Lifting for strength is better, but big guys are strong too. Besides, most of us will probably be on HRT+ for life after natural levels decline or menopause. Our losses should be insignificant, especially if stability training has been a priority.
And your charts wouldnāt be expected to match up with VO2 max and itās association with longevity. Something is amiss.
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vongehr
#44
āBesides, most of us will probably be on HRT+ for life after natural levels decline or menopause. Our losses should be insignificantā
That sounds so optimistic and trusting the meds, I hope for all of us you are correct.
Anyways, very important is what makes us feel good, and some need a lot of their favorite exercise. I would not cut down either.
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Tennis players have been scientifically proven to live significantly longer compared to people who engage in other sports or remain sedentary. A comprehensive study by the Mayo Clinic tracked 9,000 people over 25 years and discovered that tennis players gain an impressive 9.7 years in life expectancy
1, 2, 3.
Why Tennis Stands Out
The longevity benefits of tennis stem from several key factors:
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Interval Training: Tennis involves high-intensity bursts followed by recovery periods, which is extremely efficient for conditioning the body
1, 3
.
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Social Interaction: Unlike solitary sports, tennis requires multiple players, fostering social connections that contribute to mental and physical well-being
2, 4
.
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vongehr
#47
3.) It involves the mind, having to concentrate on a fast paced game, balance,ā¦, very different from the runnerās high being almost the opposite. That is why racquetball is even better (faster return of ball, more moves).
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PBJ
#48
Pickleball is more superior.
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You should also consider socioeconomical factors when it comes to who plays tennis. Itās generally played by the more wealthy. That being said, it also has all the factors you want in a sport for longevity. The community I personally see in tennis clubs seems to be happy and healthy.
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Not trying to correct you, but wanted to clarify a point. You want and need both in your life. Activities that involve the mind, and activities that turn the mind off. Tennis would be a great all around activity that does a lot for you. It would still be a healthy addition to find something that turns your brain off to compliment (meditation, running).
If you love running for movement and cardio, then you might want to compliment it with an activity that works your mind in a healthy manner.
Longevity is a puzzle with a lot of known factors. Keep to the basics and find how your own puzzle fits together. Love life and love others.
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vongehr
#51
Meditation does not turn the mind off! It exercises intense concentration, mindfulness, not like running, which is relatively mindless. Yes, we need to switch off, too. That is why sleep is so important.
A good mix of high intensity bursts, social interaction, needing the mind, balance, and even meditation is serious martial arts. It does not beat racquetball in the research. Perhaps because most martial arts is not serious but about colorful belts to show off.
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Agreed, meditation done correctly is not easy. The most common analogy for it is exercise for your brain. Every time your attention wanders, pull it back. Every time you do that, thatās one rep.
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I can agree on meditation. I used the wrong terminology to describe it. Iāve heard meditation described as āturning your mind offā, but thatās primarily an attempt to help people understand that they need to focus on the now and keep their mind from wondering (turn your mind off from wondering).
When you say, ānot like running, which is relatively mindlessā you show how you feel about running. There is a big difference in tone when you describe something as āmindlessā. Good for you, not going to be responding to you anymore if thatās what you think running is. There is an entire movement in running called āmindful runningā which mixes meditation and running, like meditation it requires concentration to keep your mind from wandering and be in the moment (not easy when running).
I have no idea what your preference of exercise is after reading through this, but I wouldnāt casually dismiss your preferences, especially if I donāt do it a lot. But, I can tell you think runners are mostly overdoing it based on previous posts, and I can also tell you probably donāt run a lot based on your statements, attitude, and tone towards running.
Iāll sign off from this thread now, as it mostly seems to be mindless defensive responses.
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vongehr
#54
I run almost every day, but I am not surprised anymore by getting all this presumptive nonsense all the time on this forum. Stick to the science I say!
Did these studies adjust for socioeconomic class? Because I suspect that typically, tennis players are well-off, highly educated folks, and those are independent factors for improving longevity. I believe Iāve seen similar studies that show basketball players donāt do nearly as well in terms of longevityā¦which seems odd, because basketball would seem to have all of the same protective factors as tennis (high intensity bursts, times of rest, social interaction, mental stimulation, balanceā¦)
I think socioeconomic class is a huge confounder for a lot of these studies.
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