Which sport is better for your health, jogging or swimming?

(Dan Tri) - New research, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, concludes that some sports that are often considered recreational are actually very good for the heart and can help increase longevity.

Racket sports offer more health benefits than running and swimming (Illustration: BGR).

For years, doctors have said swimming and running are two of the best ways to build muscle and improve cardiovascular health. But now, new research says racket sports like tennis are even better for your body.

The study, which followed more than 8,500 participants in Denmark, found that tennis and badminton in particular were associated with the greatest increase in longevity of any physical activity.

Specifically, tennis helps increase life expectancy by 9.7 years, while badminton increases life expectancy by 6.2 years, compared to running by only 3.2 years and swimming by 3.4 years. Another recent study by British researchers also supports these findings.

They also looked at the overall impact of sports and the benefits of specific sports on health factors.

A big part of why racket sports are so good for you is because they keep you constantly moving, with quick sprints and constant changes of direction, all of which can be hugely beneficial to a player's body.

As a result, players are constantly burning calories, making tennis one of the best ways to control your weight.

Furthermore, researchers agree that the repetitive movements that play a large role in racket sports that require you to move a large portion of your body weight can help stimulate bone growth and bone density – something that becomes especially important as we age.

This discovery opens the door for other cardio-focused sports to become viable options for people looking to lose weight instead of just swimming-biking-running.

Because forming a regular exercise habit is not simple, and for some people it can be very difficult to maintain, knowing that there are more options for exercising and burning calories effectively is motivating for many people.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/mon-the-thao-nao-tot-cho-suc-khoe-hon-ca-chay-bo-va-boi-loi-20250706123832574.htm