Pickleball is an excellent way to burn some calories, enjoy the sunlight, be outdoors, improve your aerobic fitness, and most importantly have some fun.
There are a lot of benefits to playing pickleball, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player. And yes, pickleball is a great way to get some exercise.
While it doesn’t take an extreme level of perfect fitness for the average player to enjoy, pickleball can be considered a good workout with plenty of health benefits.
Health Benefits
Pickleball combines elements of aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise, and cardiovascular activity making it a comprehensive workout that can benefit anyone’s overall fitness.
And anyone who’s played knows the amount of movement involved, and while it’s not necessarily constant, non-stop movement, it’s very simple for anyone, particularly beginners, to elevate their heart rate.
Pickleball also requires strength and endurance. Playing requires you to use various muscles in the legs, core, arms, and shoulders. The more you play, the more these areas will definitely benefit. In addition, the more experienced you are, the more your glutes will get a workout, too, as there are continual squats in and around the non-volley zone.
Balance and coordination are also something any player will benefit from, adding to the fact that pickleball is a good activity for exercise. The sport requires quick movements, lateral shuffling, and precise hand-eye coordination. All of that contributes to improved balance and agility.
One of the other benefits of the exercise you get when playing pickleball is flexibility. The swinging motion of the paddle, lunging, squatting, and reaching can increase and enhance flexibility and range of motion in the joints.
All of these are excellent for anyone, but particularly for the elderly. Pickleball doesn’t have to be extraneous to be fun, so any amount of movement, working so many different muscle groups and more, is beneficial to those who don’t move quickly or are agile. Because of the unique rules in pickleball, quickness isn’t required. The two-bounce makes the game approachable and playable for anyone.
Pickleball is a low-impact sport, meaning there isn’t as much pressure on the joints, especially when compared to running, basketball, or other sports. This is another reason the sport is more suitable for the elderly, but can still be enjoyed by all.
Calorie burner
In addition to the agility exercise, mobility, and cardio benefits of pickleball, it’s also a good way to burn off some calories.
Obviously, the number of calories burned to play can vary significantly, depending on a number of factors, such as weight, the intensity of play, and the length of time you are playing.
A 150-pound person burns an estimated 250-350 calories playing a casual or recreational game. In a moderately intense session, with more movement, faster pace, and longer rallies, that same person will burn approximately 350-450 calories in an hour. In a competitive, highly intense session, with even quicker movements and even longer rallies and matches, one could likely burn up to 600 calories in an hour.
Playing doubles or singles affects caloric count as well and weather, heat, and sun, as well as breaks between games certainly impact the amount of calories burned.
While we’re focused in this story on the physical benefits of exercise one gets from playing pickleball, the mental benefits are also plentiful.
Just being outside is a stimulant to some and can help change perspective, especially if someone is used to being inside. The benefits of sunlight are numerous. Fresh air can do wonders!
But pickleball can help the brain, too. The sport requires strategy, decision-making, and quick reactions, providing mental stimulation and improving thinking and cognitive function.
Playing pickleball is an excellent way to engage with others socially, too. Playing often means games in a doubles format, which can enhance motivation, enjoyment, and keeping a regular exercise routine.
It’s important to get plenty of exercise and it’s also important to warm up properly before playing. Drink lots of water and wear the proper footwear and clothing while enjoying pickleball. Check with your doctor before playing if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns.
The post Is Pickleball Good Exercise? appeared first on PPA Tour.
