Squash vs. tennis benefits for muscle activation
What's the story
A comparison between squash and tennis regarding their physical benefits provides a clear understanding of muscle activation and overall fitness improvement.
While both are racket sports, the significant differences in gameplay, equipment, and court size result in unique advantages for players.
Read on for a detailed breakdown of how each sport challenges and benefits your body.
Cardio boost
Cardiovascular fitness enhancement
Squash is a high-intensity sport that demands players to maintain a rapid pace throughout their matches.
Research indicates that squash significantly improves cardiovascular fitness compared to tennis.
This is attributed to its requirement for continuous movement and minimal rest periods during play.
Consequently, players frequently achieve a heart rate increase to 80%-85% of their maximum.
This vigorous exercise contributes to a healthier heart and increased endurance.
Muscle work
Full body workout
Tennis works out several muscle groups, but it primarily targets the lower body, arms, and shoulders because of the running and swinging motions required.
On the other hand, squash offers a more comprehensive and intense full-body workout.
The rapid twists, lunges, and sprints in squash significantly engage both upper and lower body muscles, including the core stabilization muscles.
Agility improvement
Agility and flexibility gains
Squash requires explosive movements that improve agility far more than tennis.
Players in squash have to constantly adjust to the ball's erratic trajectory, improving their reflexes and flexibility.
Tennis, while also beneficial for agility, relies on longer rallies and fewer abrupt changes in direction.
Hence, this difference makes squash uniquely beneficial for enhancing rapid response capabilities.
Mind boost
Mental health benefits
While both squash and tennis effectively alleviate stress through physical exertion, they are not equally beneficial for mental health.
Squash is more intense and faster-paced, which requires players to maintain constant focus.
This can result in enhanced mental clarity after a match.
In contrast, the slower pace of tennis does not necessitate the same level of concentration, potentially limiting its mental health benefits compared to squash.
Safety first
Injury risk comparison
While both sports involve injury risks due to their physical nature, tennis players might be more prone to repetitive strain injuries (think tennis elbow) due to the sport's specific motions.
Squash, on the other hand, is risky mostly because of sudden stops and starts or crashing into walls or opponents.
It doesn't have as many overuse injuries as tennis.