Tag Archives: Sports

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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The Rich Ancient History of the Olympics

Description: http://streaming.yayimages.com/images/photographer/tony4urban/2d3fd93714183e20c9a579451491da3d/olympic-rings.jpgThe 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.