A lot of country clubs offer racquetball, and you’ll find the game available in several gyms as well. There are even gyms like the Las Vegas Athletic Club, which started out as a racquetball court before evolving into a full-service gym.
It’s easy enough to understand why so many people like playing racquetball. It’s an enjoyable sport for very competitive folks, and there’s a social aspect that can lead to close friendships.
But racquetball also offers plenty of health benefits as well:
Weight Loss
For many Americans, this might be to most important health benefit. You run a lot when playing racquetball, and the game involves plenty of quick, short sprints. You might run more than 2 miles for every hour you play, and that translates to burning off 600 to 800 calories. That’s great when you’re trying to lose weigh and get rid of excess fat.
Cardio Health
The constant motion in racquetball, and the 2-mile run per hour, certainly gets your heart rate pumping. This works out your heart nicely, and that just benefits your cardiovascular health. You’ll work out your lungs as well.
It’s been found that racquetball reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, as the game reduces your triglyceride levels. It increases your levels of “good” cholesterol instead.
Total Body Workout
When it comes to efficient workouts, racquetball is a great choice. That’s because it works just about all your muscle groups. You use the muscles in your upper body to hit the ball hard where you want it to go. You’re using your lower body muscles for all that running. And you’re also engaging your core muscles to maintain your balance.
This will certainly tone and strengthen many of your muscles, and it makes your bones stronger as well.
Flexibility, Balance, and Coordination
You need all these things to play racquetball well, and you’ll improve all these aspects as you keep on playing the game. The fast pace of racquetball improves your flexibility, and your body is forced to stretch out so you’re able to hit more shots. And your balance improves as you reduce the instances of stumbling and missing.
Hand-Eye Coordination
This is an obvious benefit, as the game involves hitting a fast-moving ball in 3D space. Not only do you have to anticipate the direction and speed of the ball, but you also have to hit it correctly so the ball goes where you want it to go—meaning out of your opponent’s reach. This will really help your reflexes, as you have to move quicky.
Mental Agility
This game isn’t just benefiting your body. It helps practice and work out your mind as well. After all, you have to think about where the ball is going so you can hit it. Then you have to decide how to hit it to make it more difficult for your opponent.
And you won’t have to much time to make your decisions. You only get a second or two (if not less time) to figure things out.
Alleviates Stress
Yes, the game does boost your endorphin levels, which helps you deal with stress. But the game itself demands your total concentration, so you won’t have an opportunity to dwell on things that make you anxious and tense. All your problems seem to go away as you play, because you’re focused on the game. It’s meditative in a way.
What’s more, all that running and hitting offers you a good way to vent all that stress you feel. And this doesn’t just go on during the game. Afterwards, you’ll feel that nice hazy calm that keeps you relaxed. And you probably will sleep better that night.
So, play racquetball. When something is both fun, social, and good for both the mind and body, what’s not to like?