The BEST physical activity for a LONG LIFE (it's not what you think)
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- čas přidán 12. 05. 2024
- Physical activity is key to healthy aging. In this video, we explore the results of two long-term population studies that investigated the influence of various sports on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk and life expectancy. The results are not what most of us might expect based on our beliefs about the benefits of "exercise." It turns out there is another longevity factor that sports provide -- social connection. As a bonus, we also review the fitness data on America's fastest growing sport. #pickleball
Here is a link to the US study on mortality risk associations: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Here is a link through Google Scholar to a PDF of the Danish study about life expectancy (click to the right of the article title): scholar.google.com/scholar?hl...
/ @cbleemd - Věda a technologie
The best physical activity is the one you enjoy and you practice with consistency
Thank you
Couldn't agree more!
Unless you are wealthy, you can’t golf daily, so why consider it? Same goes for some other activities. Walking can be higher in METs by adding weight (backpack, weight vest or hand weights) and if you are fit enough, hills. And, you can walk more than once a day if you want.
You have to be able to live with your activity over time.
Best comment !!!!! 👍👍👍👍
Yes - like sex.
Honestly i'm rather sceptical about this kind of studies. Annother possibility, people who play tennis are just wealthier and have better healthcare, less stress etc?
Great point. Both studies did adjust for socioeconomic status, but you are absolutely right that tennis is an expensive sport (as are many sports), so it's impossible to know how much other, intangible quality of life variables played a role in longevity. Even if I don't live longer, I'll still play pickleball at the park because it's so fun. ;-)
And they're born thin, or ecktomorphic. Tennis attracts a certain body type thus eliminating obese people.
Umm, duh. Yes - couldn't be more obviously true.
In reply to @hejakma comments.
I was a average wage earner. Tennis is not just for the rich. I was just a factory worker & being a tennis club member for 48 years. However if I wanted to support a football team. I would find it harder to afford a season ticket.
I wonder how many extra years sceptics live. -7 ?
The best exercise is the one you would do regularly.
Absolutely!
I'm an introvert. For many years my exercises were solo walking, hiking, and gym workouts. I was never good at any sports with balls. My girlfriend nudged me to try pickleball. It was FUN! Now we've been playing once a day for about 4 months, sometimes twice. Our frinds have joined us. We laugh, we fume, we shout, we sweat, and we have a wounderful wounderful time.
I feel...a little...sorry for the tennis players who can't get a court because so many have been converted for pickleball.
I'm an introvert, too (extremely so per the Myers-Briggs), yet I have gotten to know more people in the last year and a half of pickleball than I had met in the 20 years prior. It is so amazing in that regard. I love your comment -- laugh, fume, shout, sweat, and SO. MUCH. FUN.
@@cbleemd 💯☺️
Read differently "I was never good at any sports with balls" is very funny.
Hiking is not mentioned. It is different from 'walking'. Hiking in the Pacific Northwest often involves a lot of elevation gain. An eight mile hike with 2000 or 3000 feet of elevation gain is very demanding.
I go for wandering through the woods and moors in the Goldap area.
@frankblangeard8865 -- thanks for your comment. Hiking is excellent! In addition to the physical challenge you describe, hiking also offers restorative 'forest bathing' aspects, especially in the lush PNW.
(The only reason I didn't mention it was because I followed the racquet sport theme of the initial studies).
I promise I'm not linking this as a ploy to get more views, but I thought you might appreciate this video -- it's one of my favorites that I filmed in the Mt. Baker area:
czcams.com/users/shorts-djKmduJDtw?si=wVo2NeXseOsbXTPR
Link's not working for some reason, but it's one of the first CZcams shorts I did about the healthy chemicals plants and trees emit.
Some of the "Blue Zones" research attributes extreme longevity to daily elevation change i.e. living on a mountain and working the land. As well as is later mentioned, the phytoncides and other nature provided aerosols have lots of research (especially out of Japan) showing health benefits.
Not having access to hiking trails or significant elevation in my daily life, I'll occasionally use a cross country ski machine in a conifer (higher phytoncide than deciduous trees on average) grove. Your comment makes me think of using a climbing machine in the same grove.
The only drawback to Pickleball is the loudness. I'm a delivery driver, and I've been in areas where I'm like "what the heck is that sound?" And then I'll see it on my drive back. In wealthy neighborhoods, I've even seen homeowners playing pickleball in their backyard. I hope the Pickleball community is addressing this issue otherwise they will alienate a lot of people.
LOL
Yes, the sound of pickleball has been a source of controversy. I know there are some neighborhoods that require use of "quieter" paddles that have been developed by several of the paddle companies, and I believe there are also noise dampening screens that can be applied to the fencing around the courts. The best solution may be to build courts at parks that are situated well away from housing.
Thank you. Building that far away may prove difficult. Usually, they build those things close on purpose. I'm all for pickleball, and would love to start playing.
Riding my bicycle makes me happy.
Me too. It has whole body eye coordination.
@dadmichomurphy and @tonyalewis9053 -- so great you've found something that is both healthy and makes you happy (and yes on the whole body activity keeping your brain engaged).
Riding my three different types of bicycles makes me happy. I like being with a road group in the early morning and riding off road in perfect silence alone at night. If you want to do something that gets your heart rate going, then try pushing a lawn mower with a broken power drive. Even though I cycle over 5 hrs per week (zone 2), the lawn mower has the highest peak demand on my heart. I really enjoy loner sports best so I won't be changing anytime soon.
@@williamwightman8409 I think you mean 5 hours a day ? and will you fix up the power drive or it has been fixed ? I just bought an Avanti Explorer ( older model but good condition ), last time I rode a bike was 11 years ago as a postman ! and am looking to enjoy the many trails they have in and around Hastings N Z , and maybe a vineyard or two !
@@williamwightman8409 I hear you road bike, mountain and recumbent. Since doing away with the need to cut grass, I take a similar approach to unassisted lawn mowing by loading a wheelbarrow with wood chips and then sprinting uphill to spread them.
Good video.
I have a different hypothesis on why tennis shows such positive outcomes. One, people who play tennis tend to be wealthier, with all the health benefits that entails. Two, people who play tennis tend to be in better health already, or they wouldn't be playing tennis.
Yes, these are valid points. The studies did adjust for socioeconomic status, but as several other commenters have noted, wealth is associated with lower stress levels and better longevity, so there are likely other variables that couldn’t be accounted for. Apart from the racquet sports coming out on top, what surprised me from both studies, but especially in the first, was that walking for exercise (so brisk MET level, not a stroll) did better than swimming and cycling. Would not have guessed that would be the case. It’s just two studies, tho. Thanks for taking time to watch and comment!
I’m 80. Played tennis for 70 years. Singles, 2 hours, 4 days a week. Last year my daughter (50) introduced me to PB. OMG!!! What fun. I now play PB 5 days a week for 2-3 hours each time. Not only good for cardiovascular but the social aspect is soooo true. Have met people at my club I never saw before PB. No longer plat tennis
Fantastic! Kudos to your daughter!
At 70 been playing pickleball for 6 years. Love it!
As a pickleball fanatic, I knew right away which activity you were going to mention! It checks all the boxes of the mind/body/soul like no other activity I've been a part of. Humans thrive on dopamine, seratonin, and all the other "feel good" neurotransmitters that science still doesn't understand and pickleball stimulates them all! Like you mentioned, the human social connection that pickleball brings is the X factor that soothes the soul and is the most important marker of longevity(according to the 85 year old ongoing Harvard study on longevity). In today's isolationist divided society pickleball is a ray of sunshine! Peace, Love, Pickleball!
@charlesmuller120 can I have you permission to start printing t-shirts that say "Peace, Love, Pickleball!" or maybe just the symbols? So great!
And you are absolutely right -- pickleball is a ray of sunshine in our angry broken world. Thanks for commenting.
I second that recommendation. Peace. Love. Pickleball.
Brilliant!!!
Front of T shirt should have the symbols with an underline that is blank.
Back of the T shirt has the words.
Bottom of back:@cbleemd
In my city they are closing the pickle ball courts because local rich people (all the courts are in rich areas) complain about the noise of people having fun DURING THE DAY.
Love this video! I’m really terrible at any sport that requires a ball, so I jump rope using weighted ropes (up to 1 lb) and it’s incredible for cardiovascular fitness as well as core strength. I highly recommend it for senior citizens after their healthcare provider approval of course. After seeing the improvement in my health over the 4 years I’ve been jumping rope, my 70 year old primary care physician has been mentioning jumping rope to her other patients. I belong to a jump rope group on Facebook and we are daily encouraging each other.
Jumping rope is such an incredible high-intensity work-out -- and brilliant that you've incorporated the social component by linking it to a Facebook community!
The nature of the surface on which skipping rope is performed makes a big difference. I skipped rope on a concrete floor and eventually had a case of bursitis in my hips. Look for what is called a floating floor when you jump rope. It gives a little and inhibits injury.
Good video. I'm 79 & healthy with no medication needs. Ive played tennis every week all my adult life.
Wow, that is excellent!
I am fanatical squash player. I love playing squash. One of the things that I particularly like about squash is that I can play solo. Certainly, I prefer having an opponent, but I do not need one to work up a good sweat and have an enjoyable experience.
I didn't realize you could play squash solo -- that's great. I've never played, but those I know who do are also fanatical. At this point, it's probably better if I don't try it, since my PB addiction is pretty serious. : )
Squash is nice in that you can practice shots continuously and alone. But, I've tried playing competitively against myself and it's just brutal on the motivation. Kudos to you to play competitively solo!
@@SeekingBeautifulDesignSorry, I have mislead you. I should have written practice, not play. When I do my solo practice, it is almost a form of meditation. I mix in a bunch of stretching and some resistance exercise. I vastly prefer playing an opponent or having a lesson with a pro. However, that can be physically brutal and, at age 64, I need to be careful about injury due to my delusion that I am still 25.
Anything to avoid sprinting which is the greatest one.
Ha! True!
I love pickleball! I think this is a very valid conclusion. In addition to exercise, having fun with other people is a huge plus.
Totally agree -- I've never laughed so much playing a sport as I do with pickleball.
I agree that besides fun of playing tennis, the social aspects are equally fun.
Totally agree!
Fabulous video! It's actually changed the trajectory of my life. I got the man I love to improve upon his physical activity (which is already quite stellar), by adding pickleball. It has added to a relationship and our commitment to assisting each other with increasing our active lifespan. Thanks so much!
Yay! I wholeheartedly agree that pickleball can bring people together in ways that I have never seen with other sports.
Thank you for taking time to watch and comment!
thank you. credible, helpful and encouraging
Thanks for watching!
Thank you, I get the message. Clear concise, factual without hype or someone screaming at you.
Thanks for taking time to watch!
As said here, Really it involves activity of anything one enjoys or added to your normal day. Examples, using the stairs instead of elevator, putting on shoes and socks from a standing position (not easy 😅), anything that involves bending or crawling around on the floor,walking (that 10k steps marker is really good), simple stretches throughout your day.
Wow! What a well-produced video - I'm glad it's blowing up in views, and this makes me want to try pickleball! 😄 I enjoy parkour, calisthenics & weightlifting right now. Acrobatics. I'm trying to do the hardest physical activities I can do right now, until I can't do them anymore.
That’s a great plan - there a few things I wish I’d tried (parkour) but am reluctant to start now because I’m enjoying what I’m doing and don’t want to risk injury for something new. BTW, your strength training is key - eventually I’ll do a video on how important it is for long-term health. I don’t personally enjoy it, but I try to get myself to do some resistance exercise a couple days a week because I know I “should.” 😆
Thanks for all that great information - -haven't tried PB . . .yet
Thanks for watching! I'll be curious to know what you think once you try it!
Amazing research and it all makes sense.
Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Please stop! The pickleball courts around me are already crowded! But seriously, it's nice to hear some positives regarding pickleball besides it being the number one cause of injuries from friends. The injuries, I think, are related to its addictiveness. People who weren't so active suddenly start playing many times a week and overexert themselves. I know this from experience! So, to the people starting out, please take it easy ...
That's a great point -- I'll likely do a video about the injury risks (especially the importance of eye protection), but I had never considered it may be due to the addictiveness and our utter inability to stop ourselves from playing so much!
And, my apologies for further clogging up the courts near you. : )
This is so informative. Thanks for sharing. How good do I have to be in racket sports haha? Where do I find partners for it?? So many questions
No experience required -- do an internet search on "pickleball in my area" and odds are information will pop up for where you can do drop-in play as a newbie. Community centers are a good bet.
My favorite was always jogging (age 77) and then I started HIIT running every other day 4+ years ago . . . Wow! Puts me over the top 😅
But after a fall (broken leg 😢) on asphalt road surface I do HIIT in a park to be safer in case of tripping. ❤
Wow! HIIT every other day - that’s amazing! Sorry to hear about the broken leg but sounds like you found a good solution. 👍
OK. Here is the one physical activity you totally ignored that probably beats tennis. Ballroom dancing. Obviously requires social interaction and consideration, two dimensional situation awareness, quick decision making, hand leg body and eye interaction, continuous coordination, good memory and quick recall, continuous motion with bursts of energy (try Charleston, swing, salsa, samba, or fast waltz), and is often done over an hour or longer period, requires no special strength and can be done by anyone who can walk. As a bonus it is clearly more fun that pickleball. Sadly, most adults just don't have the motivation to do it.
Thanks for your comment - ballroom dancing definitely checks most of the boxes for long-term health as you point out.
I wasn’t ignoring it so much as it wasn’t included in the studies I presented and didn’t have a connection to the racquet sport theme. Personally, I don’t find it to be more fun than pickleball. I am fortunate to be blessed with hand-eye coordination, but I am a klutz on a dance floor, so it makes me uncomfortable and self-conscious. That said, I do enjoy the videos I’ve seen of swing dance competitions - it does look like a blast for those who do it. I guess we all have to discover whatever activities resonate most for ourselves. Super for you that you’ve found one about which you clearly have a lot of passion!
Interesting presentation, great job!
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment!
I'm 62. Cyclist, love disc golf and walking, played a lot of tennis a while back. Gonna give pickle ball a go! Good vid!
Thanks for watching and commenting! Pickleball will be a great addition what you're already doing!
I trail run..well more like jog:) So a lot of coordination is taking place along with uphill intensity, etc. I worked in senior living for 40 years and saw the value of staying engaged. Research has shown that socialization creates just as many new brain cells as "brain" games. I look forward to starting Pickleball! Great well informed presentation! Rick
Thank you, Rick! Trail running is great on so many levels, as you mention -- high intensity, balance training, and also communing with the trees! Do check out pickleball!
Feeling good about this one! My crew plays competitive tennis doubles twice week and hit the bar/grill to socialize after! All in our 60s and will switch to pickleball ball when we can't run balls down!
Great plan!
I'm 70 I've been mowing lawns for the past 20 years. It's pretty effective
Excellent! Mowing the lawn is such a satisfying task.
@cbleemd I mean mowing several a day, everyday the weather allows
How are your ears?
@ShelterDogs fine, I wear ear protection plus I have a narrow ear canal...inv listened to loud music for most of my life, no damage
@@paulmartinson875 That's cool, man. When I used to mow lawns as a kid I was never told to do that! Now, they have electric mowers and blowers. Hope we see more of them. Especially leaf blowers..
Pickle ball is very popular at the Health Club I attend. However, my main activity is running and resistance workouts.
Perfect! Resistance training is the best form of exercise we can do for our overall health -- stay tuned, I plan to talk about this in an episode about sarcopenia.
BRAVO CBLeeMD! As a Physical Therapist I work with individuals of all ages and abilities, many of whom have had falls or close calls. An important factor to keeping all of on our feet and resilient is the ability to accommodate to random motions such as stopping, starting, turning and moving sideways while looking elsewhere. We do this all the time as kids, but not as much as adults. Many traditional workouts and endurance activities have us only moving forward and back or sideways in straight lines. Racquet sports are a fabulous workout and check of of these boxes, not to mention being a ton of fun!
Absolutely -- "functional variability" is key to being adaptable, resilient, preventing injuries, etc. Thank you for chiming in!
Thanks for your comment. I've been trying to incorporate baseline longevity training around random impulses that destabilize me and I have to react. I call it "little kids you don't see running into you." or "tripping on things you don't see". I've seen so world class rockclimbers using computer actuated machines that give true random impulses, but it's way out of range of most people. In your Physical Therapy work, how do you counsel clients to incorporate true random impulse? I can stop, start, lunge, walking on balance beams/balls, but I always know what's coming. Being able to train reaction (both nervous system and muscles as well as having the tendon/ligament/bone strength to handle the correction) when we don't know what's coming seems to be a different skill and especially useful to guard against falls.
Best I've come up with is wearing a blindfold and having a partner silently push you around at random intervals, directions and forces. But how can this be done solo?
One option may be to walk (or jog, if you're a runner) on trails where you're forced to adjust to tree roots, rocks, etc. The environment provides the variability for you.
Whitewater SUP brought my BP down, improved my reflexes, restored the balance I felt as a child, reduced pain, built strength, and improved my overall health even more than running perhaps. I love this video. I can confirm regular full body activity has a substantial benefit to overall health.
Thanks for watching! Whitewater SUP?! Whoa-that must be intense!! I’ll have to look up some videos to check it out.
I've been playing Pickleball for 12 years and about 6+ hours per week. And on days I don't play I ride my road bike. I'm 82 with a pulse as low as 50 bpm. I wondered why she didn't mention Pickleball with the other paddle sports, but then she surprised us all.
Had to save the best for last, right?!!
Is this a US study or international study. Will you list the reference and state any biases please. US badminton is a picnic game but is a very challenging sport at many levels. I see no mention of table tennis but at elite levels it is also demanding. What racket sports share is social, cognitive, coordination, and what is essentially interval training.
I completely agree that table tennis has all of the same benefits, perhaps with the exception of being an indoor sport. There is an interesting article about the cognitive benefits of table tennis that I plan to cover at some point, as well. I am remiss in not having linked to the full-text articles in the description -- thank you for the reminder -- they are now added there. The first population study was based in the US and the second was Denmark. The authors report no conflicts of interest with the studies, though bias is a different matter.
Great video. Didn't know a particular sport has the potential to increase lifespan by a whopping 9 years!
This is exactly the kind of information that our healthy ageing startup, Longlive, promotes; all for free so everybody can benefit from it. I would love to explore opportunities to have you speak about exercise and longevity at Longlive. Please let me know where I can contact you about this partnership. Keep the great content coming. Thanks!
I have found it's not what you do, it's how you do it that matters and makes the difference.
I am active, more in swimming in the ocean, free diving mostly and a little spearfishing. But I do an adapted home workout in the morning before breakfast that includes push ups, squats, ab curls, leg raises, 2 minute planks and wall stands among others. Then a protein shake. This is followed by a gym workout in the morning late afternoon comprising of a cardio followed by a 3 circuit weights routine (with protein shake), 3 times a week with one day in between recovery breaks. Lots of social interaction too, tropical island life.
It's probably not for everyone but at 72, no major illnesses, fit, well and feel fine, no prescription drugs.
Have any studies looked at rowing and where it would fall in the longevity range? I was thinking along the lines of on-water rowing, but erging (rowing machine) would also be interesting to see. My daughter rows in college, as well as being an assistant coach, and I am going to have her teach me, as I'm fascinated by it, plus I have a love of water.
I'm not aware of any studies that looked specifically at rowing and longevity, but the MET value of rowing is a whopping 15.5 (~32 strokes / minute), so it's a great, high-intensity activity. And, you should definitely indulge your love of water -- there is evidence to show that being near water has health benefits (may do a video on it at some point -- I'm very drawn to water, as well). If you add in the rowing, you're doing wonders for your well-being!
Here is the compendium of METs for water-based activities: pacompendium.com/water-activities/
And the general compendium for a wide variety of activities: pacompendium.com/adult-compendium/
A link to an article about the benefits of being near water: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/03/blue-space-living-near-water-good-secret-of-happiness
Similarly Squash players look down on Racket ball but once they get into it they really enjoy it.
I do fencing and social dancing. About 2 hours each time, twice a week for each activity. I also walk everywhere (or bike if I don't walk).
Sounds like a great combo!
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I'm 67 1/2 and started BJJ at 64. I've lost weight, gained flexibility and it's given me another reason to work on my cardio and anerobic fitness. Injuries are a factor, but can be mitigated by training smart at a well maintained/clean academy. Training partners make a difference as well. The academy I attend has a number of professionals: MDs, IT execs, accountants, police officers and fire fighters/paramedics. Injuries can also be mitigated by "Tap early. Tap often." I also think my wife and I are going to look into pickle ball! :))
Thanks for the comment. I've heard Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is amazing but have not explored it.
BJJ is great exercise but as you're finding out, injuries will become more common with time. That's why I chose to back off a full contact form of Wing Chun kung fu which I loved, learned a lot about training but had to make some changes to avoid injuries. It also stimulates adrenaline and cortisol.
I love your presentation. What about resistance training?
You are spot on -- if we are forced to choose only one physical activity, it should absolutely be resistance training. Unfortunately, the long-term longitudinal studies did not include it as one of the measured activities, perhaps due to lack of foresight at the outset when they started the studies decades ago. Definitely would have been interesting to know!
I do plan to cover the risks of sarcopenia and necessity of resistance training in future content. I'll see what I can find about the longevity benefits. Thanks for your comment!
Very interesting. Liked and subscribed.
Great - thank you!!
Same. I used to play tennis a lot but when covid hit i went back to cycling.. do 5000 km a year roughly
@@secretagent86 Good on you! I hope you can keep that up for a long time.
Ditto that -- that's fantastic!
I didn't know anything about pickleball so i looked at a video and it looks like what I always wished tennis was, trying to keep the ball going and not STOP it. Keeping the ball going is where the fun is right? Right.
Well...keeping the ball going in the "hand battles" or "firefights" (as they call the fast volley exchanges) is fun, but it's also quite fun to put the ball away, too! Dopamine flood. Maybe try it out and see what you think! : )
It’s an age-old question: am I healthy because I exercise, or do I exercise because I am healthy? High intensity exercises like tennis require a certain level of fitness. Those who are unable to participate in high intensity exercise will therefore have a lover life expectancy.
Of course, reverse causality is possible in long-term observational studies like this. Nevertheless, it was still unexpected (for me, at least) that racquet sports were associated with greater longevity than pursuits like running, cycling, and swimming that have higher average MET values. Given estimates that 25 - 35% of the US population is sedentary, my goal was to highlight that even small amounts of movement can be beneficial, and there are alternative options for those who aren't interested in endurance training.
Do these studies control for possible reverse causation? That is, sick and obese people are less likely to engage in sports or vigorous physical activities generally?
Thanks for your comment -- to clarify -- these longitudinal, observational studies are not controlled investigations, so they are not looking at causality or controlling for reverse causality. Instead, their aim is to examine associations between various behaviors and health-related outcomes (which, in this case, was mortality). I am no statistical guru, but the analyses in both of the studies adjusted for BMI and history of several chronic illnesses. That said, I agree with you that sick and obese people probably are less likely to engage in sports or vigorous physical activities, and that can become a vicious cycle for them. So my intent with the video was to show that there are other options to be physically active that don't have to be "vigorous" to be beneficial, in case that's the barrier preventing someone from becoming active, especially if they don't feel well. When I sat down to read the studies, I assumed that running would come out on top, so it was a nice surprise to see an unexpected result with racquet sports and solid impact with walking. Wanted to share the good news for people who don't like to run/cycle/swim and also confirm the benefits for those who do.
@@cbleemd Thank you for this helpful reply.
Hi, is stationary biking better than walking for the MET values?
Thanks for the question -- the MET value is determined by the intensity level of how hard you're working , so it will be a range for a given activity (though I recognize these studies assigned a single MET value for each).Below is a great resource with MET values of different activities -- based on this, "leisure" bicycling around 9.4 mph (5.8 METs) is comparable to walking 4.0 - 4.4 mph (5.5 METs). Hope that helps!
pacompendium.com/adult-compendium/
❤ the Grinch! Ok, you've convinced me. Scott and I are gonna try out this pickleball thing
It is fun, and nicely social for men and women
Very true -- one of the articles mentioned that since mixed doubles is so common in pickleball, it integrates men and women more than many other sports.
I'm an introvert. For many years my exercises were solo walking, hiking, and gym workouts. I was never good at any sports with balls. My girlfriend nudged me to try pickleball. It was FUN! Now we've been playing once a day for about 4 months, sometimes twice. Our frinds have joined us. We laugh, we fume, we shout, we sweat, and we have a wounderful wounderful time.
Pickleball is made to advantage strategy and patience in a way few sports do, so there is far less advantage to youth and strength.
If you only have one person to play with try the "Skinny Singles" variant that only uses half the court.
Racket sports also improves VO2max far greater than steady state running (jogging).
Yes -- good point -- tennis is more akin to HIIT in boosting VO2max.
How about skiing? I ski in the winter ( a lot) and in the summer I cycle. And for hand eye coordination and social interaction I play bass LOL I'm 68 and so far so good
Skiing has a MET value ranging from 6.3 to 8 according to the compendium linked below -- pretty great intensity! And, playing a musical instrument is one of the best things we can do for cognitive health (and it's just plain fun!).
Looks like you have a good, long-term health regimen in place!
METs for winter sports: pacompendium.com/winter-activities/
Full compendium for adults: pacompendium.com/adult-compendium/
Basketball and running in groups… some concern is the injury rate in Pickleball… A major issue with several of my friends… Generally doesn’t happen as often with running or playing basketball with people the same age :-)
Good point. There has been an uptick in injuries with pickleball. Another commenter speculated this may be due to the addictive nature of the sport -- we're so caught up in the game that we forget our physical limitations.
as a 64-year-old, I'm a little concerned about the shearing action of racquet sports on aging knees
Thanks for your comment. Agreed -- it's important to be cautious with the stop/starts and direction changes in racquet sports, knowing (and respecting) one's limits is key.
Thank you for the video. I have been a competitive racquet sport player like you from a young age. How do you manage playing the sports when you have a different recovery level compared to your youth? Once competitive, it's hard to play at a reduced level and violent movements are good for bone density, but can injure tendons, ligaments etc if you try to play at your youthful level without equivalent conditioning.
I hope you have some wisdom better than this: Table tennis is one thing I've found that can be played to your best level and has less injury potential. Aerobic if competitive attacking game several feet behind table or play against a robot until you can barely lift your arm. Still, doesn't have outdoor benefits.
Also, have you seen studies on longevity/health effects of asymmetrical sports. My right side has noticeably more developed limbs. No spinal issues so far, but racquet sport asymmetrical development has to have long term effect.
I have been playing tennis from an early age as well and switched to Pickleball a few years ago. Getting close to 50 and definitely struggling with injuries. For me it’s mainly my lower back. The best advice I can give you is to try to cross train on your off days. My right side is much stronger than my left side and therefore I overuse my right side so it’s prone to injury. I stretch twice a day to maintain some balance.
A big reason I decided to start this channel is to address the issue you describe: how do those of us who still see ourselves as athletes, despite gray hair and creaky joints, stay active or even continue to compete as we get older? So, I decided to start tracking down whatever (science-backed) information I could find and share it. To your question: I came across several articles recently, which I haven't yet reviewed in detail, that identified the need for increased recovery time as a big difference when comparing older vs. younger athletes. I'll keep digging into this and try to get a video out once I have a better handle on it. I agree with @andreaolson6277 that cross training is key -- and trying to get at least 2 days a week of resistance training to maintain muscle mass and strength. Personally, I do play pickleball at a relatively high intensity level but have to limit it to 3 or 4 days a week at most, otherwise I'm too sore.
Table tennis is an excellent sport. In addition to the aerobic aspects you noted, there's an article I plan to cover soon that talks about the cognitive health benefits, which I think apply to all racquet sports that challenge reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Maybe mix in some walks among the trees to get outdoor time on the days you don't play table tennis?
Your question about asymmetrical sports is a good one. There are certainly differences in bone and muscle development for asymmetric sports (e.g., I know of studies about increased bone density in the dominant arm of tennis players and torsional variation in the humeri of little league pitchers). Other than that I'm not aware of any detrimental longevity effects with asymmetrical sports, though intuitively it makes sense that they contribute to overuse injuries. Thanks for watching and engaging!
@@cbleemd I'd be interested in longevity/healthspan effects of asymmetrical vs symmetrical sports. One thing that is an unexpected side effect related to longevity is in health monitoring.
Monitoring HRV, heart rate and other metrics on a watch provides a pretty useful set of actionable data. My wrists don't do so well wearing a watch 24h so I switch wrists. But my dominant forearm is so much bigger that I have to resize when switching to non-dominant arm. One could design a ridiculous study on the reduced amount of health metric monitoring and consequent longevity reduction due to the hassle of having asymmetrically sized forearms ;)
And yes as you say, the science indicates a mix of strength, aerobic, high intensity, weight bearing, balance, proprioceptive, breath, mental, social as well as biophilic training. It's a challenge integrating them daily while also doing useful things. Would be curious to see how you weight all this towards a longevity routine.
@@andreaolson6277 Thanks. I agree that at any age constant specialized training can lead to injury. As well, unless on an Olympic path, having some variety is good for the mind and the soul. I try to wait at least 3 days before doing the same thing across aerobic, strength and HIIT exercises. Understanding the body's response to nutrition also helps the recovery as well as optimal sleep.
@SeekingBeautifulDesign I wish I had a good answer on how to weight the many positive things you mention into a longevity routine. Right now it's very much a work in progress, thus the reading (and reporting on) articles that I find most intriguing or think will be helpful. It can feel like there's so much we "should do" in trying to be healthy that our health efforts become unhealthy stressors! Right now, I just try to do one or two things a day, even if it's only stretching for 5 minutes and going for a walk. Strength training is the MOST important thing we can do for our long-term health (to be covered soon-ish), but I don't enjoy it at all. I'm trying to figure out a way to make it more fun so that I will be more inclined to do it consistently.
I row. How does rowing compare to some of the other aerobic activities?
Rowing is excellent! According to the compendium of physical activities (see link below), rowing is a whopping 15.5 METs -- and includes the social benefit if you/re rowing with a team.
Link to compendium of water activities: pacompendium.com/water-activities/
Link to full compendium: pacompendium.com
Consider these two for older adults: Parkour and Dance. While dance seems to check all of your boxes, Parkour checks most of them. If you practice it like me, you definitely miss the social interaction. Which is why I do both!
Dance is a definite yes - movement, social, and benefits of music. Parkour is an intriguing idea -- the orthopedist in me worries about fractures if I jump from a height of more than 4 inches, but I can see how the variability of it would be great for training balance, strength, etc. Thanks for the comment!
I wish someone would study square dancing, it too is social and intergenerational, uses all muscle groups and stimulates the brain due to the nature of everchanging choreography.
That would be an interesting study - checks all the right boxes, as you point out!
It makes sense.
It is social, it tests your entire body including the brain and of course your cardiovascular system.
The confounder is of course, there is a self-selection mechanism. Unfit people don't start with Tennis and players quit when it becomes too demanding.
Agreed. The studies describe adjusting for some measures of health status (and BMI) but there’s no argument that some people may just never try these sports or may quit if they get out of shape, as you point out. What surprised me most from the studies was that I expected cycling, swimming, and running to come out on top.
Skating is good exercise, whether on inline skates (rollerblades), quad roller skates, or ice skates.
Skating IS great exercise! Had three older brothers who played hockey so I was on ice skates by age 3. Inline skates are such a brilliant invention.
As a lifetime tennis player, I tend to agree with the study, however, I’ve also lost two friends who died on the court due to heart attack, at the age of 57 and 60, so be mindful of your physical condition and weather factors.
Wow, I am so sorry -- that is tragic. Thanks for the reminder about paying attention to our limits. It can be difficult when we still feel young inside.
Sorry to hear this, was this recently?
5 years and last year
Both cases struck quick and hard, gone before the ambulance arrives😢
Activity is one single the most powerful predictor for longevity. But. There is could be another explanation why tennis.
1) You need to be with low body count
2) Yes this social, which is good
3) intens interval load for cardio-vascular system
4) Its expensive, like, it really is. Which kinda means you have wealth which is huge longevity predictor
Thanks for your comment -- these are all great points.
Although they did adjust for socioeconomic status in the population studies, there's no way to control for the intangible benefits of wealth -- as pointed out by another commenter, there is likely way less stress if money is not a concern.
I'm not buying point #4.. plenty of used reasonably priced racquets online.. many communities in the US have public courts at schools and/or parks.. add a decent pair of shoes and a $3 can of balls.. I don't think you need a lot of wealth just interest
Interesting video but, sorry, I'm not going to swap playing squash three times a week for PB. I've been playing squash for 47 years and plan to keep playing. May try padel if there was a court locally....
Certainly not recommending you swap your squash for PB...but it's really fun..... : )
Just throwing PB out there as an option for people who haven't yet found an active pursuit they enjoy. I am super intrigued to try padel, too!
Be around people to live longer? What a terrible deal
🤣 serious LOL - thanks for that!
As someone who is pretty introverted myself, I kind of agree…except it’s okay if you just stick with your small circle to check the social interaction box.
What bothers me is trying to get a sizable group on Raket ball-type sports, like a high school. There is a reason most of us never play sports like that.
Assuming you're beyond high school now, you only need one other person to play pickleball or racquetball. The social benefit of these activities doesn't require that you field a large team.
I am interested in what effect golf would have in a similar study?
My apologies for not giving all the info about golf from the first study - it was associated with a 7% decrease in all-cause mortality and 9% cardiovascular death risk, so slightly less beneficial than walking for exercise. That said, I also saw reference to an article (though didn’t read it) that had shown golf associated with a 5-year life expectancy gain. Walking, being outdoors, social, hand-eye coordination…checks a lot of healthy boxes.
I'm 76 and I recently got back into motorcycles. I reckon that it might extend my life if I don't get killed riding it. Reason being is that I'm exercising a lot more so I'm in good shape to ride. There's also something about the dangerous aspect of it that makes me appreciate more the life I have in me.
It takes a ton of strength to ride well, and it definitely is good for brain health to stay attentive and avoid obstacles. If the joy and adrenaline rush you get from it outweigh your concern for injury, then ride on!!
(I’m 5’4” and had a Honda Shadow for a year or two. As you know, the feeling of riding is incomparable, but I was always a little worried sharing the road with massive SUVs, semis, and drivers who are texting or talking on the phone. I decided that if I had even an ounce of fear, that tentativeness was a liability for me, so I sold it. I sometimes imagine how fun it would be to ride on wide open, empty roads, like through Joshua Tree National Park, but I think that ship has sailed for me😊). Thanks for taking time to watch and comment.
@@cbleemd Hello ! I too worry about the clueless drivers. One of the CZcams motorcycle channels points out that fear keeps us alive. I live in the PNW, Olympic peninsula. I'm blessed with mostly empty roads if I get away from populated areas. However, I fear the Kamikaze deer who'll appear at random places. I nearly hit one ! The doe actually kicked my front tire as she made her escape. A buddy of mine died. We're the same age. He left a note for me. Last sentence read. 'Try to enjoy all the time that's given to you'. I thought motorcycle as soon as I read that. I'd been NOT enjoying my life. Too much sitting on the couch watching the horrible political news. Nothing to look forward to. Few friends. Now I awake with thoughts of where I might ride and who I will meet along the way. Thanks for your insights! Cheers !!
The Olympic peninsula is a gorgeous area to be out on the road. It's so wonderful that riding has reawakened your passion for life!
@@cbleemd Thank you !!
Well that's good to know, given I've just snapped one of my right-shoulder bicep tendons in the gym and I'm right-handed...
I’m sorry to hear that. 😟
climbing 8 METS, socially interactive. I never could catch a ball or hit it. Climbing is also intergenerational, with partners from 18 to 73.
Climbing is also incredible for total body strength, and maintaining muscle mass is the most important thing for long term health. Thanks for commenting!
Well, this gives me a very good reason to keep logging my weightlifting sessions on my online forum = I lift iron at home and this is my only way to interact with other lifters, besides the talks with my wife who sometimes gives me advice on my training weights. Being married and having good sex is another nice longevity help, and sex is a bit like tennis, especially the interaction and partner element.
In Olympic weightlifting, just a few examples from the top of my head... Yuri Vlasov died in 2021 at age 85. Norbert Schemansky died at age 92 in 2016. James Bradford passed away in 2013 at 84. Pete George (silver medal in Melbourne, gold in Helsinki) died in 2021 at 92. John Davis died of emphysema at 63 in 1984; he was a lifetime heavy smoker. Tommy Kono left us in 2016 at 85. Arkady Vorobyov died in 2012 at 88. Last not least, Korea's Kim Seong-jip left this world at age 97 in 2016.
That is a great idea to combine the weightlifting that you already have passion for with the social/support aspect of the online forum (and, of course, talking with your wife). ;-)
And yes, a healthy, positive sex life is wonderful for overall well-being -- you and your wife are fortunate to have each other.
Thank you for the impressive list of Olympic weightlifters. As I'm sure you know, if we have to choose only one activity, weight training is best, since it staves off sarcopenia, which is a primary cause of physical decline. I plan to cover this in a future video. Thanks for taking time to watch and comment!
Sex is like tennis ? You are doing it wrong 😅😅😅
@@marcdaniels9079 I'll borrow your girlfriend/wife and do it in front of you, for simple demonstration sake. DO NOT EVER USE THAT TONE WITH ME AGAIN.
This is curious because it is also claimed that tennis or table tennis are the best sports to support cognitive health as we age.
Yes - there’s an interesting article I found about the cognitive benefits of table tennis. I may cover it in a future video. Thanks for watching!
@@cbleemd Dr Daniel Amen the brain specialist highlights the benefits of physical activities involving hand eye coordination, such as games like tennis table to maximise brain health in older age. It's worth checking out if you are interested.
What I'm finding most interesting is that the activities and foods considered best for the heart are also best for the brain and living with optimal health well into our 80s and beyond.
Yes -- one of the keys seems to be findings ways to decrease low grade, chronic inflammation (very different from the acute inflammation that occurs with an ankle sprain). What aging science researchers are discovering is that diet, exercise, relaxation, etc., all have effects on tamping down this inflammation, so yes -- it's all inter-related. I'll track down Dr. Amen's insights. Thanks for the recommendation!
I will be 52 next month i been lifting weight for 38 years and yes my training as change over the years. Get a set of dumbells an incline bench is all you need and do 3 times per week of weight lifting to avoid sarcopenia, cardio just walk walking is excellent.
Diet boost natural source of whole food protein no supplements needed, cut out junk food and sugar high in empty calories, eat a lot more fiber and that is it.
Wow! That is excellent that lifting has been part of your regimen for so long. And yes, you are correct, if we are forced to do only one form of exercise, it should be strength/resistance training. Sarcopenia is the first (and largest) domino in the process of aging. Thanks for your comment!
and are we soure what is cause and what is effect?
Thanks for your question @hoki42. The format of the first two studies is purely observational, so they don't have an "intervention" where you're looking to see a before and after cause-effect. Instead, these studies probe for associations between behaviors and outcomes, which in this case, was mortality. I didn't do a good job of clarifying the distinction in the video. The best phrasing is: based on long term observation, there is an association between playing racquet sports, golf, running, walking for exercise, etc. and an extended life span (or reduced mortality risk) compared to people who don't engage in these activities. Hope that makes better sense! Thanks for watching!
I am obese (by definition but played Racquet Ball and Squash for years, really enjoyed it. Tore my Meniscus in my right knee had orthoscopic surgery gave up R-ball had a knee replacement last year now I am 70, I swim laps (40 minutes) 3 or 4 days a week, but really like the idea of pickleball., but not sure if I can handle it.
If you have a squash and racquet ball background, you will pick it up very quickly. Check with your surgeon, but I know many people who play pickleball with knee and hip replacements. You certainly do need to be careful not to overdo, but it’s not as much running as other racquet sports, so not as much pounding on the joints. I hope you get the all clear to give it a try!
Shoot I was hoping the physical activity was the one that starts with "S"
I see that diet wasn't stressed. What were these people eating? How much processed sugar and food were they consuming, which is a major contributor to metabolic syndrome. You can pickleball all you want but if you live on McDonalds, Dominos, Arby's and soda it will seriously affect your cardivascular health.
Very true. Although the results were adjusted for BMI and history of diabetes, unfortunately, population studies with thousands of subjects like this can't really query or control for diet. Let's hope they weren't playing hours of tennis and then stopping at the drive-thru on the way home!
Pickleball is great. It's all fun but what doesn't get mentioned or appreciated enough about it is the extra dimension brought to the game by the no-go "kitchen" area. It is this that creates the "dinking" part of the game which is very strategic and requires a lot of skill to sustain to the point where you make the other side make a mistake. You don't have this in other racket sports.
Absolutely! It cracks me up when people who’ve never played say that pickleball is slow and boring. They have no idea that those seemingly slow, boring kitchen rallies require a lot of concentration and chess-like strategy trying to elicit opportunities to speed up or preparing to counter.
I played pickle ball a couple of times and it is hard on the knees. I know several people that have had knee replacements and all with complications over time. I don’t ever want knee replacement. So, I will never play pickle ball again. Walking is safe and easier on the knees.
Shoot - sorry to hear your knees were cranky from pickleball, but you’re right - walking is an excellent alternative!
A high end rebounder, always an excellent choice !!
My sister swears by her rebounder! And it kinda makes you feel like a kid again when you do it. 😊
Surprised you missed weight training, which in study after study concluded a substantial reduction in occurrences of arthritis and alzheimers disease. They are not quite sure why but the stats speak for themselves.
Thanks for the comment. If we have to choose only one exercise, you’re right - it should absolutely be strength training. I plan to cover this in future videos, since as you’re probably aware, loss of muscle mass appears to be a primary source of health decline. It’s too bad the studies didn’t include weight training, but it may just be that they were started so long ago (late 90s) before the importance was so widely recognized. Thanks for taking time to watch and point this out. I hope you’ll stay tuned.
@@cbleemd Look forward to your next video. : )
Rowing? Plus cycling to the club. I know it works wonders.
According to the compendium of physical activity linked below, rowing is a whopping 15.5 METs! That would definitely work wonders! Social and collaborative, too, if you're rowing with a team. Thanks for your comment.
Compendium for water activities: pacompendium.com/water-activities/
Full compendium for adults: pacompendium.com/
Pickleball = Blue Zones. Blue Zones are regions where people live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to the global average. These areas have a high concentration of centenarians and low rates of chronic diseases. They have three things in common: diet, physical activity, and social connections. Pickleball checks all the boxes but one must ease into it to avoid injury which is due to inactivity and a disconnect between what the mind says you can do and what the body is capable of doing. Now you have a good reason to eat well, workout and stretch on a regular basis. Welcome to Club 100.
Thanks for your comment. Pickleball does check all the boxes, and yes, injuries are a concern (and likely topic for a future video). I love what I’ve heard about blue zones. There has been some talk that they have been debunked, but I haven’t read too much about it, because the primary principles that you point out: diet, activity, social connection, are what matter.
It depends on individual age and health.
Agreed. Definitely need to adjust activity according to age and health, tho any movement can still benefit.
I think the rollerblading and roller skating activities promote the longest life expectancy than all sports!
Interesting point. I'll see if I can some info on this. I'm a huge fan of rollerblading -- high intensity but easy on the joints while working the glutes like crazy, which are so important for improving balance, minimizing knee and hip pain, etc.
Tennis isnt that expensive to take up.. pick up a used racquet, get a decent pair of shoes, find the public courts at your park or school.. and youre off to the races..
Great point -- it's always an option to grab a used racquet that's still in good shape! Thanks @patrickg5665 !
I run , do weights , and pull ups , chin ups every day. Tennis doesn’t interest me in the least. But honestly , I feel a good diet is just as important as exercise. I am 69 years old , still working and happy with life. Sorry , racquet sports. Maybe in the next life.
Fantastic -- sounds like you've struck your ideal balance, no racquet sports required! Totally agree on the diet. Sugar is my weakness even though I know it's absolute terrible for me.
As a research methodologist, you might want to understand that correlation is not causation. The correlation between your age and continental drift is 1.0 but does your age cause Continental drift no it doesn’t.
Yep - thank you. I recognize that observational studies cannot prove causality, so I was caution to use the term "association" as much as possible in the video (without being too tedious).
My aging sometimes feels massive enough to cause a continental drift, are you sure there's no correlation?! : )
My apologies @evanshaw17 -- having watched it again (for the zillionth time), you're right that I wasn't explicit in stating that these are associations only. Thanks for pointing it out -- will try to be more clear in the future. Still not convinced my age is not causing continental drift, tho.
Ice cycle for 25 miles per day at 25 mph. Have a huge VO2 Max and I’m able to do many other things.
Your VO2 max is indeed awesome to maintain that pace for that many miles -- I hope you find bicycling super fun, too!
I didn't meet the MET value of the racket sports because my neighbor doesn't want me to make a racket. But I do meet the walking score when going to my 93 year old friend to go fishing. He says he is tired of living. I said oh Joe , you gonna be 100 years old one day. Oh no I won't he answered. Lets see if he wants to go and play pickle ball with me at the wreck center.
That is a GREAT idea!! Honestly, it is so much fun and I’ve met so many people, it may be just what Joe needs to recover his zest for life.
Be warned - you will become addicted!!
4.5 hours a week is almost double the time suggested.
So first I can up my walking to 5 hours a week.
Good catch! This threw me off when I read it, too. The 4.5 hours is because only 72% of the doubles pickleball play fell in the moderate intensity range (the remainder was low intensity) -- so more time required to meet the 150 minute minimum or 7.5 MET-hr threshold. Thanks for paying such close attention!
every moment an urbanist bullies and takes over a child playground for pickleball lowers life expectancy and raises neighbor annoyance. 😂
Haha!! We’ll just teach the kids to play pickleball so they don’t notice the playground is gone.😆
It’s the tennis players who are really upset that their courts are being taken over. I get it, too. The solution will be to build dedicated PB courts.
Light but fast shadow boxing and sparring
Great high-intensity workout!
How about the group cycling?
In the second study, cycling was associated with a 3.7 year life expectancy gain compared to 3.2 for jogging. In the first study, the association between cycling and all-cause mortality was only a 3% risk reduction, which seems way too low. Hard to know what variables they didn't account for that might have affected this result, but this is just one study.
Lack of support in this article does not negate all the other evidence that supports cycling as a solid choice for cardiorespiratory fitness that is gentle on the joints and can be dialed in to whatever intensity you choose.
@@cbleemd I noticed that also, but the bicycling study did not indicate group cycling or individual cycling. Racquet sports boosts in longevity indicated a boost from the social aspect of the sport.
Why do so many CZcams channels make assumptions about what their viewers (don't) think??
Can you provide an example of where an assumption was made about what viewers think?
@@cbleemd A good example: "The BEST physical activity for a LONG LIFE (it's not what you think)".
Right, geez, sorry - that was obvious.
The people who make CZcams videos about how to make CZcams videos emphasize that titles and thumbnails should spark curiosity or even create discomfort in a viewer that there may be a gap in their knowledge, which then prompts them to click on the video. “If it’s not what I think, then what IS it?! I can’t scroll on until I’ve watched.”
The titles are also supposed to be catchy and big to stand out that little bit more from the millions of other videos that the algorithm is sending out at any given moment, probing to find the most suitable audience for the topic. I’m not one who typically communicates in all caps, nor am I one to take photos of myself with an exaggeratedly goofy look on my face pointing at an object or chart, but those are quick glimpse visuals that supposedly catch a viewer’s eye. The more accurate title for this video is: “Other than resistance training, the best physical activity among an abbreviated list of possible activity options that is associated with a longer lifespan, according to 2 studies (it wasn’t what I thought).” That probably wouldn’t have gotten as many clicks. Thanks for taking the time to ask this question - I hope it helps explain why CZcamsrs appear to make assumptions.
yes yes yes, but seems to me the gaol or the hope is to live a good life. That is more complicated. But in the end, we all die. The quantification of what is a good life is a bit more tricky.
Indeed. And defining a good life is probably unique to each individual.
I certainly don't expect or want to live forever, but a motto I've adopted (though can't remember where I heard it) is: we may not be able to add more years to our lives, but we can add more life to our years. Thus, being active (and playing pickleball).
I still don’t know what pickle ball is , she keeps saying it but no pictures of the sport!
Thanks for you comment -- Here's a link to a brief video introduction to pickleball:
czcams.com/video/kqLRRNOpe8U/video.htmlsi=6VNv-YwAOAZMZu8J
Great! I found a CZcams channel that reads medical studies to me.......
Thanks for being here!
Pickleball may unfortunately be very accident prone. One reason is that people may not be "athletic" and PB may get a little intense. It is fun though.
Yep -- you're right -- there have been several articles about the variety of injuries and emergency room visits from pickleball. The reports on eye injuries are devastating, so I will likely cover that in the future. The fun factor may part of the injury risk, too -- we get caught up in the moment and forget our limits, which is easy to do.
I knew someone who actually dropped dead during his tennis game..
That is heartbreaking. I'm very sorry to hear this.