We often say “life lies in exercise”. Some exercises are indeed beneficial to health and longevity, but surprisingly, if you choose the wrong exercise, it will not only not be beneficial to your health, but will also quietly shorten your lifespan.
So, which kind of exercise is most beneficial to longevity? Which sport is the most cost-effective?
Scientists have discovered that “the most life-extending exercise” is not as good as running or swimming!
In 2016, a cohort study published in the authoritative medical journal “British Medical Journal” was based on data from 80,306 adults with an average age of 52 years old, and explored the relationship between specific types of exercise and the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular disease death.
After 9.2 years of follow-up, researchers found that there are three types of exercise that are most strongly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause death, namely:
Racquet sports (badminton, tennis, squash, etc.) – 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality;
Swimming – 28% lower risk of all-cause mortality;
Aerobic exercise (fitness dance and aerobics, etc.) – reduces the risk of all-cause death by 27%.
At the same time, researchers also found that these exercises were associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular death, including:
Racquet sports (badminton, tennis, squash, etc.) – reduce the risk of cardiovascular death by 56%;
Swimming – reduces the risk of cardiovascular death by 41%;
Aerobic exercise (fitness dance and aerobics, etc.) – reduces the risk of cardiovascular death by 36%.
In 2018, a similar study was published in The Lancet, which involved 80,000 people and lasted 15 years.
After analyzing the relationship between different types of exercise and all-cause mortality, we concluded that the most cost-effective life-extending exercise is:
“Swing sports”.
In April 2025, a research analysis involving 95,000 athletes and the impact of 44 different sports on lifespan was published in the journal “Geriatric Science”.
The results found that racket-swinging exercise can extend life span by 5.7 years among men and 2.8 years among women.
In addition, the related all-cause mortality rate was reduced by 47%, while swimming and running, which are generally recognized as beneficial to health and longevity, were only reduced by 28% and 36%.
In other words, racket-swinging exercise has the most significant effect in extending lifespan and reducing all-cause mortality.
Why do I advise you to do more swing sports?
As long as you hold the racket with both hands or one hand and swing to hit the ball, it is considered a swing sport, such as table tennis, tennis and badminton that we are familiar with.
The reason why swing sports are called “the most life-extending sports” is mainly due to the following aspects.
1. Improve cardiopulmonary function
As a continuous aerobic exercise, racket swing exercise can increase cardiac output and improve the operating efficiency of the cardiovascular system if done for a long time. At the same time, swinging exercises can also promote blood flow and improve blood circulation.
2. Healthy brain and eyesight
Before playing racket sports, the human eyes need to judge the path of the ball, and the brain also needs to quickly make corresponding judgments on the ball speed, angle, and racket power.
The nervous system must quickly transmit the comprehensive analysis results to the motor system and mobilize the corresponding muscle groups to complete a series of actions. Therefore, regular racket sports can strengthen the brain and protect the eyes.
3. Improve body flexibility
When playing racket sports, people need to constantly hit the ball and catch the ball, and their bodies will also swing rapidly. This can not only enhance muscle strength, but also improve the body’s agility and coordination.
4. Promote mental health
This sport requires us to constantly run on the court and change postures. Especially when we win, we will have a strong sense of accomplishment.
In addition, this sport requires at least two people to complete. Together, everyone can not only play ball, but also communicate and even make new friends, which is of great benefit to mental health.
What should ordinary people pay attention to when practicing swing sports?
1. Pay attention to exercise intensity
The World Health Organization recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
Tennis and squash are high-intensity aerobic exercises, and it is recommended to do them for 1-2 hours a week;
Table tennis is a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and it is recommended to do it for 150 minutes a week.
2. Pay attention to warm up
It is best to warm up for 5-10 minutes before exercise. Do not stop and rest immediately after exercise. You can stop slowly and then perform 5 minutes of cleaning activities. This will allow the heart to slowly adapt to the reduction in exercise.
3. Fully consider your own conditions
Some middle-aged friends must fully consider their own conditions when choosing racket sports, such as checking whether there are primary diseases or old injuries in their knees, ankle joints, shoulder joints, etc.
Another example is that some sports, such as badminton, have requirements for physical fitness, venue and ball speed, so middle-aged and elderly people must consider carefully when choosing.
4. Take it step by step and take your time
Don’t rush for success, let alone try to get it done in one step. If you never or rarely exercise, don’t jump right in and do a lot of exercise.
You can first develop exercise habits, and then explore the form of exercise that suits you. For example, you can try walking, running, swimming, and jumping. At the same time, you should learn techniques to avoid injuries.
These two sports have equally good life-extending effects.
1. Swimming
Swimming mainly includes breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle. As a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, swimming can exercise the muscles of the whole body, help improve systemic blood circulation, enhance cardiopulmonary function, and help the elderly prevent cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis.
On the other hand, swimming can delay the decline of respiratory organ function and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 41%. Especially when the recommended amount of exercise is reached, all-cause mortality can be reduced by about 28%.
Recommended amount of exercise and precautions:
It is recommended to swim 3-5 times a week, and each session should not exceed 30 minutes.
Different groups of people and their own physical health conditions can choose different swimming styles. For example, freestyle swimming is not recommended for patients with lumbar disc herniation and waist and leg pain.
2. Indoor fitness
In recent years, some indoor fitness programs have become very popular, such as dance, yoga and aerobics.
Many of the movements in these events are based on slowly stretching the body, which can improve ligament flexibility, thereby improving body flexibility and coordination.
In addition, many indoor fitness projects require participation in team sports, especially some sports that require mutual cooperation, which will increase people’s happiness.
Studies have found that indoor fitness can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 36%, and when reaching the recommended amount of exercise, it can reduce all-cause mortality by about 27%.
Recommended amount of exercise and precautions:
It is recommended to exercise 3-5 times a week, for more than 30 minutes each time.
Since the intensity of indoor aerobic exercise is relatively low, if you want to achieve the best results, try to achieve moderate intensity. The so-called moderate intensity means that the heartbeat and breathing are slightly accelerated during exercise.
Original title: “Scientists have discovered that the “most life-extending exercise” is inferior to running and swimming, and many people do not practice it correctly”
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