For the Love of Body & Mind

Running, cycling and swimming might be the first sports to come to mind when taking up a new activity. Consider an option which not only works out the body but the mind as well, like tennis. Most people don’t realize all the health benefits of playing tennis.

Many folks may not know playing tennis for one hour burns about 600 calories, making it as effective as jogging or an indoor cycling class. And the beauty of tennis is that it challenges your mind along with your body.

The tactical aspect of the game keeps your mind occupied while your body gets a good workout. The short term goals of getting to and returning the little yellow ball in time makes it a complex sport full of small rewards and limitless challenges.

Here are just five of the benefits you can expect to get from tennis: 

Cardiovascular 

A typical tennis match can last anywhere from one to two hours. A match has intervals optimal for improving cardiovascular health, essential in lowering the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. 

Bjorn Borg accurately called a tennis match "a thousand little sprints." The quick anaerobic movements of the sport burns fat, increases the heart rate and promotes higher energy levels. 

Muscle Development 

The game also combines rigorous strength training in the legs, arms and upper body. And it's not just in a static, repetitive set of muscles. During a match one is required to move side-to-side, up and back at different speeds which test a variety of muscles in the legs. All the movements in a typical match help to improve forearm strength, back muscles and core development. 

Tactical - Brain Development 

Tennis is based on geometry and physics, and it can help develop tactical thinking similar to playing a game of chess. Since a large proponent of playing tennis involves alertness and tactical thinking to develop shot patterns, the sport helps to generate new connections between nerves in the brain. 

Played over the course of many years, tennis can help improve or maintain brain development, keeping you alert and sharp well into your golden years. 

Coordination 

Tennis builds balance, speed, footwork and hand-eye coordination due to the variety of techniques and movements that are used while playing. Tennis doesn't just improve your physical stamina. The better you become on the courts, the more it can help to improve other aspects of your life. 

Self-Esteem 

In a recent study performed at Southern Connecticut State University, which tested the psychological benefits of several sports and among non-athletes, tennis players scored higher in self-esteem, vigor and optimism, while scoring lower for factors such as confusion, tension, anxiety and depression. 

Regularly playing tennis can help keep you motivated on your professional path, as well as help you overcome obstacles that you may encounter in your personal life. 

All of these health benefits make tennis one of the most beneficial sports you can play, physically, mentally and emotionally. 

Don’t let sore joints and muscles keep you out of the game. 

Tennis can be played at a level which is comfortable you. It can be two friends hitting the ball back and forth or an intense competitive three set match. Understand when starting a new exercise routine, it’s common to experience sore muscles and joints the first few times out. Applying Super Blue Stuff OTC or Super White Stuff OTC before and after the match will help to alleviate pain and allow you to pursue your favorite activities in comfort. These fast acting and effective products are considered by many to be some of the best natural pain relief products that are available over-the-counter. 

The unique formula harkening back to to the original blue emu oil pain reliever - Blue Stuff - features the natural pain relief of menthol along with MSM, emu oil, aloe vera, and arnica along with other therapeutic herbs and oils. The non-greasy lotion is absorbed fast so it reaches the affected areas to deliver pain relief in as fast as five minutes!