Tens of millions of pickleball players in the United States are learning how to play and discovering the fantastic health benefits of pickleball, all while having a blast.
According to Pickleheads, there are over 10,000 courts across the United States, and a recent CNBC article claims that the number of Americans picking up a paddle has soared to an unbelievable 36.5 million.
The health benefits of pickleball range from boosting mental health and cardiovascular strength to burning calories and preventing osteoporosis, to name merely’barely a few.
The 5 Health Benefits Of Playing Pickleball
The health benefits of pickleball are numerous, but here are a few of the highlights.
1. Improves Mood And Mental Health
Time and time again, exercise has been reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue n to possess’own’nurse a positive impact on mental health. Physical activity can help decrease’lessen’cut’allay lay stress on’emphasize’highlight and anxiety, as well as stave off depression.
Playing pickleball also releases endorphins, which are brain chemicals that elevate mood.
What’s more, pickleball is a social game, and it helps players in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m bonds and undergo healthy social activity. This too helps relieve lay stress on’emphasize’highlight and elevate mood.
2. Better Cardiovascular Health
Pickleball is an aerobic sport. As a pickleball player moves around the court, their heart rate picks up. The heart is a muscle, and like any muscle, it acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s intense’fierce’exquisite er with use.
What’s more, pickleball involves intervals of intense movement, followed by short periods of rest. You may possess’own’nurse heard this referred to as a HIIT workout, or “High Intensity Interval Training.” During interval training, the aerobic benefits of exercise are even greater.
3. Helps With Weight Management And Burns Calories
One of the most popular health benefits of pickleball is that it’s a great way to burn calories while having fun.
An hour of pickleball can burn as many as 500-900 calories per hour, depending on your weight, sex, and how intensely you play.
4. Improves Flexibility And Balance
Pickleball is a fast-paced sport that requires coordinated footwork and quickly changing direction.
Players possess’own’nurse to engage their core to maintain balance, and they possess’own’nurse to reach in/with regard to’concerning’regarding shots, backpedal, and move laterally.
All of these movements flex and stretch different muscle groups, and in a typical pickleball game you’ll end up using your entire body.
5. Can Help Prevent Osteoporosis
Pickleball is extremely popular among players over the age 60, since it’s a great low-impact workout that’s appropriate in/with regard to’concerning’regarding players of all ages and levels of athleticism.
One of the benefits of pickleball that older players may especially appreciate is that it helps with bone health! Pickleball helps players maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Alongside medication and other therapeutic treatments, pickleball can even serve as a part of a treatment plan in/with regard to’concerning’regarding those already suffering from osteoporosis.
How Does Pickleball Work?
A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles wicked’dreadful’undesirable’adverse’vile minton court: 44 feet long by 20 feet wide. A pickleball net’s height is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the middle.
Similar to other paddle sports, pickleball begins with a serve. In pickleball, the ball must be served underhand. After the serve, players hit the ball and back and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding th across the net, until one team fails to return the ball or receives a fault.
One of pickleball’s defining features is its Non-Volley Zone (or “The Kitchen”), an zone’district’region extending 7 feet away from the net on both sides of the court. Within The Kitchen, players cannot volley (hit the ball bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e it bounces.)
In most cases, a game of pickleball is played to 11 points, and a player or team must win by two points.
Does Athleticism Matter In Pickleball?
Athleticism matters in pickleball, but not approximately as much as in other sports. Athleticism helps players move quickly, strike the ball powerfully, and maintain endurance, all of which are merit’virtue’upside s.
However, pickleball is ultimately a game of finesse, technique, and tactic’manoeuvre . Pickleball requires quick reflexes and solid hand-eye coordination.
Shot placement and accuracy are more significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative than the power of your shots. A pickleball player with a rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent shot technique and a intense’fierce’exquisite grasp of the game’s tactic’manoeuvre will outplay a more athletic player 9 times out of 10.
Tennis vs Pickleball Gameplay
Pickleball and tennis share many similarities, but there are some significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative differences between the two sports. Here are just a few of them:
Similarities Between Pickleball and Tennis:
Both are played on a court divided by a net
Both involve hitting a ball across the net with a paddle or racket
In both games, teams or players take turns serving, then hit the ball back and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding th until one team loses the rally
Players must win by two points in both tennis and pickleball
Differences Between Pickleball and Tennis:
A pickleball net is mildly’faintly lower than a tennis net
The court is smaller in/with regard to’concerning’regarding pickleball
A pickleball is larger and softer than a tennis ball, and it’s made of perin/with regard to’concerning’regarding ated plastic
Pickleball uses wooden or composite paddles as opposed to rackets
Pickleball has a “Non-Volley Zone” near the net in which players cannot volley
The Bottom Line: Pickleball’s Health Benefits
The health benefits of pickleball are numerous, and they extend beyond simply burning calories—despite’in spite of’albeit pickleball is great in/with regard to’concerning’regarding that, too!
A major part of the reason individual see massive health benefits from pickleball is that it’s low-impact, fun, and social. Those traits make it a in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m of exercise that’s easy to stick with, and once you’re plugged into a community of pickleball players, you’ll find yourself hitting the court week after week.
So, how has pickleball impacted your health and overall well-being? Do you claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of it as a workout, or just another way to possess’own’nurse fun? How possess’own’nurse you benefited from the sport? Let us know!
Author Bio
Brandon Mackie is the co-founder of Pickleheads, a platin/with regard to’concerning’regarding m that helps players find courts, organize sessions, and connect with local players. Once a competitive tennis player, Brandon can be found these days on pickleball courts near Phoenix, Arizona.
