Working out for weight loss is the only solution we have ever seen, but there stand a plethora of activities whose regular performance can lead to weight loss. One of these activities is playing outdoor games. If you are wondering which is the best outdoor game, well it can be any, but here we will be talking about tennis. Playing tennis to lose weight is the best option available to all the sports enthusiasts out there! To play tennis for weight loss has been acknowledged by many celebrities and is a part of their daily workout routine like any other exercise. 

How many calories does Playing Tennis Burn?

If you are thinking about losing some weight, then playing tennis for weight loss is the perfect option. The running, stretching and jumping while you play tennis, not only burns calories but builds up the stamina and overall endurance of the body. Coming back to the calorie note, the number of calories you have burnt while playing tennis is determined roughly and mainly by two factors:

1. The weight of the person playing
2. The number of hours the person has played.

Both these determinants are directly proportional to the burning of calories, meaning: The higher you weigh, the more calories you are going to burn which depend on the number of hours you have played tennis. To break it simply into layman’s terms, time, weight and calories are directly proportional to others. Supposedly, your weight is 70 kgs and you play tennis for an hour: calories burnt would be 520. On the other note, if your friend weighs 83 kgs and plays for an hour, he would burn 620 calories. 

A bonus to add is that playing tennis to lose weight is more effective and burns more calories than other exercises like aerobic, cycling, rounders and netball.  Moreover, the number of calories burnt is different for men and women. For an average man, tennis burns around 200 calories if he plays it for approximately 30 minutes. Thus, tennis is an ace exercise for losing weight with the addition of fun and excitement to it. 

What makes Tennis a Perfect Option to Lose Weight?

Another question you must be pondering about till now. Why only lawn tennis? Why not any outdoor game or activity that will help to burn as many calories? Let us get into the answer.

Think about the series of complex movements that have to be performed while you play tennis.

• Stretching of hands and legs muscles
• Running
• Jumping

The muscles that come into action while playing tennis are:

• Upper-body muscles
• Lower-body muscles
• Trunk muscles

These form the base exercise for strengthening and increasing the stamina of the body. Running is a key exercise to lose weight and tennis provides the best performance of the same. The high-intensity workout is an ace for strength training and building up endurance. It also increases flexibility, agility and blood circulation of the body. 

How to Prepare Yourself Before Playing?

Before you go into the tennis field and start with the game, it is of extreme importance to warm up your body. This facilitates blood circulation and ensures flexible movement of the body. 

Warming up the body 

Warming up of the body includes roughly 3 to 5 minutes of jogging and a few sets of jumping jacks. This warms up your body and facilitates the blood circulation of the body. 

Do some bending 

Before you start playing tennis, do the bending exercises for your legs. 

And a little bit of stretching too

Stretch your upper body before you hit the field as this will relax the muscles of your upper body. 

Sneakers, up

Wear your sneakers for all your sports and workout activities, and especially when you play tennis for weight loss. Sneakers provide comfort and firm support to your heel and hold the ankles firmly. This is quite important for running and jumping exercises which are performed a lot while you play tennis. 

Is Tennis a good workout ?

Yes, undoubtedly it is. You do not have to think twice before going for it. Where you play matters the least, it could be in a tennis court or an open grass field, but if you play longer, correctly and regularly you are bound to lose weight faster than your counterparts. 

The only benefit of playing tennis in an open field is that it provides fresh air, vitamin D which refreshes the body more than a court. Moreover, as we have grown closer towards the sedentary lifestyle due to work and quarantine, it is imperative for us to choose an open field to play tennis rather than a closed field. Try playing tennis for three hours a week and you will be able to see a significant change in your body.

Other Benefits of Playing Tennis for Weight Loss

The benefits that come along by playing tennis regularly are quite surprising and, to be quite honest, tempting too. An activity so exciting and easy, which is normally played as a hobby or as a sport can have results so positive on the body that no one ever thought of!

Let us now have a look at the benefits of playing tennis for weight loss:

1. It improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness as it burns fat to a great extent.
2. Improves the speed of the overall exercises of the body and the body itself through up, back and side splints and ball-chasing.
3. Provides better flexibility to the muscles and eliminates the possibility of joint pains because of stretching and maneuvering in order to hit the ball.
4. Increases the heart rate, improves blood circulation and pumps oxygen and other essential nutrients to the body efficiently and effectively.
5. Decreases the risk of any heart diseases.
6. Burns fat evenly from all over the body. Many people burn more fat while playing tennis than in any other activity.
7. The constant movement and stretching sideward, upwards and downwards help in toning your muscles.
8. Freshens the brain and the body, thereby stimulating the decision-making capacity of the body.

These were some the reasons and benefits to consider that can help you to chalk out the plan to play tennis for weight loss. Hope this helps in your journey towards a better body. 

Also Read: Drink Green Tea to Help Lose Weight