Heart
As you grow older, the risk of suffering from heart conditions increases. Thanks to pickleball, you can say goodbye to any heart problem. Pickleball is a great aerobic workout. Thus, it results in your heart getting stronger.
One of the benefits for your heart is that playing pickleball can reduce cholesterol. Cholesterol is one of the major factors that put stress on your heart. One 30-minute pickleball session can reduce your cholesterol. Hence, boosting the work done by your heart. This results in more blood getting pumped. Since the physical activity due to pickleball increases, the heart transports more oxygen. Moreover, this will also help with the player’s memory.
A high level of blood pressure could be a problem. A normal person can experience a variety of heart problems, such as a stroke or a heart attack. Playing pickleball is a good form of exercise to lower your blood pressure. As a result, there will be less pressure on the heart.
Last, playing pickleball makes your heart stronger, so you live a healthy and long life. Playing the game three times a week with a proper diet can lead to a healthy life.
An amazing way to relieve stress
Without any doubt, playing any sport can relieve stress. If you are struggling with your daily life and need a break, we suggest playing pickleball. Not only will it help to reduce stress, but it will also energize you. Scoring a goal will make you excited, and at that moment, all the stress you had will be gone.
Playing pickleball will distract you from all the stress and help improve your mood. When you exercise, your brain releases feel-good hormones. Hence, improved mood quality. High levels of stress can have a negative impact on your heart’s health. Moreover, you can avoid strokes or hypertension.
If you are looking to reduce stress, we recommend you try playing pickleball!
Provides increased Activity Levels for Older Adults
One of the greatest things about pickleball is that it is age-friendly. The game is suitable for children aged 6 and up. Furthermore, for older adults, increased activity levels relate to their mobility and physical functioning. What’s more, old people find pickleball much more fun as it does not put a strain on their joints and tendons and is easy to play.
In addition to that, the older adults play pickleball according to their intensity level. Also, the small court and less distance to cover help avoid putting stress on their bodies. Despite their age, they can enjoy a game that is fun and competitive to play.
Improved Mental Health
Pickleball does not only aid in physical fitness. But it also helps with mental fitness. First, there is socialization because pickleball helps people connect with one another. Further, they do not only talk about the game but also their lives off the court. In addition to that, this reduces the loneliness one feels. As a result, playing pickleball helps the brain releases endorphins which boost your self-esteem. Moreover, this helps minimize depression, which is more common nowadays. When you score a goal, the sudden rush of excitement you feel stays with you.
Because they are inactive, many older adults are at high risk of depression. Playing an age-appropriate game makes them feel alive and young.
Many older adults and even young people find themselves with extra time. Since they usually feel bored, this leads to a risk of anxiety and depression. Playing pickleball will give them the energy boost that their mind needs.
Easy on the joints and tendons
Older adults might be scared of trying pickleball because of the stress it might cause on their bodies. Worry not! Pickleball is considered a low-impact sport. You can set the intensity of the game however you like.
What’s more, the pickleball court is not that big. Further, the court is about 44 ft. by 20 ft. Thus, there is less distance to cover when playing. You do not have to move around a lot. As a result, their joints and muscles are not subjected to undue strain.
Because of its variable intensity level and small distance, pickleball is good for all ages.
Improves Balance and Agility
Pickleball can help you with your balance and agility. As you play, your balance gets better. Along the way, your footwork and control improve. Moreover, older adults can improve their agility due to the low intensity of the game.
An exceptional social sport
Pickleball is one of the greatest social sports. When you play singles or doubles, you get to meet new people. Socializing is important for a healthy human mind. When you play pickleball, besides getting exercise, you get to make new contacts. When you make new friends, you start hanging out off the court. This is great for your mental health. As a result, you can counteract depression and feelings of loneliness. These can result in many health diseases.
Hence, joining a pickleball club and socializing can have an impact on your physical and mental health.
It Improves Muscle Strength
Playing pickleball can tone your muscles, improving muscle strength. Thus, having strong and toned muscles can improve blood flow, improving overall health.
Conclusion
Over the years, pickleball has only proven to be beneficial. From just being a fun sport to having health benefits, pickleball has it covered. If you ask us about the most important benefit of pickleball, it is how fun it is to play without a worry in the world. No matter what your age or level is, make sure to enjoy every moment of playing pickleball. What’s more, do not just rely on pickleball as cardio. It is only beneficial to do aerobics besides playing pickleball.
We hope this article on the 10 health benefits of pickleball encourages you to pickleball regularly.
FAQ
It is evident now that pickleball is good for your health. For older people, pickleball is a moderate workout. It is great for cardio, which helps improve your blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels. Besides, it also helps tone your body with improved balance.
However, you have to follow certain guidelines to get the desired effects. One of them is that you need to play for at least 4 hours per week.
Yes, playing pickleball can get you in shape. According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, you can burn 40% more calories per game than you can walking with a moderate-intensity heart rate. Further, this can regulate your blood sugar level and heart rate, and the calories you burn can help you control your body weight.
However, it might not be a high-intensity workout, but you can control it with the intensity level you play at. Thus, it is the best moderate workout for any age group.
It is ideal to play pickleball three times a week or at least five hours per week. This will help you achieve your weekly exercise goals. Not only this, but it will allow your body to rest for a good amount of time between sessions.
Hey, fellow pickleball player!
My name is Ethan Josephson. I am a pickleball enthusiast who has been playing this fantastic game for more than 5 years. Before that I had almost 20-years-experience with tennis and table tennis, but pickleball fascinated me completely.
