ASICS PROVES THE UPLIFTING POWER OF TENNIS TO RELIEVE STRESS AND IMPROVE MENTAL WELLBEING

ASICS experiment proves just 15 minutes on the tennis court can reduce stress levels by 35%

PARIS, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 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', giving Parisians the opportunity 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 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 literally letting go off their stresses out on 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 prior to 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 from a short period of time.  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 on 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 mind and improve their mental wellbeing."

NOTES FOR EDITORS

ABOUT ASICS

Headquartered in Kobe, Japan, ASICS is a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of high-performance athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, the company name is derived from the Latin saying Anima Sana In Corpore Sano ("A Sound Mind in a Sound Body"), and this continues to guide the activities of the organization as a whole. ASICS has regional operations in Japan, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, as well as South, East, and Southeast Asia, distributing products to over 150 countries and regions worldwide. The company also operates the Onitsuka Tiger classic footwear and HAGLÖFS outdoor brands.

Find out more at ASICS.com and #LiveUplifted.

INDEX METHODOLOGY:

The index was commissioned by ASICS and carried out by RWB and BF Media. All surveys were conducted between 21^st and 25^th April 2022. The sample comprised 503 Parisians.

* About the ASICS State of Mind Index

The State of Mind Index is a first-of-its-kind study conducted by ASICS which looks at the relationship between State of Mind and exercise around the world. The State of Mind Index is a score out of 100, calculated based on the accumulative mean scores across ten cognitive and emotional traits – including positivity, content, relaxed, focused and composed. Conducted by Edelman Data & Insights, the study was carried out among a total sample size of 37,000 respondents across 16 countries globally – nationally representative by age, gender and region in each market. The countries included in the study are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, UK & USA. Generational breakdown included in the study was as follows:

• Sample size: 2,510
• Boomers & Silent (older generation) - 57+
• Gen X - 41-56
• Millennials - 24-40
• Gen Z - 18-24

**About the Uplift Court Stress test

Members of the public and media were invited to take part in this novel experiment.  Participants completed the anonymous data collection before and after the event.  Participants were anonymously asked to rate their levels of perceived stress the day before the event over the past month using the perceived stress scale.  Participants were also asked to rate their levels of contentment, happiness and how relaxed they felt on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 100 (completely).  Participants then engaged in the Uplift Court experience and played tennis for 15 minutes and 9 seconds.  Upon leaving the court, participants completed an updated version of the perceived stress scale to rate their current perceived stress levels and rated their current feelings of contentment, happiness and relaxation.  The change in perceived stress, contentment, happiness and relaxation were calculated across the group as a percentage difference from before the event to after playing tennis to specifically identify the changes in each outcome attributed to playing tennis.  This pre and posttest measurement using robust measures provides an accurate isolated measure of changes in the outcomes.  The live experiment is a world's first to reliably measure the before and after stress effects of playing tennis. 

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning "A Sound Mind in a Sound Body," is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com.

The stripe design featured on the sides of the ASICS®shoes is a registered trademark of ASICS Corporation.

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