A household name synonymous with tennis, Judy Murray has branched out in recent years when it comes to fitness. While the coach and former player still frequents the court – it’s integral to her day job, after all – she has incorporated several other activities into her routine, including one you might be unfamiliar with: rebounding.
Rebounding
In an interview with The Times, Judy explained that while skipping had been part of her tennis routine for years, she’d decided to replace it with rebounding – jumping on a trampoline – due to the impact skipping started to have on her joints and legs. And she’s onto something – a NASA study found rebounding to be up to 68% more effective at working the muscles and joints than treadmill running – something scientists call mechanical loading, which is crucial for bone, muscle and tendon health.
It doesn’t have to be expensive, either. Judy told The Times that she had bought a mini trampoline for £24.99 and that she used it in one-minute bursts.
‘Rebounding can be a smart swap for women in midlife, particularly if high-impact skipping or plyometric training has started to feel unforgiving on the joints,’ says personal trainer Michael Baah. ‘As oestrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, we typically see reductions in bone mineral density, muscle mass and tendon elasticity,’ he explains. ‘High-impact ground reaction forces from traditional skipping can be effective for bone health, but they also place substantial load through the knees, hips and Achilles.’ Rebounding, on the other hand, ‘absorbs some of the ground reaction force, reducing peak stress through the joints, while still stimulating muscle activation in the calves, glutes and core.’
It shouldn’t replace strength training, adds Baah, which ‘remains the most effective intervention for combatting age-related sarcopenia and maintaining metabolic health,’ but it’s an incredibly valuable conditioning tool ‘for women who want to protect their joints while maintaining cardiovascular fitness.’
Below, we also look at the other workouts Judy has turned to in recent years to stay strong and active while protecting her joints – and why you should try them, too.
She swims
‘As I get older I have found a lot of things I enjoyed doing really impact my knees and hips, but a lot of things I can do in water…I also realise I have five grandchildren now. I want to be able to run after them and pick them up and put them down with relative ease,’ Judy told The Times. ‘I have a whole routine I do in the swimming pool and there is no impact in the water. It is a better way to do some of the things I used to do.’
Indeed, not only does swimming protect your joints, but it’s also effective for cardio fitness. ‘The biggest advantage of swimming is that it is low impact. The buoyancy of water significantly reduces joint loading, making it an excellent option for people with joint pain or who have a lower tolerance to impact,’ personal trainer and nutritionist Georgia Garlick previously told WH. ‘It is a true full-body exercise, involving the upper body, trunk, hips and legs simultaneously.’ On average, she added that moderate swimming burns 500-700 kcal per hour – typically more than moderate cycling.
She has started playing golf
Judy has also discussed how participating in Strictly Come Dancing back in 2014 instilled in her a desire to continue challenging herself and trying new things – no matter her age. In that vein, ahead of her 65th birthday, she told HELLO!, that she had taken up golf. ‘I’m addicted to it, it is so incredibly relaxing,’ she said. ‘It gets me out in the fresh air and away from my phone and because it’s not as physically demanding as running around a tennis court, it suits me now that my arms aren’t as strong as they once were.
‘As we get older it’s so important to keep trying to find things that stimulate you, make you think and keep you socially connected – and golf ticks all of those boxes.’
A review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine linked golf to an increased life expectancy, reduced risk of chronic disease and improved mental health.
She plays pickleball
While padel has become hugely popular, it seems that its sibling pickleball – which combines tennis, badminton and table tennis – is more up Judy’s street. After trying the sport herself, she’s since campaigned to get more people involved. ‘It’s just fun and engaging, and it’s incredibly inclusive. And for Scotland, it’s a perfect fit for us. We have terrible weather, we have badminton courts everywhere – in every community centre and sports centre. Even church halls have badminton courts,’ she told The National. ‘In terms of setting up quickly, wherever you are, I think it’s a perfect fit for getting more people more active.’
Judy added that she sees it as a perfect transition from tennis to something that will let her play a similar game for longer.
She stretches regularly
The final touch to Judy’s fitness routine? A dedicated stretching routine. ‘Since I turned 60, I’ve realised how important it is to stretch to stay mobile and flexible if I want to stay active with my grandchildren,’ she told HELLO!.
While we don’t know the specifics of Judy’s stretching routine, even dedicating just a few minutes daily to mobility can supercharge longevity.
There is an ideal routine based on science, though. According to a panel of experts convened by the American College of Sports Medicine, who reviewed a range of studies, you should:
- Do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga or tai chi) for all major muscle-tendon groups – neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs and ankles – minimum two to three times per week.
- Spend 60 seconds on each exercise. If you can hold a specific stretch for 15 seconds, try repeating it three more times and if you can hold it for 20 seconds, two more repetitions would be ideal.
As Judy regularly says, though, it’s about finding forms of exercise that you enjoy, as you’ll be far more likely to find the time – even if it’s for five minutes – to get stuck in.
Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.
