Football is the most popular sport in the world and has been around for thousands of years. It is easy to play, doesn’t cost much and can be played in any part of the world. Whether you are young or old, playing football is an amazing activity that has many benefits for your health.
1. Hard Work
If you’re a football player, then you know that you must always give it your best effort to help your team win. The game demands high levels of physical activity and you can’t afford to miss a single match or practice session.
A typical football match is divided into two periods of 45 minutes each, called halves. After each half, there is a break of 15 minutes – known as half time – before the second 45 minutes starts. The referee also makes allowance for significant stoppages of play as described below, which adds on a few minutes to the total time in each half.
2. Cardiovascular Benefits
The constant movement of players during a match will keep your heart rate up and make you feel healthier overall. It will strengthen your heart, resist plaque build-up in your coronary arteries and reduce blood pressure. It will also increase muscle toning and burn excess calories.
3. Coordination
During a football match, your footwork will improve significantly as you run and jump to control the ball and defend it. Your reflexes, anticipation and agility will be put through their paces as well.
4. Mental Toughness
A lot of the skill required to be a good football player comes from developing the ability to remain calm under stress and concentrate on the game at hand. Often, there will be a setback or a goal that seems out of reach and players must learn to keep their heads up and move forward despite the challenges.
5. Socialization
A major benefit of playing football is that you’ll be exposed to a variety of different people from all walks of life and you’ll learn how to communicate with them effectively. In addition, you’ll also develop friendships with your team mates.
6. Muscle Toning
Running and kicking the ball will help you build muscle mass in your thighs, glutes and abs. This will lead to a toned body that will look and feel great.
7. Strength and bone Health
The repetitive jogging and accelerations involved in football will strengthen your bones and keep them strong as you grow older. This will help you to prevent osteoporosis and other problems associated with weak bones.
8. Fat Loss
The high level of physical activity during a football game can result in fat loss and improve muscle toning. It’s a perfect workout for your muscles and will also release feel-good endorphins that lower your stress and anxiety.
9. Muscle Tone
Football is a great sport to be in as it improves your muscular health, cardiac health, bone strength and improves your mental state. It’s also an excellent way to get a healthy diet.
