Despite its name, pickleball has nothing to do with an actual pickle. The game, a combination of tennis and badminton, instead includes a Wiffle ball you hit with wooden rackets across a net. The name comes from a cocker spaniel named Pickles that chased balls all over the yard.
Boosts Mood, Mental Health
Pickleball is loads of fun and, in turn, it can be good for your health. Numerous organizations tout pickleball's fun factor, including the U.S.A. Pickleball Association, the AARP and others. The elevated mood you receive from pickleball and other regular exercise has several benefits, MayoClinic.com notes. The brain chemicals you stimulate during exercise can make you more relaxed and happier, and stave off depression. Your self-esteem and confidence also get a boost, as you'll look and feel better than you would had your only fun been sitting on a couch watching TV.
Burns Calories, Maintains Weight
Moving around the court in pickleball also burns calories, which can help control your weight. Since pickleball is a hybrid between tennis and badminton, you can estimate its calorie burning potential for one hour worth of play. Playing an hour of tennis burns off about 500 calories for a 150-lb. person, while that same person burns off about 320 calories during an hour of badminton, Diet and Fitness Today reports. Put pickleball somewhere in the middle.
Low Impact, Low Risk
Although you're burning calories and boosting your mood, you are not putting yourself --- or your joints --- at high risk, according to Pickleball Canada. The Wiffle ball is fairly slow-moving and much lighter than its tennis ball cousin or its racquetball distant cousin. Even if you do get hit with it, you won't suffer the same severity of injury of a denser and faster ball. The courts are also about half the size of a tennis court, which means less running around than tennis, another factor that keeps the intensity low.
Other Health Benefits
Pickleball specifically works on your balance and agility while it also offers the same benefits of other regular exercise. These include reducing your risk of heart attack and chronic disease, toning your muscles and increasing your energy. Regular exercise can also make you sleep better and even improve your sex life.
References
- U.S.A. Pickleball Association: What Is Pickleball?
- Pickle Ball Features and Benefits, PowerPoint Presentation
- Mayo Clinic: Seven Benefits of Regular Exercise
- Diet and Fitness Today: Calories Burned: Tennis
- Senior Sampler Newspaper: Injury Prevention and Solutions: Tennis and Pickleball in St. George
- AARP: Pickup Pickleball
Member Comments