Tennis has been played since 1859 and hasn’t changed a great deal since.

You only really need 3 things to play: A couple of rackets, a net and a ball is all your really need to get started (and a precisely laid out court but who’s counting).

The sport itself may be old news but there’s something magical about the culture surrounding tennis, it’s ability to capture the nation and the fact that such a simple game can be so, so difficult and tactical.

There’s a whole host of different benefits to playing tennis and with our help, you can see our 5 favorite key health benefits that you can get from playing tennis:

1. Increased aerobic capacity

Tennis is a heavily aerobic sport and if you’re not developing your aerobic capacity, you’re doing it wrong.

With training session and the game itself, players will build their fitness and take their aerobic capacity to another level every single time they workout. That’s not bad going for hitting a ball over a net.

2. Increased core strength

Having a strong core is another key component in tennis with a strong swing coming down to the power behind the racket.

Playing tennis for the first time and the next morning you’ll understand what I’m talking about. If you struggle to sit up when you awaken from your beauty sleep then you know you’ve done it right. Engaging the core, swinging for the fences and building that strength is key and a huge benefit for posture on and off the court.

3. Improved reaction times

When you’ve got balls coming at you at over 100mph, you can bet that your reaction times are going to go through the roof.

Gradual step ups in opponent will have your reaction times up to scratch in no time at all. Not only great on the court, but a handy benefit for driving, catching dropped items and plucking flies out of thin air. Sign me up.

4. Increased mobility and improvement in joints

Tennis is great for the improvement in mobility and joints too with the improvement in strength within the muscles surrounding.

Mobility and joint health are vital to a healthy body and you’re likely to see alleviation from aches and pains with the development of your tennis training. Increased muscle density is another related benefit and with a combination of the three, you’ll be unstoppable before you know it.

5. Improvement in mental wellness

Last but not least is the improvement in mental wellness from those that train and compete for tennis. Exercise in general is great for creating healthy habits, self discipline and the release in endorphins during physical activity and tennis is no exception.

Achieving a state of focus and calm within the body during training or a game of tennis can be great for improvements in mental wellness and with such a rush from competing and winning - it can be one of the most powerful mental tools available.