If you’re looking for an exciting way to stay in shape and challenge yourself, racket sports are a great option. Not only are they fun, but they also provide an excellent full-body workout. You can choose from many different types of racket sports. Each one offers unique benefits to people of all ages and skill levels. Three of the most popular are pickleball, tennis, and badminton.
Pickleball
Pickleball is basically tennis with a paddle and a whiff of badminton. It’s a popular outdoor, social sport that you can play on a tennis court with two or four players per side. Tossing a whiff of badminton in the mix, you can lower the net to just above knee height, which makes everything more accessible to players of all ages, skill levels, and injuries.
The rules are much like tennis: You win a point if your opponent fails to return the ball over the net or into the proper court (the service court in pickleball is the same as the other court). When the ball lands in the service court, the serving player must hit the ball before it bounces. Also, you must hit the ball with an underhand motion.
The most important piece of equipment you’ll need for pickleball is your paddle. Paddle companies offer a variety of different types, shapes, and materials, so it’s important to do a bit of research and find the paddle that best suits your skill level and playing style.
Traditional paddles are usually wood or graphite, but modern designs also include aluminum, plastic, and carbon fiber. Prolite paddles are also becoming popular since they’re lightweight and durable. As for the ball, you can use a normal tennis ball, but it may not last very long when you slam it against the ground. You can purchase a pickleball ball that can withstand the impact better.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport that you can play either on grass or on an indoor court. The game consists of two players or two teams of two players, with each side trying to score points by hitting a small ball over a net and into the opponent’s court. You score points when the ball lands on your opponent’s side of the court, or when an opponent fails to return the ball over the net within a certain period of time.
The basic rules of tennis are quite straightforward and easy to learn. A match consists of sets, with both players starting the match on the same side of the court. The first player to win six sets is the winner of the match. Each set begins with both players serving one after the other, with the winner being the first player to score seven points.
A tennis court has a service line at each end of the court, which the ball can’t pass. The height of the net can vary depending on the format of the game you’re playing, with the standard net being 3 feet 6 inches high.
Badminton
Badminton is a racket sport where two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles) hit a feathered, shuttlecock back and forth over a net. You can play badminton in a wide range of facilities, from the backyard to the local sports club.
The players or pairs take turns to serve, and the first side to win two points by hitting the shuttlecock beyond the receiving side’s back line wins the service. The shuttlecock should fall between the front and back lines of the receiving side. Otherwise, you’ll have to serve it again.
Badminton requires full-body movement, a strong lower back, and incredible leg and core strength. You can swing the racket from either side of your body. To execute an overhead smash, you can bring the racket above your head and drop it towards the shuttlecock.
Not only are racket sports fun and convenient to play, but they’re also great exercise. Some sports and styles are more involved than others, so it helps to experiment until you figure out what you like.
