Joining a tennis club is not only good for your physical health but it can have an excellent social scene too, and you might get to play the exciting new sport – padel!
More and more of us are joining a tennis club, some to play competitively, others to get fit and enjoy the health and fitness facilities but all can avail themselves of the brilliant social scene they offer.
There are over five thousand tennis clubs in England and Wales and most offer excellent facilities and a welcoming atmosphere, and although there are only a couple of hundred padel courts here in the UK, this number is set to double year on year as the fun craze gets even more popular.
Tennis is good for your physical health
There are few pastimes better for you physically than tennis. An excellent cardio workout on the tennis court can burn up to 600 calories an hour for men, and 400 for women. A brilliant endurance sport, tennis improves muscle tone and flexibility, motor skills and body movement. Tennis is particularly good at improving bone strength and balance and it is a full body workout.
….and mental health!
Tennis is also thought to improve your mental health as when you play a game you use tactics to try and beat your opponent and when you play endorphins are released into your brain and these make you feel good and combat depression.
Great social scene
Tennis clubs are welcoming and friendly places, they are great places to meet new people and make new friends and many often have facilities, such as bars, cafés and restaurants. There is usually a full calendar of varied social events to join in with if you want.
Padel
Whilst tennis has been around for well over a hundred and fifty years Padel is much younger, beginning in 1969 in Mexico. It is a lot like tennis and has the same scoring system, a net and balls but it incorporates some elements from Squash, like being able to bounce the ball off the back wall. But with the court around three quarters the size of tennis court it really appeals to people who feel a little daunted by covering a tennis court. Because the court is smaller, when you play doubles in particular everyone is thrown together more and this really seems to make the game fun!
Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe and when you play in or watch a match you can see why – it seems to appeal to all ages and abilities, and everyone who tries it seems to love it. The smaller court seems to level abilities and enhance the fun, and you are enjoying a great workout without even thinking about it.
Whether it is to get out of the house and meet people, just to get a bit fitter, play competitively or try something new, joining a tennis club is a great place to start.
Rob Bullock https://robbullockauthor.blogspot.com