OT: Uh Oh...anyone want to trade my DeSalvo for your tennis racquet?

[nmrt]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/well/move/the-best-sport-for-a-longer-life-try-tennis.html?action=click&module=Discovery&pgtype=Homepage

[nmrt]

The Best Sport for a Longer Life? Try Tennis
People who played tennis, badminton or soccer tended to live longer than those who cycled, swam or jogged.

Playing tennis and other sports that are social might add years to your life, according to a new epidemiological study of Danish men and women.

The study found that adults who reported frequently participating in tennis or other racket and team sports lived longer than people who were sedentary. But they also lived longer than people who took part in reliably healthy but often solitary activities such as jogging, swimming and cycling.

The results raise interesting questions about the role that social interactions might play in augmenting the benefits of exercise.

At this point, no one doubts that being physically active improves our health and can extend our longevity. Multiple, recent epidemiological studies have pinpointed links between regular exercise and longer lives in men and women.

But whether some activities might be better than others for lengthening life spans remains in dispute. One widely publicized 2017 study of more than 80,000 British men and women found that those who played racket sports tended to outlive those who jogged.

Those results piqued the interest of an international group of scientists. They previously had examined links between jogging and longevity and concluded that moderate amounts of moderately paced running led to greater gains in longevity than more-gentle or strenuous running.

For the new study, which was published this week in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, these same researchers decided to widen their inquiry and look at a variety of sports and their associations with life and premature death.

To start, they turned to the same data resource they had used for the jogging study, the Copenhagen City Heart Study, an ambitious, ongoing attempt to track the lives and health of thousands of men and women in Copenhagen.

The study’s participants had all completed health exams and lengthy questionnaires about their lifestyles and whether and how often they took part in eight sports common in Denmark, including cycling, swimming, running, tennis, soccer and, perhaps unexpectedly, badminton.



The researchers zeroed in on 8,600 of the participants who had been part of the study for about 25 years.

They cross-referenced records with the national death registry to see if and when any of these people had passed away.

Then they compared activities and life spans.

The most obvious finding was that people who had reported almost never exercising were more likely than the active to have died in the ensuing decades.

The associations between particular activities and life span were more surprising.

Cycling was the most popular activity among the Danes in the study, many of whom reported riding for four or more hours every week. Their pedaling was associated with a lengthier life span, adding an average of 3.7 years to riders’ lives, compared to sedentary Danes.

Running likewise was associated with an extra 3.2 years of life.

But these gains were notably less than for playing tennis, which was linked to 9.7 added years of life, or badminton, which was linked to an extra 6.2 years, or soccer, which added almost 5 years to players’ lives.

These associations remained unchanged even when the researchers controlled for people’s education, socioeconomic status and age.

Why and how some sports might add more years to people’s lives than others is impossible to know from this kind of observational study, says Dr. James O’Keefe, a study co-author and the director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute at Saint Luke’s Health Center in Kansas City.

The differing physical demands of some sports could play a role, he says, although little of the exercise in this study was heavily intense, whether people were cycling or backhanding a shuttlecock.

Income and other aspects of people’s lifestyles also likely matter, he says. The researchers tried to account for socioeconomic factors, but it remains possible, he says, that people who have sufficient money and leisure time to play tennis live longer because they have sufficient money and leisure time, not because they play tennis.

Still, he suspects that the social aspects of racket games and other team sports are a primary reason that they seem to lengthen lives, he says.

“We know from other research that social support provides stress mitigation,” he says.

“So being with other people, playing and interacting with them, as you do when you play games that require a partner or a team, probably has unique psychological and physiological effects,” he says, amplifying the benefits of the exercise.

That possibility requires verification, he says, especially in randomized experiments directly comparing different types of exercise.

But for now, people who run or ride solo might consider finding a group or partner with whom to work out, he says.

“Raising your heart rate is important” for health, he says. “But it looks like connecting with other people is, too.”

[ultraman6970]

Well... they dont get run by cars in the street just to start :P

I cant play tennis anyways, busted my elbows and shoulders carrying my kids while babies. After the kids those parts were never the same... even the doctor thought I played tennis like a mad man :D

[Saxon]

Dang... Where did I stash my old Pro Staff 6.0? That was a REAL carbon fiber wonder! :banana:

[572cv]

All the erstwhile tennis players of a certain, ahem, mature age, that I know, are getting their social fix with pickle ball these days. Tennis can be hard on joints... don't ask me how I know. Cycling is going to pick up all the action for me for some time to come, I think. I'll just have to force myself to chat about it more over beers with buds, I guess, to get the full social benefit. :cool:

[djg]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/well/move/the-best-sport-for-a-longer-life-try-tennis.html?action=click&module=Discovery&pgtype=Homepage

What size is your DeSalvo?

You should really have two rackets, in case you break a string. And a bag? I'll toss in a few cans of balls and a chocolate chip cookie. Need a lesson? I played one year in college -- did a little coaching before and after -- I could throw in a few pointers. Did I mention the cookie?

[dancinkozmo]

life just SEEMS longer for tennis players because its so boring

[nmrt]

Gee I actually wonder if we were all tennis enthusiasts like we are bike enthusiasts, how many tennis racquets would be own?

Would out thread tittle be: "tension on strings -- 55 lb or 65 lb?
Or, "should I use titanium re-inforced racquet or graphite"?

Or better yet, is there a Rapha in the tennis world? :banana:

What size is your DeSalvo?

You should really have two rackets, in case you break a string. And a bag? I'll toss in a few cans of balls and a chocolate chip cookie. Need a lesson? I played one year in college -- did a little coaching before and after -- I could throw in a few pointers. Did I mention the cookie?

[ColonelJLloyd]

Is there a correlation between income/wealth* and proclivity to play tennis?



*Presumably there is a correlation between wealth and life expectancy.

[stev0]

Curious about cycling being the most popular activity recorded >> I wonder if all those who reported cycling rode bikes for sport/recreationally rather than as a mode of transport?

I think the income question is probably very relevant, too. As a born and bred Californian, I used to take it for granted that people had access to free public tennis courts everywhere, but found in my time across the pond that tennis really wasn't common/much less accessible.

Also reminds me of the studies which suggest people who participate in endurance sports can have shortened expectancy due to increased cardiovascular stress <IIRC>

[colker]

life just SEEMS longer for tennis players because its so boring
:):):)

[djdj]

Just let strangers "wheelsuck." Problem solved. :)

[GonaSovereign]

Maybe just ride a tennis brand bike? Under 700g frame...

http://www.yonex.co.jp/roadbike/news/assets_c/2018/01/1801261100_s-thumb-600x600-10328.jpg

[rwsaunders]

Old tennis players never die, they just lose their advantage...

[slowpoke]

Is there a correlation between income/wealth* and proclivity to play tennis?


*Presumably there is a correlation between wealth and life expectancy.

Supposedly they did..


Cycling was the most popular activity among the Danes in the study, many of whom reported riding for four or more hours every week. Their pedaling was associated with a lengthier life span, adding an average of 3.7 years to riders’ lives, compared to sedentary Danes.

Running likewise was associated with an extra 3.2 years of life.

But these gains were notably less than for playing tennis, which was linked to 9.7 added years of life, or badminton, which was linked to an extra 6.2 years, or soccer, which added almost 5 years to players’ lives.

These associations remained unchanged even when the researchers controlled for people’s education, socioeconomic status and age.


Soccer adding an extra 5 years sort of rules out the socioeconomic factor since it's arguably the most accessible sport. In general I'd say if you have time to play sports in your 40s and beyond, you've done a good job of managing your time and probably your stress, which helps more than the activity itself.

[tv_vt]

I like doing both. Doubles tennis is a fun game, and usually there is a lot of laughter and joking around. And singles is definitely a full body workout, and requires a lot of focus. But cycling is good for just getting out, having time to yourself (if you're riding solo) and getting some cardio fitness, which tennis doesn't really provide.

Number of racquets? Oh yeah, it's up there. Just bought one recently, actually, which I think puts me at 8. But hey, three of those are original ProStaffs - they've got to be 25 years old by now.

[gary_a_gooner]

life just SEEMS longer for tennis players because its so boring

You either have never played or are not good enough to play.

[spacemen3]

Tennis is a great sport. I still breakout my Donnay Borg Pro when I need to lay the wood. :) If you're looking for some cool, vintage racquets, talk to gis_guru. He's getting ready to sell his collection... to pay for bike stuff, of course.

[weisan]

There are two sports in my life that I have dedicated at least more than two decades to. One is cycling and the other is badminton. The former is still going but the latter unfortunately have dropped off the radar. And it has more to do with time commitment basically. My wife and children said they would still like to see me occasionally if possible, instead of me hanging out all day either in the roads or the courts. I chose to give up badminton and stick with cycling. The only regret I have in giving up badminton is its linkage to my dad. My old man is the one who introduced me to the sport when I was 5. We played badminton together well into my early adulthood. Dad doesn't play anymore. I still have those fond memories and every now and then I thought about it. I do miss it, it's a great sport. Interestingly, I was ransacking the garage a few days ago looking for the violin that we have put away since we moved but now my son wants to learn it for his school's orchestra. I found the violin...and I also found my old badminton racket. It's been at least 15 years since I last held it in my hands. I swung it a couple of times, I see that I still have a pretty powerful backstroke. :D

[veloduffer]

I still play tennis about twice a week - mostly drills with pros who were former tour-level. I played in college and don’t play competitively much these days because of rotator cuff/tendon issues when serving. But I still like banging groundstrokes and hitting finesse shots. It’s now my main winter workout when it’s too cold or too much snow to ride.

I started with wood racquets through college (Jack Kramer Autograph and later Donnay). Just switched from racquets from Babolat Pure Drive (rocket launcher) to a Head Speed Pro (player’s racquet) - very different in feel, stiffness, power. I usually have 4 or 5 racquets - some are strung at different tensions for indoor vs outdoor play. Also I like experimenting with strings (synthetic gut, multifilament, natural gut, polyester) and tensions.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[KJMUNC]

....but it's a long, slow life devoid of any joy :rolleyes:

give me cycling or give me......:banana:

[fiamme red]

life just SEEMS longer for tennis players because its so boringYou either have never played or are not good enough to play.https://steemitimages.com/DQmZTe2JXrQx3UveEbWCfknwjYMbTdED81pKTVDP2AyXXLu/687474703a2f2f7777772e616c6c6f6666746f7069632e636f 6d2f706963747572652e7068703f616c62756d69643d313026 7069637475726569643d313334.jpg

[djg]

You either have never played or are not good enough to play.

Seems about right, but whatever. I don’t really care if others are bored — more courts for me, and we like what we like.

I learned to play when I was young — boring wasn’t an issue when I was 7 and dad was hitting balls to me. I love the game, but I’ll give the anti-camp this: I don’t see how it could be that much fun for people who are terrible at it. Club duffers playing doubles with oversize racket heads, sure, they can bat the ball back and forth, and it’s social, and a bit of activity, and that might be fun. But there’s not that much going on at that level, and get a bit worse and there’s a whole lot of walking to pick up tennis balls. Riding a bike can be fun at a very basic level. With rudimentary skills and the right slope-per-skill-set, skiing can be fun for a novice. I’m sort of amazed that people can take up tennis as adults and stick with it until they are competent. Good on em, but it’s probably not for everyone.

[soulspinner]

Misspent youth on the court while young. Got good enough to play in a tourney Jimmy Connors played in and won in the 70s. It became clear I would never make it to the top 100.:rolleyes: you sure the averages aren't skewed because of cars and bikes?

[zennmotion]

T I was ransacking the garage a few days ago looking for the violin that we have put away since we moved but now my son wants to learn it for his school's orchestra. I :D

Please please please don't store the violin in your garage:help: Even a cheap one deserves respect. Would you store a bike you liked or even didn't like so much under a tarp on a roofless back porch? If the violin has been sitting a long time, it's likely going to need a checkup to ensure that the sound peg hasn't moved as the wood swells and shrinks from humidity and the instrument has been sitting with loosened strings over time. The bridge may have also moved or warped and check that the gap between the fingerboard and the strings is correct and consistent. Hopefully the bow wasn't left in a tightened state, and that the hair is in good shape. While you're at the shop, buy a $15 humidifier, because- Texas. It's just a foam filled rubber tube that you insert into the f hole on the instrument during dry weather, it will keep everything tight and sounding good. This is all so a young player has the best possible instrument to grow with. If you need a bike analogy, an old Huffy can be miserable to ride, or, fixed up adjusted and lubed it can work. The good news is that unlike the crappy Huffy, even an inexpensive student violin holds and even increases in value over time. More expensive instruments are better investments than even anything in real estate or wall street. And to sort of save this from complete hijack of the thread, there is also a strong correlation between active musicians and longevity, including brain health in old age. Hopefully, when I'm unable to ride I'll still have the cello :banana:

[weisan]

Please please please don't store the violin in your garage:help: Even a cheap one deserves respect. Would you store a bike you liked or even didn't like so much under a tarp on a roofless back porch? If the violin has been sitting a long time, it's likely going to need a checkup to ensure that the sound peg hasn't moved as the wood swells and shrinks from humidity and the instrument has been sitting with loosened strings over time. The bridge may have also moved or warped and check that the gap between the fingerboard and the strings is correct and consistent. Hopefully the bow wasn't left in a tightened state, and that the hair is in good shape. While you're at the shop, buy a $15 humidifier, because- Texas. It's just a foam filled rubber tube that you insert into the f hole on the instrument during dry weather, it will keep everything tight and sounding good. This is all so a young player has the best possible instrument to grow with. If you need a bike analogy, an old Huffy can be miserable to ride, or, fixed up adjusted and lubed it can work. The good news is that unlike the crappy Huffy, even an inexpensive student violin holds and even increases in value over time. More expensive instruments are better investments than even anything in real estate or wall street. And to sort of save this from complete hijack of the thread, there is also a strong correlation between active musicians and longevity, including brain health in old age. Hopefully, when I'm unable to ride I'll still have the cello :banana:

zen pal, thank you for that, seriously, I am gonna share it with my son. Well, lucky me, I actually ended up finding the violin inside the house. It was sitting on top of our study room cabinet all along, just as I have told my kid to go look and guess what he said, "I already did, it's NOT there!" Sigh....

:p

He brought it in and have his music teacher looked over, he gave it a clean bill of health, good to go, just need a 3/4 shoulder rest and String Basics Book 1-For Violin. :D

better investments than even anything in real estate or wall street

I agree. We got him started on piano a few years back. It was tough going at the beginning, but now he just jumps on it as soon as he gets back from school as a way to decompress from the day and taking a break before getting back to his school work.

Both my wife and I are not musicians but we totally recognize its value for developing a wholesome human being.

[slowpoke]

My wife and children said they would still like to see me occasionally if possible, instead of me hanging out all day either in the roads or the courts. I chose to give up badminton and stick with cycling. The only regret I have in giving up badminton is its linkage to my dad. My old man is the one who introduced me to the sport when I was 5.

why not play badminton with your kids in the driveway like your old man did with you? seems like a win-win! :D

[weisan]

why not play badminton with your kids in the driveway like your old man did with you? seems like a win-win! :D

good idea!