As a library is necessary for the mental health of a person, so is a playground for the physical health. Playing sports indoor or outdoor is important for the mental, as well as physical development of an individual and every sport, has its own unique advantages.
We’ll be discussing how a few sports like (football, hockey, swimming, chess, and cricket) impact us? How each one of these sports benefits our bodies? How sports are the most natural way to stay fit, since playing a sport never seems like an effort but also seems fun.
How each one of these sports benefits our bodies?
- Football: Football players require a great level of stamina. Among various factors, concentration is most important thing, even a tiny distraction make you lose the game. Thus, players can increase their concentration span with this game. Further football works very well to develop your leg muscles namely shins and thighs. Legs being the largest muscle of the body are most crucial.
- Hockey: Hockey is the fast pace sport that improves its player agility and lower body strength. Playing hockey is fun and effective way of burning calories with its fast pace requiring short burst of sprint energy along with long term stamina over the course of the match. The sustained energy and holistic muscle strength required in the hockey match, have developed the body cardiovascular system, therefore improve your breathing, by pumping in more oxygen around your body. Hockey is one sport that works on both your legs as well as upper body at the same time. Playing hockey is a great way of developing your body’s leg muscle including the hamstrings, hip, and calves. It also improves the endurance of shoulder muscles, triceps and forearms. Hockey relies on good coordination between the eyes and the hands. It improves the reflexes and the reaction time of its player.
- Swimming: Swimming works on your whole body, improving the cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture and flexibility all at the same time. Your cardiovascular system in particular benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart. As you become fitter and are able to swim longer your resting heart rate and respiratory rate will be reduced, making blood flow to the heart and lungs more efficient. If you are looking to lose weight swimming is just the ticket.
- Chess: Chess is now known to be imaginative and strategic game. People find chess relaxing and it also helps them think analytically. It improves the focus and concentration of one’s mind. Chess teaches the person to analyse different situation and thinks of thousands of times before taking a step as not always the first decision the right one. As chess requires one to remember various position and strategy, this helps improve memory and increase concentration.
- Cricket: There are many benefits of playing cricket. Cricket enhances hand and eye coordination. When you play cricket, you get fit by running between the wickets. Running after ball and running after the ball to field it. You also develop stamina that can last for very long time.
It is well accepted that exercises are good for body and mind and that is definitely true. Exercises especially, when we are young has all sorts of benefits like strengthing our bones, clearing out bad cholesterol from our arteries and decreasing the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Our brain also releases a number of chemicals when we exercise including endorphins. These natural hormones which control pain and pleasure responses in the central nervous system can lead to the feeling of euphoria. Which is often called runners high. Increase endorphins and consistent physical activity in general, can sharpen your focus, improve your mood and memory.
Regular exercises and sports activities are fun and exciting, at the same time helps in shedding that unwanted extra fat to stay fit for a long run.
So does that mean we get just as many benefits going to the gym five days a week, as we would by joining the team and competing?
Well, here it is when it gets interesting. It turns out that if you find the sport and team you like, studies show there are all sorts of benefits that go beyond the mental and physical benefits of exercise alone. Some of the significant and psychological benefits, both in the short and long term, some of those come from communal experience of being in the team. For instance learning to trust and depend on others to accept help, give help and to work together towards a common goal. In addition, commitment to a team and doing something fun, also make it easier to establish a regular habit of exercise.
School sports participation also has been shown in reducing the risk of suffering from depression for up to four years. Meantime your self-esteem and confidence can get a big boost. There are few reasons for that one is found in training that Just by working and working to improve the skill especially with the good coach, you reinforce a growth mindset within yourself. That is when you say, even if I cannot do something today, I can improve myself through practice and achieve it eventually. This type of mindset can be helpful in all walks of life. There is also learning through failure.
One of the most transformative long-term benefits of playing sports is the experience of coming to term defeat, building resilience and self-awareness necessary for managing academic, social and physical hurdles. You being a part of any sporting community means you will be building your confidence, you will be exercising your body and nurturing your brain and not to mention having fun.