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Tennis: A Healthy Sport For All

Tennis is a popular sport enjoyed by people all over the world. 17.84 million people are estimated to be tennis players in the U.S. Tennis is a healthy sport that is played not only for recreation and entertainment but also it helps maintain sound health and fitness for people of all ages.

How to Play Tennis?

The sport involves two players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) on opposing sides. Each player uses a taut racket to fling a specific-sized ball towards the opponent over a net in a tennis court. The player scores a point each time the opponent misses a strike.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) mandates that a competitive tennis court must be rectangular, with a length of 23.77 meters. The width will differ, as singles should measure 8.23 meters, and doubles are required to be 10.97 meters wide.

Tennis Gear and Equipment

The sport of tennis requires the following equipment:

Tennis racket
Tennis ball
Tennis shoes

While there is no specific tennis body gear, you may be required to adorn the attire as outlined by the specific tennis club. Other nonessential tennis gear includes a water bottle, headband, wristband, towel and visor.

Quick Tips to Play Tennis

There are a few tennis strategies that help players outdo the competition:

Maintain consistency instead of focusing too much on killer shots
Try to hit at the opponent’s backhand
Position yourself midway between the net and service line
Continue to mix up your serve to confuse the opponent
Try for deep shots, as they are harder to play

Health Benefits of Tennis

Tennis provides a fun way to indulge in aerobic exercise that catalyzes weight loss. The average person will lose between 350 and 500 calories per hour of non-competitive tennis. A healthy weight may reduce your risk of several diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes.

Tennis is a complete body workout that supports cardiovascular health as you run down the court, jump for a swing, and chase the ball. An elevated heart rate also improves mental health and releases ‘feel-good’ hormones.

The hand-eye coordination in tennis improves balance, and the force exerted on the bones during the game may reduce the player’s risk of osteoporosis. As tennis requires players to move around, it promotes agility and ensures you step away from a sedentary lifestyle without over-exerting. While there is no set rule, playing tennis at least three times a week to gain the maximum benefits.

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Biking, Good Fun and Exercise

bicycle

Biking is a great cardio exercise, as well as, a pleasurable recreation. Bicycling is a popular activity throughout the world as it combines physical exercise with being outdoors and connecting with nature. It is the ideal low-impact workout for people who want to maintain a healthy weight. Biking helps burn approximately 400 calories an hour.

Types of Bikes:

Biking can be used for many activities, including commuting, exercising, and adventure. There are different types of bikes designed to serve each purpose.

Road Bikes

As the name suggests, road bikes are ideal for use on paved roads. While all bikes work well on the paved roads, lightweight road bikes with narrow tires make road biking as efficient as possible.

Mountain Bikes

Road bikes are not meant to function on uneven terrain. For off-road trails and adventures, a mountain bike is best. It has knobby tires and a chunkier frame, allowing it to balance on irregular paths. It also comes with different gears to get up and over mountains.

Hybrid Bikes

Hybrid bikes are a good balance between road bikes and mountain bikes. They can be used for commuting, occasional off-roading, and casual riding. Their large, padded seats and upright handle bars provide a comfortable biking experience.

Biking Essentials

To make a cycling experience as comfortable and safe as possible, you should use specific biking equipment and essentials.

Padded shorts and cycling jersey
Water bottle
Spare inner tube and pump
Helmet

Safety Precautions

It is always better to follow the advised safety precautions to enjoy a pleasurable biking experience.

Wear a helmet
Dress in fluorescent attire and reflective clothing to easily be seen, especially at night
Know the bike safety rules of your state
Don’t ride against traffic
Carry a patch kit to fix a flat tire

With the right equipment, attire, and safety precautions, you can make your bicycling a safe, pleasurable experience. You will be able to explore the great outdoors, meet people, socialize, and share common interests. You can bike ride the same familiar roads to get exercise, at the same time meeting and greeting friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Or, you can even commute to work each day, combining work and pleasure, at the same time getting a great exercise. Happy Trails!

Author: Amita Vadlamudi

Aerobic Exercises: The Course of Cardiovascular Conditioning

Aerobic Exercise

In simple terms, ‘Aerobic’ translates to ‘with oxygen’. Aerobic exercise is characterized by an elevated heart rate, just enough to maintain for a considerable amount of time. The American Heart Association advises 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, five days a week, for improved cardiovascular health.

How it Works

The purpose of aerobic exercise is to boost your body’s capacity to use oxygen. During aerobic activity, your muscles require more oxygen than when stationary. The increase in the heart’s ventricles results in faster delivery of blood and oxygen to your muscles. The idea is to elevate the heart’s capacity to send blood within the same heart rate.

Types of Aerobic Exercises

The intensive nature of aerobic exercises may vary. Low intensity aerobic exercises include swimming, cycling, brisk walking, rowing, using an elliptical, while high intensity aerobic activity includes running, step aerobics and jumping rope.

Benefits of Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercise, as a habitual practice, is highly recommended by experts. This is no surprise, as it offers a wide array of benefits to the body.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

Pivotal to improved cardiovascular health, aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and augment its ability to pump blood.

Lowers Cholesterol levels

Aerobic exercise is known to increase HDL, the ‘good cholesterol’ and mitigate levels of LDL, the ‘bad cholesterol’.

Lowers Blood Pressure

The nature of this exercise helps in alleviating blood pressure, precursor to heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 40 minutes of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise to lower blood pressure.

Reduces Weight

While any exercise can catalyze weight loss, aerobic activity proves more effective than anaerobic activity. Fat requires more oxygen to burn and the high oxygen levels supplied to the body during aerobic exercise result in quicker weight loss.

Improves Respiration

Aerobic exercise improves lung fitness, resulting in overall respiratory health, warding off asthma and other pulmonary diseases.

Risks of Aerobic Exercises

Any physical activity, including aerobic exercise, poses some risks. If you have any existing physical ailment, exercise safety and consult a doctor first. High intensity aerobic exercise may cause stress fractures and other injuries so adapt the exercise to your body’s capacity.

Taking precautionary measures, the benefits of aerobic exercises significantly outweigh the risks.

Benefits of Swimming

The human body feels much lighter in water, which makes swimming an enjoyable low-impact choice of exercise for people of different ages and levels of health. Because it requires an individual to move the body against the resistance of water, swimming is a safe way to work out and build up strength.

When an individual swims, it also increases the heart rate. Swimming tones many muscles, due to the fact that the whole body is used for propulsion through the water. Other health benefits include improved joint use and increased endurance.

Most Americans have health clubs or public pools nearby. Many of these are open year-round and can be covered or heated for use in colder weather. Because of its accessibility, multitude of benefits, and low impact, swimming is a positive exercise option for many people

The Healthful effects of Swimming:

Swimming has often been touted as one of the best forms of exercise—but why? This list covers a few of the benefits.

Whole-body conditioning: Swimming may be one of the only physical activities that works the entire body. You’ll tone the upper and lower body with swimming movements.
Little chance of injury: Swimming has very little impact on your body because you’re practically weightless in the water. You won’t stress your joints or bones while swimming.
Improved blood pressure: Any routine workout can help reduce high blood pressure, thereby reducing your chances of having a stroke or developing heart disease.
Weight control: Of course, any kind of exercise will help you regulate your weight and burn off excess calories. Swimmers who seek to lose weight should consider interval training
Reduced stress: Swimming helps release those highly coveted endorphins, which can lead to a better mood. Swimming is similar to yoga, in that it helps muscles relax.

About the author:

Amita Vadlamudi spent much of her career as a computer systems engineer. These days, Amita Vadlamudi enjoys a balanced range of hobbies and activities, one of which is swimming.

Good Nutrition

Good nutrition means consumption of a diet that consists of healthy foods that the body needs, and refraining from items that are harmful to the body.

Different foods have different nutrients necessary for the body to function at its optimum level. There are foods like whole grains, lean meats, dairy, and fruits and vegetables that provide carbohydrates, proteins, lean fats, vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Severe lack of any of these nutrients could lead to serious defects occurring in the body that could eventually prove fatal.

The food items that are harmful for the human body are excessive sodium, sugar, full-fat dairy, and trans fat oils. Also unhealthy or even harmful are any sort of canned or processed foods and artificial ingredients such as preservatives, colors and flavorings. Though foods containing these ingredients look and taste good, many of them, in fact, create additional craving for food and force people to eat more food than necessary. The unhealthy ingredients in these foods not only contribute to serious illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems, they also cause myriad health issues affecting skin, bones, muscles and many organs including liver, lungs, and even brain.

Nutritionists advise that people should consume a variety of foods that are as close to natural as possible and avoid processed foods that are full of salt, sugar and trans fat ingredients. It is also advised that people consume controlled portions and not overload on calories. Human bodies store additional calories that are not needed for immediate energy as fat. Fat leads to weight gain which in turn causes many illnesses such as diabetes, strokes and heart attacks. Therefore, it is important not to consume too much of even “good foods” and stay within one’s recommended calorie count.

Depending on their age, height, weight and activity level, men should consume 2,000 – 3,000 calories per day. Women should consume 1,600 – 2,400 calories per day. Also depending on their age and gender, children between the ages of 2 and 18 should consume 1,000 – 3,000 calories per day. As people age, their metabolism slows down and as such, elderly people will need fewer calories.

It is also important to exercise at least 3-4 times a week. Exercise boosts one’s energy level and helps prevent unnecessary weight gain.

About the Author:

Amita Vadlamudi is a fitness enthusiast who engages in regular exercise and follows good nutrition regimen. Amita Vadlamudi also likes to hike during warmer months of the year and swim all year round.

Walking, Jogging and Running – the Best Forms of Exercise

Woman jogging

Walking, jogging and running are great forms of exercise. They burn calories, increase energy levels, keep body weight under control and provide innumerable health benefits.

Walking consumes less energy but as one moves faster, the energy consumption increases. The breathing gets heavier and the calories begin to burn quicker. To improve and maintain the overall health, 30 – 60 minutes of walk daily at least 3-4 times a week is recommended. More able bodied persons may increase the duration of the activity or do Jogging or running in place of walking.

People who are new to walking, jogging and running must start with 10 minutes a day duration, then gradually build up the time to perhaps 60 minutes.

These three forms of exercises offer innumerable health benefits. First, they help strengthen the bones and build muscle mass. Aging can weaken bones and muscles and therefore, individuals should incorporate these exercises early on in their lives to avoid physical side-effects of aging.

Walking, jogging and running aid in weight loss. Studies show that walking for 60 minutes can burn 300 – 500 calories depending on the person’s age, gender, weight and pace of walking. Jogging for 60 minutes can burn 400 – 600 calories depending on the person’s age, gender, weight and pace of jogging. Running for 60 minutes can burn 500 – 700 calories depending on the person’s age, gender, weight and pace of running.

Walking, jogging, and running are healthy for the heart as well. These physical activities help increase the heart rate and provide positive effects on the heart health. They protect the person from dangerous heart diseases like a heart stroke, heart attack, and high blood pressure.

Unlike other kinds of exercises, walking, jogging and running activities do not require any training or special equipment. One can easily make them a regular part of their daily life. However, while engaging in these exercises, it is important to take certain precautions and follow some rules.

Choose shoes that are flexible, and provide good support and ground grip. Wear comfortable, breathable clothing. Wear glow-in-the-dark or reflective safety gear on your shoes, clothes or body so you are visible at night to the drivers on the road.

Individuals must always walk facing traffic when walking, jogging or running on the roadside. Beware of cars, bikes and other runners.

It is also important to keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration can lead to fever, nausea, and dizziness especially when the runner or walker is performing these activities during the scorching summer heat.

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The Wisdom of Yoga

Yoga

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a collection of particular physical, mental, and spiritual exercises that have been known to emerge from ancient India. The word Yoga is of the Sanskrit language that means “join together”.

Yoga does not have a particular recorded history; in fact, it is known to have been practiced much before the recorded date. The practice has been passed down by the practicing Yogis to their students over the centuries.

The Indian sage Patanjali wrote a treatise called “Yoga Sutra” approximately 2000 years ago. This guide holds all the details of yogic philosophy and techniques. The book gives guidance on how to master your mind and emotions to become more enlightened. It also gives advice on spiritual growth and provides a framework that is being followed by yogis even today. Fitness had never been the real aim of the practice when it started. Originally, the greater focus was on the enlargement of the vital energy through breathing, and improvement of mental faculty.

It was near the end of the 19th century when Yoga started gaining immense popularity in the West. The 1920s and 1930s saw a surge in Postural Yoga.

Types of Yoga

Modern yoga has become more about mental AND physical well-being through greater concentration on strength and breathing.

The key to choosing yoga depends upon the person’s level of fitness. Some of the many yoga types are:

Ashtanga Yoga: This yoga involves usage of 6 established sequences that link movement to breathing.

Bikram Yoga: This yoga consists of 26 poses and 2 breathing exercise sequence. This yoga sequence requires the practitioners to be in an artificially heated room of the temperature 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and 40% humidity.

Hatha Yoga: This yoga is perfect for beginners and the moves it incorporates are simple to do.

Iyengar Yoga: This yoga is all about finding proper alignment in each of the poses and it also requires using props like chairs, blankets, blocks, etc.

Jivamukti Yoga: Emerging in 1984 this yoga expects the practitioners to follow a theme from any of the yoga scriptures followed with meditation, music, asana, chants, and some incredibly intensive physical moves.

Yoga, if done properly and regularly, is known to provide many health benefits. It helps combat cardiovascular diseases, promotes flexibility and weight loss, helps reduce anxiety, stress and depression and builds inner peace.

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The Rich Ancient History of the Olympics

The Olympics are leading international sporting events that are on during the summer and winter sports competitions. In this event, a large group of athletes from different parts of the world participates. With 200 nations participating together, the Olympics are known to be the world’s leading sports competition.

The Olympic games are held every four years with the summer and winter themes being alternated.

The Olympics are known to have started in Olympia in ancient Greece. The earliest date recorded for Olympics taking place for the first time was 776 B.C., though it is assumed that the games began well before then. In the summer of 776 B.C., a contest was held in Olympia in order to honor their god Zeus, who was known to be the most important god in Greek history. All wars would cease during the Olympics.

At that time there were not a multitude of games that we see today, but instead only one footrace. The start and end points coincided with the length of the stadium and would be elongated as the years went by. The Olympics would be conducted on only one day in which only local men would participate. This changed when the Spartans joined in. The 18th Olympics game included wrestling, running, jumping, spear throwing, and boxing. The Games continued to expand with chariot racing also being added to the list.

The growth of the Games promoted religiousness and professionalism amongst the competitors. But as the royalty began to join the Games and compete for personal gain the Olympic ideals seemed to have diminished. The winners would then be treated like gods and have their statues erected in order to glorify them. In 934 A.D the games had officially been ended by the Roman emperor Theodosius I, who felt that the Olympics had started to include pagan connotations.

The Games saw a revival in 1896 with the help from French nobleman Pierre de Coubertin. He wished to institute the ancient Greek games as an educational program since the Olympics helped with the balanced development of the mind and body. The Greeks had also tried to revive the games in the 1800s but with little success. However, De Coubertin was much more successful beginning in 1896. This year the games included cycling, fencing, gymnastics, lawn tennis, shooting, swimming, etc. Thirteen countries participated this year and the games were a huge success. Olympic games tradition was established at this event and continues to this day.

The Olympics have a rich history that started in Olympia, Greece. People have participated and enjoyed watching the games since ancient times. Olympic Games bring people and countries together and foster understanding and friendship among nations.

A fitness enthusiast, Amita Vadlamudi likes to exercise, swim and stay physically fit. Amita Vadlamudi also enjoys learning about the rich history of the sports and games and their contribution to physical and mental fitness.

Importance of Exercise

Stairmaster

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, taking time out of your day to exercise is a necessity for the maintenance of good health. Those who dedicate much of their time to their job or to volunteer efforts must find time in their schedules for exercising. Not only does regular exercise, especially that which gets the heart pumping and makes one break a sweat, increase bone and muscle strength and improve mood but also greatly reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

One should make an effort to devote two and a half hours to aerobic activity of moderate intensity every week. One can achieve this goal simply by taking a few brisk walks every week. It is also best to add strength training activities at least two days per week. Regular exercise supports a healthy lifestyle and can help prevent a number of illnesses and diseases that result from not routinely engaging in physical activity. Indeed, living an active lifestyle may even extend the length of your life!

About the Author: After earning her bachelor’s degree in computer science, Amita Vadlamudi accumulated more than three decades of experience working as a computer systems engineer. Although Amita Vadlamudi’s profession required her to spend a significant amount of time indoors, programming and interacting with technology, she always made time for her hobby of outdoor hiking and attending the gym on a regular basis.

Benefits of Regular Exercise

Dumbbells

Human bodies were not designed to be sedentary. Daily physical exercise is essential for maintaining proper levels of energy and long-term health. Prior to the advent of modern machinery and transportation, daily activities such as washing clothes, working in the fields, and walking to work automatically provided people the healthful benefits of physical exercise. Today, with machines washing our clothes, doing our dishes, transporting us to places, and especially computers allowing us to do our shopping, banking etc., from home, our bodies have started stagnating. The result is weight gain, obesity, and a myriad of health problems.

In these modern times, regular physical exercise is a separate and dedicated task. In order to control body weight and stay healthy, one must commit to exercise and treat it as an essential lifelong chore, just like bathing and grooming.

If you are trying to maintain your weight, one hour of moderate exercise three times a week is all that you need. If you are trying to lose weight, increase your workout frequency to 4-5 times a week. Low-impact aerobics, brisk walking or jogging, treadmill, elliptical, and stepper are all good choices for getting a good cardiovascular workout. However, not all exercises and equipment are good for everyone. Stepping machines may be hard on the knees for some people. Jogging may be hard on the feet for others. You should stick with the exercise that gives you least discomfort.

You can also tone your body and increase muscle strength by adding 15-20 minutes of weight training to your workout. However, you need to be careful with what type of equipment and routines to use. If you are experiencing back pain or other discomfort, you should discontinue the use of the problem equipment.

Regular exercise and a sensible diet will keep unnecessary pounds at bay and provide good health.

About the Author:

A Computer Systems Engineer who worked for a financial services institution, Amita Vadlamudi possesses experience in UNIX systems, Mainframes, Assembler, Java, and other software. Amita Vadlamudi is committed to following a regular exercise program and maintaining good health. She regularly goes to the gym and occasionally enjoys swimming and hiking.