Loads of individuals enjoy playing squash. However, is playing squash good for weight loss? Let’s find out.
Experts believe that squash is one of the healthiest sports globally. This is because of the moves that squash requires individuals to carry out as they play. The amount of physical activity the sport requires is unmatched by any other sport out there.
Playing squash is a great way to lose weight. It is a great form of cardio, increasing your heart rate, which in turn uses more energy, encouraging weight loss. Moreover, squash also makes use of strength training. Squash players have great hand-eye coordination skills and wonderful focus.
Even though squash is also considered to be a dangerous sport due to the injuries that can be obtained, the benefits that come out of playing squash are unparallel. It has a number of health benefits, allowing you to burn calories, increasing your strength, and boosting your stamina.
Here, we will explain to you how squash helps you lose weight and why it is a great sport to keep you active and young. We have gone through medical journals to help you understand the advantages of staying active, keeping your muscles lean, and strengthening your back- all the benefits that come with playing squash.
Is Playing Squash Good for Weight Loss?
Squash requires you to run around and swing the racquet with energy which means that you need to use your muscles and all the energy you have. There is so much physical labor involved in this sport, making it a great form of exercise, allowing you to burn some extra calories.
There are other benefits of playing squash that may not immediately cause you to lose weight but definitely pave the way for you to do just that. For example, to lose weight, you need to have good hand-to-eye coordination, along with strong reflexes. Squash ensures that you become an all-rounder.
Here is how squash can benefit you:
Boosts Strength
If you want to gain some muscle and want to become stronger, playing squash can be a wonderful past-time for you. Not only does squash target all the important muscle groups in your body, but it also helps tone the muscles, making you look leaner than you already may look.
Now, instead of spending countless hours at the gym, struggling to lift bigger and heavier, all you have to do is make your way to a squash court with some of your best buddies and start playing. Become stronger has never been this entertaining, has it?
Great Cardio Workout
If you get bored with running in the park or around your house, squash is a wonderful way to counter that. It requires repetitive movements and comes with a load of competition, keeping you on your toes at all times and leaving you sweating.
The best part about squash is that you will not even realize how long you have been on the court because you have been enjoying it so much. The constant movements help improve stamina, and once you start playing regularly, you will notice that you no longer feel breathless when you climb the stairs.
Allows You to Burn Calories
Squash is a game that requires a lot of running. You need to run and hit the ball and continue running around if you want to stay in the game. Running back and forth in short bursts allow you to shed calories, encouraging weight loss.
Moreover, it helps you tone your arms and legs as well. When you run to the ball, your leg muscles are being used with loads of power. Moreover, when you hit the ball with the racquet, your arms muscles are being used. Constant stress on your arms and legs will help tone them, increasing muscle mass and, of course, strength. This will, in turn, boost the rate of fat burn in your body.
Better Agility and Flexibility
When you play squash regularly, your body will learn and understand certain moves till they become muscle memory. What felt difficult on your first day of squash will leave you wondering why you ever found it difficult in the first place after you have been playing for a while.
Moreover, your hand-eye coordination will also get better. In squash, you have to focus on the ball and hit it with all your strength. This will allow you to polish your coordination skills and pay more attention.
In the long run, both of these qualities will help you lose weight as your improved coordination will allow you to play more sports, and your flexibility will ensure that you do not shy away from a challenge, regardless of how difficult it may seem.
Improves Posture
Each time you go for squash with your friend, you make use of your back muscles. Strengthening your back muscles is one of the easiest ways to fix your posture. You may find that loads of old people cannot straighten their backs or are always hunched. This is because, in the long run, people develop bad posture because of back issues and weak muscles.
However, if you play squash every other day and are consistent with this sport, your back will feel stronger, and you will be less likely to develop posture problems in the future. Since your backbone is what keeps you upright, you must ensure that you do not damage the muscles. After all, you want to be able to sit on a chair gracefully even when you are old and grey, right?
About THE AUTHOR
Michael Stevens
Since initially playing at the collegiate level, I have amassed several decades of experience playing racquetball, tennis, and pickleball. I have played thousands of matches and games, and won medals and awards in multiple tourantments. I am constantly improving my game and enjoy mentoring and coaching other players in strategy and technique. I have authored dozens of articles on the sport.
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