Tennis, badminton, and table tennis are the three most popular racket sports in the world and you’ll always find the games in most sports news. They are similar because of the type of instruments used in playing. However, Tennis and badminton have very unique features that make them different from each other.
These two sports are very fun to play and watch. You may find yourself loving one more than the other, but both sports offer a great cardio workout and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
A Brief about Tennis and Badminton
Badminton is a sport that can be played both indoors and outdoors. It is normally played with either two opposing players (singles) or four players (doubles), in which case each team would have two players.
The game is played with light rackets and a shuttlecock, which is a small feathered projectile. The objective of the game is to hit the shuttlecock back and forth over the net until it hits the ground on your opponent’s side, and they are unable to hit it back.
Tennis is a sport that can also be played both indoors and outdoors. It is normally played with either two opposing players (singles) or four players (doubles). The game is played with rackets and a tennis ball.
The objective of the game is to hit the tennis ball over the net and into your opponent’s side of the court. If your opponent is unable to hit the ball back, then you score a point.
Both sports are very fun to play and offer a great cardio workout. However, they do have some differences. For example, badminton is played with a light racket and shuttlecock, while tennis is played with a heavier racket and tennis ball.
Here are some of the common reasons that make these two sports fun to play.
Meet and Make New Friends
Tennis and badminton are very social sports. These sports are very great places to socialize. You can have as many breaks during a social game as you want. You are not restricted to staying on the court throughout.
If you are looking for new friends or ways to socialize, playing tennis or badminton is a great way to do so.
You Can Play It Anywhere
Tennis and badminton can be played anywhere there is a flat surface. You can even play it in your backyard. All you need is a racket, shuttlecock, and a net. If you want to play tennis, all you need is a racket and a tennis ball.
You can even set up a net in your driveway. This makes these sports very convenient to play.
Minimal Injuries
Badminton and tennis are non-contact sports. Opponent players never get in contact with each other. In contact sports, players are likely to have injuries from accidents between players.
For badminton and tennis, injuries are only personal and are very rare.
Not Affected by Weather
For a soccer game, if the weather is not conducive, for instance, raining heavily, the game has to be stopped or postponed until it calms down. Badminton is an indoor sport. Whether it’s snowing or raining outside, the sport continues.
Likewise, tennis can be played both outdoors and indoors. You can find at least one tennis court close to you if you want to play.
Played by Everyone
Badminton and tennis are inclusive sports. Children and adults, men and women, and even the disabled people can play these sports. Children start playing these sports from a tender age of 3 years. If you are lucky to live to 100 years, you can still play tennis and badminton.
Very Easy to Play
The rules involved in playing these two sports are very few. It’s mostly about technique. That’s why the sports can be played by anyone willing.
The equipment used to play is also very easy to handle, especially for badminton. A badminton racquet weighs 80-100 grams. Who wouldn’t be able to handle that, right?
Another factor that makes these two sports easy to play is you don’t require so many people to play. A badminton or tennis game requires one player against another or two players against two.
Great for Exercise
Tennis and badminton are great sports for a full-body workout. They involve mostly aerobics, which helps in building endurance, stamina, and strengthening the heart. The anaerobic part of sports helps in building muscle and bones.
Exercise is great for staying fit and in shape. This involves cutting excess weight. Badminton and tennis are very effective for cutting weight. If you play badminton actively for 1 hour, you burn more than 400 calories. If you play for a month, you are likely to cut up to 4 kilos.
People who play tennis for general fitness play for 60-90 minutes. Tennis is a high-intensity game. On average, a person who weighs 70 kg can burn 600-1300 calories playing for this duration.
Badminton and tennis are sports that reward you with a great workout and fun at the same time.
Building Mental Capacity
Badminton and tennis are mental sports. It isn’t just about physique. It’s more about technique.
These two are among the fastest sports in the world. The players need to be very quick in movement and hitting the shuttlecock and ball respectively. The player needs to make quick decisions on what move to play next. One needs to be mentally fit to play these two sports.
This translates to other aspects of life. Training and playing tennis and badminton tend to build up your mental capacity over time.
Relieving Stress
Playing tennis and badminton causes the brain to instruct glands to release happiness hormones dopamine and endorphin, which counter the negative effect of the stress hormone cortisol. This is the reason these two are happy sports.
Learning Quick Reflexes
Badminton is the fastest game on the planet. Tennis follows closely. The pace at which the games are played forces one to be very fast at responding. Therefore, you need to train on your reflex, as the sports are first played in the mind before implementation with the rackets.
Conclusion
All sports are essential in life. Each sport has its benefits. Badminton and tennis are very beneficial both physically and mentally.
The two sports are great for workout, relieving stress, and building mental capacity, among others. Continue enjoying the sports! If you are not into sports yet, make tennis and badminton your favorites.