Playing Tennis Kendal

Tennis combines a not too strenuous aerobic workout – exercising your lungs and getting your heart pumping – with stretching, and reaction speed. As long as you are reasonably fit and healthy it is a game that most people can expect to play until well into their seventies. Okay, you may not win Wimbledon but if you join a club it is guaranteed that you will always find an acceptable level to play at. If you are an experienced player and really active you can play singles, but for most over 50s doubles games are a very acceptable and enjoyable alternative.

If you have friends or family members who also to wish take up tennis and you have access to public tennis courts, then you can play whenever you wish. If not, you may want to join a tennis club (ask your local council or library for information or search the internet). Joining a club gives you access to regular mens, ladies or mixed opponents– in teams or just socially. It is easier to find a level to play at and regular opposition, and there may be coaching courses if you need to brush up your skills.

You don’t need lots of expensive equipment to play tennis, just a decent racquet or two, good shoes with sufficient support and spring, and some comfortable sports clothes – shorts or tracksuit. The largest cost is likely to be your club membership fee, so you need to be convinced before you part with it that you will play sufficiently often. Go along to the club to meet the members and see the facilities before you sign up to make sure it feels right.

Tennis is also a great way to meet new people – of all ages and backgrounds - both through playing, and at club-related social events which may include a club bar, barbecues, quiz evenings, and charity events. Most clubs offer opportunities to play in the evenings and at weekends – but many older people with more time and more flexible lifestyles choose to play during the day in the week. Depending on the weather, you can play all year but make sure if it is cold that you are suitably dressed, warm up sufficiently beforehand, and be careful about slipping if it is damp underfoot.

Tennis is an excellent way of keeping the joints and limbs in shape – knees, shoulders, back, and elbows – but you must be careful not to overdo it particularly if you are new to the sport. Minor injuries such as strains and pulled muscles take longer to heal as we get older. But the feeling of exhilaration and energy that comes from having had a good game in pleasant company takes a long time to fade, too.


Click here to access more useful information for the over 50s from in my prime.