Upon reading the article’s title above, you might wonder if playing sports are a good substitute for your current workout.
When you think about it, it’s like hitting multiple birds with one stone. For someone who’s a football player, for example, they are likely to consider ‘football’ not only as training for their next big game but also their ideal workout.
So not only does playing sports tick off exercise in your to-do list, but you also get quality entertainment, and it may even be a way to hang out with friends as well.
However, if you’re currently not playing sports or never really got into it, there are still numerous reasons why it’s a good idea to shift your regular workout into playing sports. For instance, did you know that people who usually engage in sports tend to have a better quality of life than those who sit around and do nothing throughout the day?
With that said, our health and lifestyle experts here at Vivotion broke down the reasons why you should consider sports as one of your lifestyle choices below.
The Importance of Sports
When looking into the perspective of a healthy lifestyle, one of the most beneficial benefits would be physical activity—fitness activities, e.g. sports.
Swimming, running, playing soccer or even tennis are a few of the perfect sports that can be substituted for your workout regimen.
These sort of sports are ideal for burning calories, and they can offer you with the equivalent benefit of running on a treadmill and exhausting yourself with cardio exercises.
Speaking of exhaustion, we know your time is essential and wouldn’t want to exhaust you by doing further research, so we did the leg work for you. In this list below, we will show why sports are proven to make a significant impact on your life unquestionably.
Strength and Coordination
What’s good about sports is it can help you to develop and improve not only your coordination but also your HGH hormones—the hormones that are accountable for your growth.
Sports Build Character
When you start taking part in sports, it guarantees to help you build up your muscles. Not only that, but it can also help you to strengthen your character.
Teamwork and Fair Play
This is the most important one—teamwork; the value of teamwork. Did you know that you can adopt this trait through playing sports? This kind of quality can not only be applied in the sports community but also every aspect of your life, e.g. in household and workplace.
Sports as a Career
When it comes to choosing a sport as a career, it offers lots of opportunities that fit and will fit you. Sports such as basketball, football, volleyball, tennis and other well-known sports can be a possible career path for you.
Sports That You Can Add to Your Current Workout Routine
Check out some of the healthiest sports you can add to your workout routine below. Who knows, this could even lead to new friends, a new hobby, or even a new sports career path!
Swimming
Swimming is beneficial and good for the heart. This kind of sport is ideal for calorie burning, muscle build-up, lung capacity improvement, and maintaining healthy body weight.
If you want something less intense but still beneficial, check out aqua yoga.
Tennis
If you’re looking for a perfect alternative sport that can help you burn 600 calories, an hour of playing tennis can guarantee you that result. No wonder why tennis is known as one of the best aerobic exercises in the fitness community!
Basketball
Did you know that a 165-pound person can burn up to 600 calories while a 250-pound person can burn up to 900 calories for each hour of a competitive basketball game? It turns out that basketball is not just a phenomenally tiring game to play, but it’s also great for strengthening and maintaining your overall health on many levels!
Cycling
Cycling is one of the low-impact outdoor activities that can help you burn serious calories. Not only that, but this kind of outdoor activity can also make you happier and your brain stronger.
Riding a bike is a win-win for your mental and physical health!
Volleyball
Well, it turns out that volleyball isn’t just a sport but also a healthy sport that can torch calories, strengthens your coordination, boost your overall mood, builds your agility, and increases your metabolic rate.
Sport Workout Health Benefits
It is proven that engaging yourself in sports and other outdoor physical activities can help you boost your overall health and well-being. If you wish to consider playing sports as your current workout, here are the amazing health benefits that you can reap.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Sports such as soccer, squash, basketball, tennis—to name a few, can help you improve the overall health of your cardiovascular system. On the other hand, activities like walking, running, rowing, stair climbing, hiking and other aerobic activities can also be a great alternative when it comes to improving your cardiovascular fitness.
Strengthens Immune System
A further benefit of staying active in outdoor activities is strengthening your immune system. Meaning, cold and flu prevention will be in your favour.
Mental Health Benefits
Sports is also great for your mental health as well as it helps to fight your anxiety and depression, manage your stress, exercises your brain, sharpens your focus, and improves your self-esteem.
Lowers Risk of Diabetes, Stroke and Heart Disease
You are likely to reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and other types of diseases that can harm your well-being if you have a stronger and healthier heart. So, if you want to lower the risks of these conditions, you might want to consider adding sports to your workout.
For more tips on reducing these risks, check out our article on staying fit after 40. Pro Tip: You don’t need to be over 40 to benefit from those tips.
Reduces Blood Pressure
If you engage yourself in physical activities daily, this will not only help you lower the risk of harmful diseases, but this can also help in lowering your blood pressure and make your heart healthy while preventing hypertension.
Improves Muscular Strength, Endurance, Joint Flexibility, and Range of Motion
Resistance training is a form of exercise which helps in enhancing muscular strength, endurance, joint flexibility, and range of motion. Sports such as weightlifting, bodybuilding, highland games, to name a few are perfect for enhancing the three.
Examples of resistance training that you can do whether you’re at home or gym are the following:
- Dumbbell Curls
- Barbell Bench Press
- Barbell Squats
- Dumbbell Flyes
These kinds of weight training will challenge your muscular system, which will guarantee you with bigger and stronger muscles while reducing the risk of injury as you improve your flexibility at the same time.
Conclusion
It turns out that is it possible to transform your current workout regimen into playing some sports. Not only it is beneficial for your health and well-being, but you can also adopt the excellent characteristics of sports such as character development, teamwork, and potentially even sports as a career in your life.
If you’re now thinking about shifting your regular workout into playing sports, what sport would you choose? Is it something you’ve been dying to try out or something that would challenge yourself?
To end this article, be mindful that some sports might not work or be right for you. It is essential to know the current condition of your health before you jump into activity.
So make sure to ask for your healthcare provider’s advice before anything else. Then if you’re good to go, it is time to wake up your inner sportsman self.
Good luck with your fitness journey with Vivotion!