We recently ran a story about famed journalist Dan Buettner picking pickleball as the key to living longer. Buettner, of course, is the journalist known for his extensive studies on longevity in the “Blue Zones”—or areas and regions around the world where more people tend to live extraordinarily long and healthy lives.
“You want to live longer? Pick up one of these,” Buettner said as he showed a pickleball racquet in a post on Instagram.
We agree with Buettner, obviously. And the science supports his choice. Put simply, many studies have found that playing pickleball is good for the health—and may help people live longer, fitter lives.
Consider these physical (and physiological) health benefits:
1. Pickleball is natural medication.
Playing pickleball is a tonic for good health simply because it makes us move. And movement, according to Dr. Edward R. Laskowski, “is medicine.”
Dr. Laskowski, an emeritus specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation and sports medicine at Mayo Clinic, explains that pickleball “gives us movement beneficial to health.” Some of these benefits include improved hand-eye coordination, enhanced strength and agility, and improved cardiovascular health.
2. Pickleball makes your heart stronger.
Nope, heartbreaks and messy breakups don’t make your heart stronger. But pickleball does!
As mentioned, playing pickleball improves cardiovascular health—mostly by boosting the heart. Pickleball may not be as taxing as, say, tennis or football, but it’s physically demanding nonetheless. This is why playing it increases heart rate, improves blood circulation, and burns calories. All these in turn contribute to making the heart stronger.
3. Pickleball improves bone and muscle strength.
It’s well-documented that exercise enhances muscle and bone strength. Pickleball is an exercise and therefore boosts the muscles and bones in our body. This is because the body’s natural response to physical exertion is to make the body parts involved stronger.
So, if you want stronger legs and arms and hips as well as a fitter core, go become a pickler! You will use pretty much all your body parts in every rally, and this will make them stronger and more durable.
4. Pickleball helps maintain a healthy weight.
Not that we’re fat-shaming, but keeping an optimal weight is one of the keys to a healthier life. Put simply, not being overweight can help against complications like poor heart health and diabetes.
Pickleball can help use do that because, like we’ve said before, it is physically demanding. Thus, playing this sport will burn calories, work on your muscles, and increase metabolism. It’s a full-body exercise that combines aerobic and anaerobic exercise, effectively making it great for weight maintenance.
Indeed, it pays to play pickleball. We get to have fun, we get to compete, and we get to improve our health all at the same time. It’s also an inclusive sport, one that people young and old could play regardless of gender, skill level, race, or whatever.
So, ready to pick up a paddle yet?
