We know how fantastic tennis is as a sport. The physical, mental, and emotional challenge of the game. Boxing from 30ft, chess at 100mph. There is nothing quite like a game of tennis. In a recent study by ASICS, the Japanese company found that just a 15-minute hit reduces stress by a massive 35%. Wow!
ASICS experiment proves just 15 minutes on the tennis court can reduce stress levels by 35%
A unique experiment conducted by ASICS ahead of Roland Garros has demonstrated that playing just 15 minutes of tennis is enough to reduce stress levels by more than a third (35%). The mental state of Parisians was measured before and after playing and showed that over half (51%) of participants felt more relaxed, and 20% felt happier.
The Uplift Court itself was inspired by recent research which identified that 65% of Parisians felt stressed, with the biggest stresses cited including traffic (61%), air pollution (56%), public transport (48%), lack of parking spaces (42%) and work (39%). These stress points came to life as targets on a dedicated ‘stress wall’, allowing Parisians to “play their stress away” with tennis in a live experiment.
World number one, Iga Świątek who joined the ASICS’ Uplift Court said: “Being on the court playing tennis is where I feel most comfortable. It takes me back to when I was young, hitting a ball and feeling at my happiest, which is a great experience as a head into this week. So, to see all these people come out and play with us at ASICS is great. You can see that people feel freer and are letting go of their stresses out on the court.”
Dr. Brendon Stubbs added: “This novel experiment advances our understanding of the power of tennis to improve stress and positive feelings. The evidence of research before this was poor and the study design of this experiment provides a robust illustration of the positive impact tennis can have on people’s stress and mental health in a short period. Given the high levels of stress noted in ASICS research, the potential for tennis to play an important role in addressing this is very timely and the findings are important.”
Uplift Court participants were asked to rate their perceived levels of stress over the last month using a validated scale before heading out to the court. Participants then played tennis for 15 minutes and nine seconds, a nod to ASICS Global State of Mind Index findings*, before completing an updated version of the ‘stress test’ to capture their stress and emotional health post-game.
Gary Raucher Executive Vice President, ASICS EMEA said: “At ASICS, we are on a mission to help people experience the benefits of movement on the mind. Uplift Court provided a fun release for the people of Paris but was also underpinned by data. This experiment confirmed what we already believed, that picking up a tennis racket and playing for just 15 minutes and nine seconds can reduce stress and make people feel happier. We hope more people in Paris and around the world will turn to tennis to uplift their minds and improve their mental wellbeing.”