Padel is Alia Bhatt's new obsession; this hybrid racket sport can boost heart health and build your core

Alia Bhatt is taking her fitness game to a new level, and it seems she has found a new passion—padel!

The actress, of late, has been spotted enjoying the fast-growing racket sport with great enthusiasm. On Friday, Alia posted a video of her where she is seen showing her prowess in the padel sport.

Alia Bhatt indulges in padel; how to play the tennis-squash hybrid sport?

Alongside the clip, the Raazi actress wrote, “Some arguments were had over my padel obsession… #hardfacts.” Dressed in sports athleisure, Alia is seen enjoying the new padel, which is the racket sport that's a mix of tennis and squash. She also added Apna Time Aayega rap from her film Gully Boy as background score for the video.

For those unaware, padel, a rapidly rising racket sport, is attracting attention worldwide for its fun and fitness benefits. Unlike traditional racket sports, a padel court is roughly one-third the size of a tennis court and is enclosed by glass or mesh walls. Players can use these walls to bounce the ball, and even step outside the court through a door to return shots.

Padel is emerging as the next big leisure sport, with a 26% rise in courts in 2023 and over 4.5 million rackets sold last year. It originated in 1960s Mexico and has seen a rapid global growth—from 10,000 courts in 2016 to a projected 51,000 in 2024 and 70,000 by 2026.

According to the National Library of Medicine, racket sports, and particularly padel, help children and adults to have fun, improve physical fitness, and potentially develop motor and cognitive skills.

Studies show padel boosts cardiovascular health by raising heart rate and improving circulation. A one-hour session burns 450–600 calories, supports weight management, sharpens reflexes and hand-eye coordination, and triggers endorphins that relieve stress and lift mood.

Alia, who was last seen in Jigra, is also gearing up for her next big project, the action-packed film Alpha, co-starring Sharvari and Bobby Deol. Set to release next year, the movie promises to showcase Alia in an intense, action-oriented avatar.

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