It has only been recently that chess has become popular among all levels of society. And no wonder.
Chess is great exercise.
No, there are no head smashing, helmet scarring football tackles or exotic tumbles on a gymnastic mat. Rather the players exercise their minds. The mind, like the body, will atrophy if left unused too long. Also like the body, it will get stronger if used in a constructive fashion. A game of logic, Chess exercises the mind by requiring players to think logically.