FITNESS
THE 411 ON
PICKLEBALL
It’s been called the world’s fastest growing sport. If you don’t know what pickleball is, here is what you need to know: What is pickleball? A combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton. It is played on a court the size of a badminton court with a paddle and a plastic, perforated ball that resembles a wiffle ball. It can be played indoors or outdoors and as doubles or singles. When did pickleball get started? Pickleball was invented in 1965 in Washington State and is believed to have started in Canada in the 1970’s after snowbirds played it in the US and continued playing when they returned home. How popular is pickleball? Pickleball has been called the fastest growing sport in the world and there is even speculation that it will one day become an Olympic sport. Why is pickleball so popular? It’s easy to learn and is less strenuous than many other sports, since it’s played on a smaller court and at a slower pace. It’s good for various ages and physical abilities. 16 | Southpoint Living - Boomer
What are the benefits of playing pickleball? • Physically, pickleball serves as a full body workout as particpants use their lower body to move around the court and their upper body to serve and return the ball. • Mentally, pickleball can improve brain activity since players are required to make quick decisions throughout the game. • Emotionally, pickleball can be beneficial for stress management and also provides a great social element. Who is playing pickleball? Once considered a sport for an older demographic, it is now becoming popular with all ages. It’s even being incorporated into physical education classes in some elementary and high schools. What do you need to play pickleball? One of the reasons pickleball is so popular is because it doesn’t take much to participate. You will need a pickleball paddle, the pickleball itself, tennis shoes and comfortable, athletic attire.
