Racquetball As a Workout

Racquetball is a sport that can be played indoors and outdoors, using a rubber ball and a small racquet. Two, three or four players can play this fast-paced game of constant motion. Racquetball also allows players to burn calories, get their heart pumping and develop muscles, making the game a healthy and engaging workout alternative to traditional weights and aerobics classes.

  1. History

    • A handball player named Joe Sobek, an exercise enthusiast, is credited with inventing racquetball in 1950. The game was first developed at a local Y.M.C.A. in Greenwich, Connecticut and was initially called paddle rackets. When it was first introduced, racquetball was played on existing handball courts at venues like the Y.M.C.A. where Sobek played. The first professional tournament took place in 1974. Today, there are national (U.S.A. Racquetball) and international (International Racquetball Federation) organizations that govern competition as well as the rules of the game worldwide.

    Types

    • The game of racquetball is usually played either one-on-one or two-on-two, but there are variations that allow it to be played with three players. Cut-throat is an option that pits a single player against two others for an entire contest. The players alternate in the single-player role at the time of their service turn. There are also three-player games that rotate participants through one-on-one matchups. These variations add different levels of play to the game, providing an even more intense workout.

    Fitness Benefits

    • One of the down sides of many types of exercise is the way the body adapts to the fitness activity. Muscle memory is a good thing when we want to learn how to perform a difficult function. In exercise, however, muscle memory can be somewhat of a negative. Once muscles get used to a particular movement, whether it be jogging or lifting weights in the same way, the benefits of that exercise are somewhat diminished. Racquetball involves plenty of variety in movement. No two racquetball games are the same. Indoor racquetball brings all four walls in to play, which makes for a brisk pace with plenty of movement from side to side and front to back. This causes muscles to react to constantly changing directions, which gives muscles a more complete workout.

    Costs

    • You can play racquetball as a fitness activity with minimal costs, unlike other exercises, which may require expensive weight equipment or gym memberships. Find a wall, a Y.M.C.A. or a school gym and all you need is a racquet and a ball. There are racquetball clubs that will likely incur some costs, but clubs are not required.

    Considerations

    • Though racquetball can be played alone, working out with a friend makes exercising a little bit easier. Racquetball's unpredictable nature also adds to the workout's engaging nature, especially when played with others. The game forces players to be constantly aware of not only the ball, which comes from all directions, but of fellow players as well.