Tennis builds both mind and body

One of the great things about tennis is that it can be played at nearly any age and at any skill level.

It is  low-impact and is not dependent on the strength of the player – allowing young and old alike to play.

Whether you play competitively, for your health or just for fun, tennis has great benefits for the mind and body.

Playing tennis has many health benefits including increasing aerobic fitness, lowering resting heart rate, improving metabolic function, increasing bone density, lowering body fat and improving muscle tone.

Strength and flexibility are also positively affected as well as reaction times.

Tennis is a good sport for maintaining health, fitness, strength and agility. It also has social, health and psychological benefits.

This great sport can create a better overall sense of general well-being.

A vigorous form of exercise, tennis is associated with a reduced risk of high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes, while also assisting weight loss and increasing metabolism and muscle mass.

Tennis is a sport that requires the cooperation of the whole body.

The feet move you into the right position, the arms and hands position the racquet to make contact with the ball, and the torso and legs provide the power to send the ball flying over the net.

All these factors come together every time you hit the ball and each shot takes flexibility, coordination and balance.

Playing tennis regularly helps to improve the body's ability to synchronise controlled movements, which can carry over to other areas of your life.

The more you play, the better your flexibility, coordination and balance will be.

Playing tennis is a great way to meet new people, spend time with friends and lets you enjoy the fresh air of the outdoors.

At the Redland Bay Tennis Club the social groups meet 12 months of the year.

For early risers, play can start as early as 6am Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Participation is informal and paired doubles games randomly organised.

Players unable to commit to the early morning starts, or competition teams, an opportunity exists each Wednesday evening. Interested Wednesday evening players are simply asked to turn up to courts 7 and 8, introduce yourself, and enjoy a wonderful informal evening of social tennis.

While seniors dominate attendance on the early mornings, all age groups and player standards are encouraged to take part.