Health Benefits of Playing Soccer

Besides being a fun team sport, soccer provides a great way to get in shape. If you have trouble sticking to a dedicated exercise regime but enjoy the camaraderie of team sports, soccer may be a good choice for you. Local soccer leagues are typically easy to find and in a pinch you can always get a group of your friends together for a game on a weekend.

Throughout the course of a 90-minute game, a typical soccer player (the goalie being the exception here) may cover 4 to 5 miles. Of course, not the entire duration of the game is spent at full throttle. You'll walk, jog, sprint and backpedal to achieve this distance. The point is, you are moving constantly.

Now let's discuss what this activity does for you.

Weight loss: running burns more calories per minute than almost any other form of exercise. So it is an effective way to lose weight. While running, body's energy demands are higher which in turn results in improved metabolism.

Cardiovascular health: walking and running strengthen your cardiovascular system, improve circulation, and increase your lung capacity. Your muscles require more oxygen while you run and your lungs will use more of their capacity to meet your body's need. Your heart and arteries will also get a workout pumping all that blood around your body. Running has also been proven to lower the risk of heart attack and decrease blood pressure.

Strength and flexibility: chasing your opponent, blasting the ball for a goal and jumping for headers are all exercises that build strength in your legs. Practicing those throw-ins so that you can get some real distance and you'll notice your arms and shoulders will begin to show some tone and definition. And since you'll be moving forwards, backwards and sideways, you need to make sure you stretch before and after the game to prevent painful muscle pulls (hamstring and groin pulls are not comfortable!) and cramping.

General well-being: Running and other forms of aerobic exercise trigger your brain to release endorphins, chemicals responsible for a feeling of euphoria. Spend some time running around the soccer pitch and you'll feel really good at the end of the game. All that exercise is a great stress-reliever.

As you can see, there are multiple health benefits of playing soccer. You'll improve your cardiovascular system, strengthen and tone your muscles and you can even have a positive effect on your state of mind.

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