Whenever you ask anyone which games use a racket, they might just say tennis, but it’s not the only sport with strings (or no strings like padel!) out there. By Sohini Photo by Muktasim Azlan on Unsplash Did you know that there are a wide range of racket sports other than tennis and that some of these are incredibly popular in different parts of the world? There are approximately 35 widely-played racket sports in the world, including badminton, table tennis, padel, squash and many more. Playing racket sports has many well-established physical benefits, such as being good for your upper and lower-body strength. Besides this, they are also highly beneficial as cardiovascular workouts and do not require too much in terms of equipment. Instead of the cardiovascular workout you do at the gym, you could do it all by just playing racket sports, which also enable people to socialize through healthy competition. A recent study conducted by Harvard revealed that from 80,306 people ranging from 20 to 98, those who regularly played racket sports were 47% less likely to die of any cause and 56% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease. It is quite incredible that racket sports can be so good for us both mentally and physically. And they are already bigger hitters than we might think. Did you know, for example, that badminton is recognized as the world’s fastest sport as the shuttlecocks can reach speeds of 493 km/h, which is faster than any other object in sports? Or that badminton is the second most popular participation sport in the world after football/soccer? Or that Padel is already more popular than tennis in Spain? Photo by Tomasz Krawczyk on Unsplash When I was 6 or 7 years old I started playing badminton. It was hard at first as I kept on missing shots each and every time. But I kept on practicing with my parents for years and years until I got better at it. I can now shoot high and low with accuracy. Even the world famous Lin Dan who has won the World Championships 5 times had to practice for decades so that he could reach an advanced level. To play badminton, players require a balance of hand-eye coordination, speed, agility and endurance. Some basic skills needed to play it are stance, backhand, forehand, serving and an effective racket grip.
And If you would like to learn padel then you can visit Padel Maputo for further information. It is next to AISM, just behind the race track and not far from Baia mall. Padel is basically a racket sport which is played as a doubles game on an enclosed court. It is a cross of badminton and squash where the ball can bounce off the surfaces around the courts. How lucky we are that such a wide variety of racket sports were invented from the 18th century onwards. There is something for everyone; those who don't want to play tennis can play badminton or people who don't want to play badminton, tennis or padel can play table tennis. With all this choice and with so many benefits, it might be time for you to take a swing at racket sports.
3 Comments
Cindy Matheson
7/3/2024 19:48:28
Well done Sohini!
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Terry
7/3/2024 20:00:47
This is fascinating, Sohini! I had no idea that shuttlecocks could travel so quickly! You definitely made me want to go pick up a racket. Thank you for this great read!
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Cristina Siquela
8/3/2024 08:45:25
I love your writing, Sohini!
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