Benefits Of Sports and Physical Activities

sports benefitsPlaying a sport gives you a healthy body, and improved self-confidence. Physical fitness is a given: sports allow your body to stretch and toughen the muscles. It’s a great and fun way to burn off those excess calories, besides giving you a sense of achievement.

It is great to begin playing sports at a young age as it strengthens bones and muscles. Apart from the obvious body toning, it increases one’s stamina and endurance.

Different sports have different advantages – some focus on stretching and jumping, like basketball. Other sports, like football and cricket, strengthen the body through running, kicking or throwing.

basketballIf you want a full-body workout, then it is swimming you want. It is the best way to tone the whole body. Basketball involves running, jumping and stretching the body, and so burns plenty of calories, especially because it is fast-paced. Tennis, on the other hand, consists of running and hitting. It is a good way to sharpen your hand-eye coordination and strengthen those arms. The same goes for hockey and other similar sports like badminton and even volleyball. It even gives your cardiovascular system a boost.

But sports, especially for children, appear to have some unexpected benefits. Not only do they help keep them fit and healthy, experts believe that they help children’s mathematics skills. Playing a sport can improve their concentration and focus, especially games that involve aiming and hitting, like tennis, badminton and baseball. Of course, we all know that sports also promote teamwork and develop leadership qualities.

Apart from this, children who play sports have a healthy sense of competition and commitment. Once in a game, children get used to the idea of winning and losing and learn to take each loss and victory in their stride, without taking it unduly to heart.

children swimmingSports also help kids develop soft skills like socialising and meeting people. It is very beneficial in
teaching children how to communicate and coordinate with others, and also teaches them to be disciplined and gives them a structure that’s important for their development. The sports regime is healthy and gives one a sense of routine, which acts as a tool in leading a healthy lifestyle.

For children and adults alike, sports can be a great way to meet different people and extend their circle of friends.

There is something extremely invigorating about exerting your body and playing a sport. Since playing a sport involves activities like jumping, running, bouncing, throwing, dribbling, hitting a ball, it is a great way to get rid of stress and pent-up aggression, and feel better about life. After all, there is something about cheering for a teammate and clapping that makes you feel great! These activities spur extra production of endorphins, the brain’s natural feel-good chemical. In addition to all of this, sports inculcate a sense of pride and loyalty, whether for a school, a community or the country. It fosters a sense of belonging.

The sheer physical benefits are staggering, like maintaining healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It cuts down your chances of getting many diseases like diabetes and heart disease. People who play sports are less likely to encounter problems with depression, as well as other psychological disorders. And let’s not forget that playing a sport is great fun! So there you have it. Sound advice for a healthy body, mind and soul!

 

source: youandi.com