Racket sports, including squash, tennis, badminton, and table tennis, are not only exciting and engaging forms of physical activity but also provide numerous health benefits that could contribute to a longer, healthier life. Recent studies have highlighted the positive impact of these sports on longevity, mental health, and overall well-being.

Squash, Tennis, Badminton & Table Tennis

Many of us may have got out of the habit of ‘playing’ any kind of sport, due to the harsh realities of adult life. Time gets away from us, and we can find it harder to prioritise our health, let alone set aside time or allow ourselves to have some fun playing sport.

Physical activity changes as we get older. Right down to what we call it. What starts out as ‘Play’ turns into ‘Exercise’.

Play - something fun, a game. Definition: engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.

Exercise - it’s a chore, boring. Definition: ‘activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness.’ Or 'an activity carried out for a specific purpose’.

Coaching 6 and 96 year olds…

Let me tell you what I’ve learnt from coaching 6 year olds. How do I get them to move more? Well, it’s easy really. Fun! I can make up a game in 5 secs flat, the rules don’t even need to make sense - if it’s fun, they’re on board - they’ll play and get moving right away.

Now, at the other end of the spectrum, what “I’ve learnt about coaching 96 year olds, and helping them to move more… Function. There needs to be an incredibly specific reason as to why this particular movement is going to help them, and what it will help them do. For example, helping the 96 year old sit down onto the toilet seat, do their business, and get back up again more easily! If they see the connection between the specific exercise and the functional application in real life that it will improve, they will give it a go.

I’ve highlighted these two ages at the opposite ends of the graph below.

Our relationship with physical activity changes as we get older

The 3 levels of Physical Activity

Invariably you may have found yourself at any one of these three levels, and in some combination throughout your life.

Level 1 - Use body for transport / Gym goers without goals

You walk to the shops, maybe run for the bus occasionally, try and walk up the steps on a tube instead of catching the escalator. Or you go to the gym because you’ve been told you have to. You complete boring exercises with no goal in sight.

Level 2 - Outdoorsy types / Gym goers with goals

People who love a nature walk up a hill or mountain, swimming in the sea, cold water swimmers, climbing outdoors, biking or rowing, gardening I would include here. Also, gym goers with goals - they find the experience motivating and encouraging as they draw nearer to achieving their goals.

Level 3 - Sporty types

These guys are like, 'Exercise? What’s that. I just love chasing a ball, competition, or playing a game each week with my friends.’ Have you ever heard the phrase ‘If you enjoy your job, you’ll never work a day in your life’? For the sporty types, 'If you enjoy a sport, you’ll never have to exercise a day in your life.’

It’s not hard to see why as you move down the graph, the motivation and enjoyment from physical activity becomes less and less appealing. How do we stop ourselves getting to the point of only Function and operate more in the zone of Fun? How do we move ourselves up the graph?

The answer has to be a 1% step in the right direction. But more on this later.

The Longevity Factor

Now, I can tell, many of you are still sceptical. So let me back up my argument with a few statistics…

Studies show that playing racket sports like squash, tennis and badminton can be associated with increased longevity, adding almost 10 years to life expectancy compared to sedentary individuals.

A landmark study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that playing racket sports can significantly reduce the risk of premature death. The research, which analyzed data from over 80,000 adults, revealed that participants who engaged in racket sports had a 47% lower risk of dying prematurely compared to those who did not participate in any physical activities. This statistic is a robust endorsement of the life-extending benefits of racket sports.

Physical Health Benefits

Cardiovascular Health: Racket sports offer a great cardiovascular workout.
Weight Management: Obesity is a significant risk factor for numerous chronic diseases. Racket sports can be an effective way to burn calories. For instance, a 150-pound person can burn approximately 500-700 calories per hour playing squash.
Bone Health: Engaging in weight-bearing activities like racket sports strengthens bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. The impact of running, jumping, and lateral movements in these sports stimulates bone growth and density, which is crucial as we age.

Mental Health Advantages

Racket sports are not just beneficial for physical health; they also have profound effects on mental well-being:

Stress Reduction: Engaging in physical activity releases endorphins, the body's natural stress relievers. A study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that participants who played racket sports reported lower levels of anxiety and depression.
Cognitive Function: Research indicates that regular physical activity, particularly activities that require hand-eye coordination, can enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia. Playing racket sports engages various brain functions, improving focus, coordination, and strategic thinking.
Social Interaction: Racket sports often involve playing with partners or in teams, providing social interaction that is crucial for mental health. Studies have shown that social engagement can lead to a longer life, with a 50% increased chance of survival reported among individuals with strong social ties.

Ok, back to that 1%…

Thought experiment for you. Would you rather have a penny that doubles every day for month, or £100,000 cash right here, right now?

If you took the £100,000 cash - you’d be able to buy a lovely Porsche 911, speedy, a smart little car, well designed.

If you took the 1p doubled every day for a month, you’d be able to buy 5 Lamborghini’s each costing more than £1,000,000…

This is the power of compound growth. A little bit, every day. So I say the same to you. Each day, just a little bit better than yesterday.

Just a few more steps than you would have taken. Just a little more water to stay hydrated than you may have had yesterday. Take an extra few minutes sleep tonight and feel that benefit tomorrow morning.

The answer to, ‘how do we get higher up this graph?’ How do we get further away from function, and closer to fun?

We exercise our curiosity around this question:

“What are the 1% steps we can take to get us closer to a healthier life?”

You’d be surprised with what you can come up with. Whether it’s finding out about local classes or workout plans at a gym near you, local community nature walks, or researching sports groups that used to interest you to see what’s around locally.

1% actions that could get you closer to those 5 Lamborghini’s, that extra 10 years of life, or kicking that can further down the road when you need to practice sitting down and getting back up off the toilet seat.

We do that, and who knows, maybe one day we’ll be crawling around again on the floor, completing a tough mudder or some other mad challenge.

We do that and maybe you too, will be able to say ‘What’s exercise? I just play games with my friends.’

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How Racket Sports Could Help You Live Forever