Looking for a sport in Hong Kong?
Golf is often too boring for children and teenagers, who prefer to play sports that don’t involve pencils, notepads, and slacks. Rugby is often too violent for older adults, who prefer not to show up to work covered in bruises.
Tennis is one of the few competitive sports that is enjoyed by people of all ages, genders, and abilities. There are many people out there that have played tennis over an entire lifetime, and as competitive sports become more accessible to girls, this number is only going to grow in Hong Kong.
The first step to a lifetime in tennis? Starting young.
Serena Williams wouldn’t be Serena Williams the superstar if she was never Serena Williams the 9-year-old tennis player in Los Angeles.
On top of all of the fun tennis brings, there are also a number of great health benefits.
Tennis Improves Bone Health
Tennis training doesn’t just build muscles, it boosts bone health too. When kids start playing tennis regularly, they can lay the groundwork for an active future.
Our bone mass peaks at around 30 years of age, so having a hobby that helps with bone health only gets more valuable over time.
Tennis Boosts Physical and Mental Health
Tennis is great for coordination, reflexes, and flexibility, both physically and mentally. The sport encourages quick motions and reflexes, but it also encourages quick thinking, logic and even memory.
Tennis Lowers the Risk of Obesity
As kids lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles, the childhood obesity rate in Hong Kong continues to be alarmingly high. Maintaining a proper nutritional diet is important, but regular physical activity is essential too. By joining a tennis club or program, children will get a minimum amount of exercise in each week. In adults, a game of tennis can burn between 400-600 calories an hour and the results for children are similarly strong.
Plus, once a child is enrolled in a tennis program and starts to have fun, he or she is more likely to want to do other physical activities.
Tennis Makes Fitness Fun
Speaking of fun…that’s really what tennis is all about.
Diets are not fun. Gym workouts are not fun. Cardio activities like jogging and swimming can sometimes be fun, but they are nowhere near as fun as tennis!
Even though tennis provides all the same benefits as a workout, when children play, they will view it as a game, not a chore.
Ready to get your child involved with tennis in Hong Kong? Our Junior Tennis Program Term 2 is starting soon and has options for boys and girls of all ages and abilities. Learn more here.