Football
As much as a good kick around provides an excellent opportunity for a few laughs with your mates, and for us that is already a very valid reason to play a game of 5-a-side, doing so is also highly beneficial for your health and fitness. Let’s take a look at how this sport can help improve your lifestyle.
Workout In The Gym Or Step Up To The Pitch
According to the University of Copenhagen, researchers have found that kicking a ball around with your mates is equivalent to a 12-week running-based training programme. Peter Krustrup, the lead researcher of the University’s Department of Exercise and Sport, reported that a football match with all the sprinting, jumping, turning, tackling and shooting mixed with all the other low-intensity activities that are also part of the game, provides the body with a full workout, thus preventing the need for gym usage, personal trainers, and the added costs in which that entails.
It’s Time To Lace Up Those Astros And Get Your Game On.
Five-A-Side footy games are relatively shorter than the usual 90-minute football match however they are still a great way to boost your fitness levels. The game itself will help burn body fat and carbs using aerobic and anaerobic energy systems.
It is also very beneficial to our heart’s health, plus VO2 max is enhanced (the part that quantifies the oxygen you use whilst working out). And the more games you get under your belt, the better for your health and the better your performance will be.
It Doesn’t Feel Like Exercise When You’re Playing Alongside Your Pals
Apparently, you lose more weight when working out in a group, however with your mates in tow, kicking a ball it’s unlikely that you’ll feel like you are working out at all. You’ll be having so much fun that you’ll most likely burn a shed load of calories just from laughing, without realising it. For instance, a 190lb male can burn around 800 calories in an hour of playing football which is pretty impressive. You can achieve around the same results playing basketball, rugby, swimming or cycling even though it may feel much harder doing so.
According to a UEFA report, playing football helps to keep your mental health in check, and it’s also great for reducing stress levels. It’s thought that around 26% of your stress levels are reduced with regular group exercise.
So aside from being a lot of fun, a game of 5aside-football is also great for aiding with weight loss, boosting your physical condition and enhancing and improving wellbeing and mental health. That sounds like the perfect plan.
