Are you interested in making friends while you flex your fit body by the beachside? If that’s the case, then beach tennis might be your thing. Beach tennis enthusiasts have dubbed it “Badminton on steroids.” Sure, this sport is both fun and engaging, and it can be played by everyone irrespective of his or her playing abilities.
Beach tennis has been a popular pastime for about half a century, but it was only formalized in the mid-90s by Italian Giandomenico Bellettini. While Italy is still the epicenter of beach tennis, the sport is gaining ground in different parts of the globe such as Latin America, the US, and Europe.
Probably, you are wondering ‘why should I play beach tennis, when there are so many other racquet sports alternatives?’ Well…
These are 15 reasons why should you play beach tennis.
1. Beach tennis is easy to learn.
This sport can be played by players with different abilities. If you are old, young, a novice, or a pro player, beach tennis will accommodate you. It is a perfect sport for the whole family. A majority of its rules are similar to that of tennis or beach volleyball.
Obviously, tennis and other racquet sports players will have an easier time learning the game. However, if you’re new to racquet sports, don’t let the game intimidate you; it’s actually quite simple to learn.
2. Helps you burn calories.
Burning calories and staying fit are important for maintaining good health. However, the process doesn’t have to be straining. So, if it is hard to maintain a workout routine, maybe you should try other fun ways to cut those calories. Naturally, when you dislike the fitness activity you are doing, it is almost impossible to achieve your goals.
What most people don’t realize is that games that involved a lot of movements, such as beach tennis, are excellent for burning calories. In one hour of playing beach tennis, you could potentially burn about 250 – 500 calories depending on whether you are playing singles or doubles, the intensity of the play, and your weight.
As your muscles work at an optimal level, your lungs and heart will have to work harder to pump blood and oxygen. This will trigger your pulse to increase, and in the process, you’ll burn more calories.
3. An enjoyable way to exercise.
Because you have to react quickly to hit the ball back and forth, beach tennis helps to build your reaction time and agility. Besides this, you are also engaging the whole body as you play; just like an intense workout, but while having fun. As you hit the ball, run, and lunge, you strengthen your glutes, arms, legs, shoulders, abs, and back muscles.
Another silent benefit is that you will improve your cardiovascular endurance when you play beach tennis, making it easier for you to get into other aerobic activities without straining.
4. No special equipment required.
All you need to play beach tennis is a pair of paddles (or racquets), a net, a decompressed tennis ball (maybe an old tennis ball), and a beach volleyball court. The best thing is that the equipment is within reach. Even if you don’t have your own equipment, you can get them from your local tennis clubs.
With beach tennis, you don’t need to rent a court, buy expensive shoes, apparel, or other fancy things associated with other sports.
5. Improve your coordination dkills.
The nature of beach tennis dictates that you engage your eyes and hands. So, if you are struggling with coordination, this sport can come in handy to help you build this key skillset. But don’t let your lack of eye-hand coordination prevent you from playing this sport. Instead, use the game as a way of improving your coordination skills.
As you become better at the sport, so will your coordination. Better coordination will help you stay young. Most people tend to associate lack of coordination with old age. In short, playing beach tennis could potentially help you slow down the effects of age by steadily building your coordination skills.
6. Keeps you mentally fit.
As you may already know, an active brain is less susceptible to cognitive decline or other similar conditions. That is why beach tennis is a great game for both the old and the young.
7. Socially engaging.
Not only will beach tennis keeps you fit, but it will also engage you mentally and socially. Perhaps, one of the most noteworthy advantages of this sport is its social capacity to bring people together to participate in a fun activity. This sport enables you to stay socially active.
It is an interactive sport where participants can socially engage with their opponents. Unlike, other racket sports that tend to require concentration and silence during the game. If you plan to play beach tennis regularly, you’ll have endless opportunities to engage socially, while having a great time at the beach.
8. Fun to play.
9. Less risky than other racquet sports.
Moreover, some sports such as tennis and volleyball can be a little bit bruising. Given that the playing surface for beach tennis is mainly sand, players are less likely to hurt themselves when they hit the ground.
10. Does not require much training.
Even if you are a complete beginner, you can head to the beach and start playing beach tennis. At a recreational level, the game does not need much athleticism. Since you are more likely to play for fun, you will not stress yourself too much when you don’t know the rules. You can learn them as you improve your game.
11. Suitable for all ages.
There are modified rackets for kids or people with different playing needs. Besides this, the net can be adjusted to suit players with different abilities. It is a great sport that brings families and friends together.
12. A versatile sport.
There is more to this sport than the comfort and social nature of it. Beach tennis is a versatile sport that can be played on different playing surfaces such as grass, sand, snow, and even concrete floor.
On the professional level, the sport can be played in either singles or doubles format; though the latter is more common. At a recreational level, players can play 3 on 3 or even 4 on 4.
13. A competitive sport with a respected World Ranking System.
Just like tennis, there are international tournaments for beach tennis, thanks to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) support for the sport. While it started out as a fun sport, it’s now mainstream. There are several local and international associations and federations that manage and promote the sport.
Besides ITF, another major beach tennis association that organizes international tournaments is the International Federation of Beach Tennis (IFBT)
14. Helps build strength and stamina.
Playing beach tennis involves a lot of body movements and, constantly, changing directions. The movements around the sand help to improve flexibility, strength, and stamina levels. Basically, as you play, you’re getting a head-to-toe workout.
15. Excellent way to release stress.
Are you stressed lately? Then, perhaps, you should jump on the beach tennis bandwagon. This sport provides a great way to fend off stress. It is a mentally stimulating activity that requires mental alertness. Playing such a sport helps you to release endorphins, which are known to give you a happy feeling and lower stress levels.
To this end
We have covered the major reasons for playing beach tennis. It is clear the benefit of playing this sport are vast. It is more than just a sport – it’s a fun activity, an exercise, and even more important, a lifestyle.
We hope that you are motivated enough to try the game on your next trip to the beach. If you are interested in pursuing the sport professionally, consider joining local clubs and associations, which will help you improve your game.