Did you know tennis balls can help you achieve your fitness resolutions? Think about it, tennis is a full-body workout. You use your upper body to strike the ball and your lower body to run to the ball. Tennis is also an excellent cardio workout as opposed to walking on a treadmill. You can burn more belly fat than you would if you were playing other types of sports. Plus, tennis can be played at a variety of skill levels. It can also be played in different social settings such as at a park or club. Joining a racquet club will open up your learning opportunities and a teaching pro can give you lessons as well as some clubs offer free clinics where you can hit tennis balls consecutively.
Another perk to playing tennis is that you can grow your game at your own pace. Some courts have a ball wall that you can hit against too. Besides advocating good fitness, tennis promotes positive mental health. Whether you’re playing indoors or out, with a partner or solo, you can problem-solve in a challenging and fun environment. But tennis balls can be used for so much more than a good workout.
Tennis Balls Promote Recovery
Before you toss out your used tennis balls, consider putting them to good use. Tennis balls make an excellent recovery tool. They can roll out any aches or pains you might have as you strengthen your muscles. All you need to do is place a used tennis ball between the floor or wall and the part of your body that needs relief. Leverage your body by applying pressure between the ball and the hard surface. Next, gently rotate the ball in different directions until you feel relief. Remember to start slowly and build over time.
You can also try using two balls. Start on a sports mat, and place the balls under your back, one on each side of your spine. Next, bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips slightly and move them side to side. The balls will provide natural pressure and encourage muscle recovery.
These kinds of activities have additional health benefits. They help improve your circulation and give you greater flexibility. What’s more, it feels good after a vigorous hit.
Reaction Balls vs. Tennis Balls
Training balls are unlike traditional tennis balls. First off, they are not pressurized and have a much longer lifespan. Optimal for beginners or athletes who want to hit a lot of balls, these types of tennis balls can be used to improve serve, placed in a ball machine, or hit during match play. Pressureless balls are heavier than traditional balls and won’t lose their bounce as fast, therefore, you can play with them a lot longer than you would a traditional can of balls.
Unlike pressureless balls, agility balls are a great way to improve your reflexes and increase your reaction time. To illustrate this, let’s look at the Z-Ball which was designed to generate unpredictable bounces. With seven sides, you can toss it on the ground and it’s nearly impossible to predict which direction it will bounce. This ball can be used on gym floors or courtside. It comes in two colorways and is perfect for beginner or intermediate athletes who want to improve their on-court visibility and reflexes.