If you’ve heard the news about pickleball recently, you’ve undoubtedly learned that it’s a rising sport in America and that elders are among its most enthusiastic followers.
Knowing that older people are the biggest pickleball fans, you may believe that the sport is not much of an exercise.
If the seniors like it, is pickleball good exercise?
There are several reasons that pickleball caters to elders looking for an enjoyable and friendly activity to keep them in shape.
For example, you play pickleball games on a court more undersized than the usual tennis court.
It means you have to run and move around less.
However, with games generally taking an hour, you’ll build up a nice sweat and burn more than ten calories every minute.
Is Pickleball Good Exercise?
Pickleball is a fast-paced sport that demands quick bursts of movement on all sides.
Power, body coordination, and stamina are some of the essential skills.
Because of the physical activity involved, you’ll feel your heartbeat rise, and you are continuously playing and pausing during the game.
Cardiovascular exercise would be any activity that raises your heart rate and causes your body to breathe in even more air.
Pickleball is a great cardiovascular exercise, making it a popular choice.
You don’t need to run a marathon or do weight lifts in a gym to work out properly. Pickleball is the best example of that.
A great way to increase your heart rate while simultaneously stimulating your brain is to move around in a confined area.
You can get all these benefits when you play pickleball.
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Why Do Many People Enjoy Pickleball as an Exercise?
People above 50 years old are ditching their gym memberships to join a better exercise for them: pickleball.
Even those in their twenties and thirties spend more time on pickleball courts as an additional exercise.
Pickleball’s continued appeal is primarily due to the young player’s passion for fitness.
They would not participate if the game did not present a challenge.
Pickleball’s smaller court provides many health advantages for the elderly, retirees, or anybody else, while also adding a socializing component.
The measurements of a pickleball court are 44 feet in length by 20 feet in width, which is approximately one-third the size of an average tennis court.
Compared to a full-sized tennis court, this smaller, compact court is less taxing on the muscles and joints.
Although you play pickleball on a smaller court, the sport still demands considerable lateral movements and quick reactions.
When you have to receive a ball above your head, you may rush to reach it.
It may be similar to tennis when the situation requires rapid reflexes and lateral movement but less strain and power.
You’ll receive the same amount of exercise but on a reduced, more knee-friendly level if you’re a tennis player.
It’s a very addicting sport that gives health benefits for all ages and experience levels.
Also, you’ll be playing mainly with individuals your same age or skill level.
How Many Calories Can You Burn When Playing Pickleball?
Weight, present health condition, and the intensity of your performance in a pickleball game all affect how many calories you can burn.
A select few people have taken advantage of the addition of pickleball as a trackable workout by Apple and other smartwatch makers.
According to these watches, you can burn 400 and 700 calories per hour while playing.
You approximately burn around eight to eleven calories every minute you play pickleball.
Like jogging, you burn calories by flailing a paddle around and hitting instead of just watching out for obstacles on the road.
Can Pickleball Improve Weight Management?
Dieting alone does not effectively work to lose weight, but you need to add a nutritious diet.
You can have the chance to lose at least 70 pounds when playing pickleball at a consistent intensity while eating healthily.
Given that pickleball is an exercise that burns calories like other aerobic activities, it’s fair to assume that pickleball can support you in your quest to lose weight.
Pickleball is a great option for persons with limited physical abilities since it is less strenuous on the body than other activities.
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What Are the Good Health Benefits of Pickleball?
Aside from losing weight or weight management, pickleball provides good health benefits for your overall health and not just the physical aspect.
Improve Body Coordination
Practicing racquet sports, such as pickleball and tennis, helps players develop their body coordination, particularly the hands and eyes and balance.
As people become older, their ability to perform specific tasks fade, leading to problems like accidents or a lack of mobility.
Build Stronger Body
Pickleball is a sport that requires you to work a wide range of muscles from head to toe.
You can improve motor and musculoskeletal functions by using your muscles during the game.
It gets more challenging to carry out everyday chores when people get old.
Treating your musculoskeletal system with care can help you heal more quickly, enhance flexibility, and lower your risk of heart disease.
Reduce Memory Loss
Any physical activity can help slow the aging process.
Participating in sports and other activities can help slow biological aging and prevent dementia.
Promote Socialization
Pickleball, like other team sports like tennis, encourages interaction among players.
You’re likely to engage in some conversation with your opponents, teammates, and other courtside spectators.
Friendships formed by these encounters enhance one’s general quality of life and health.
Improve Your Mood
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins from your brain responsible for inducing pleasurable emotions.
If you’re a runner, you’ve likely experienced this feeling, dubbed the “runner’s high.”
Thus, pickleball can improve your mood.
Lower Anxiety and Depression Symptoms
The more people exercise, the better their bodies and minds work.
Exercises, like pickleball, reduce depression symptoms and lessen anxiety and enhance the mood.
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How to Optimize Your Pickleball Performance?
As soon as you head to the court, your heart rate will increase, and your breathing will become more labored.
You can enhance your pickleball experience by following some of the following tips:
Hydrate With Water and Electrolytes
Maintain hydration when exercising and even playing pickleball.
As you work up a sweat, make sure to replenish your electrolytes and water intake.
Don’t forget to refuel your body during the game.
Familiarize Your Skill Level
To improve your endurance, you must continually challenge your body.
You participate in a marathon if you barely tried a 5-kilometer run, right?
The same holds for how often you should stop and when to continue pushing yourself to improve in pickleball.
Try Playing More Singles and Doubles
Do what you love while you have the chance.
Play a second game or find another person to have a match with as long as your body can go.
You’ll have to put in more work in singles than doubles.
However, your body may benefit from a change of pace from time to time.
To relax, consider playing some doubles and getting a workout from it to give your body a chance to relax.
For those who prefer to play doubles, consider playing singles to challenge your body.
You can maximize pickleball’s advantages by understanding your body and when you can still keep going.
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Wrapping Up: Is Pickleball Good Exercise?
Everyone may enjoy playing pickleball, regardless of their age or physical ability.
However, it does not imply that it is a pointless or ineffective kind of exercise.
Everyone argues pickleball isn’t a decent physical activity and has never set foot on a pickleball court.
The best way to experience the health advantages of pickleball is to play it.