Researched: this popular sport will make you live 10 years longer!
No, not swimming. No running either. It concerns all sports that include a racket. Think of tennis and padel, but also badminton, pickleball, squash and table tennis. Rocket sports are at the top of the list when it comes to increasing one's life expectancy. In a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, more than 80,000 adults were followed over a nine-year period to compare the impact of different sports on a person's health. The people who regularly practiced rocket sports were 47% less likely to die earlier than people who were not physically active. This was almost 20 percent higher than swimming. Swimming came in second place with a 28 percent lower chance of a shorter life.
Why is this? A few reasons. Number one is that a racquet sport is very good for cardiovascular health, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes by 56%. Through the aerobic and anaerobic exercises, the ability to stay active and move for long periods of time is stimulated, which is very beneficial for the heart and blood vessels.
Tennis, squash and table tennis also improve cognitive health. They require physical and mental coordination, focus, reflection, and alertness. At the same time, with a racket sport, you train all the muscles in the body: back, shoulders, arms, abdominals, but also your thighs. Oh, and you're using up a whole lot of energy which can help keep yourself at a healthy weight.
There is certainly living proof. Just look at Ni Xia Lian, the 61-year-old Chinese table tennis player who represented Luxembourg at this year's tournament. She is officially the oldest person to win a table tennis match at the Olympics. Zhiying Zeng, another table tennis player, also shows that a racket sport can certainly contribute to a long healthy life. Zeng is 58 years old and competed in her first Olympics this year.
Nevertheless, tennis came out best of all racket sports. Tennis players can expect their life expectancy to increase by an average of almost ten years. In second place was badminton with 6.2 years.
What do you have left to lose? Well, a lot of years of life. So let's get on the road.
Source: vogue.co.uk
We'll send you a nice letter once per week. No spam.
