Our Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, an ex-footballer,
leads the State in Health revolution. It is generally
agreed by health practitioners and specialists that
fast footwork, agility and endurance are just a few
of the essentials for playing men’s football. And the
full list of benefits gained from playing this sport are
numerous. While it is most popular in European
and Latin American countries (it’s even the national
sport of Brazil), Nigerians are taking part in the
excitement both at the recreational and competitive
levels. The best part about this sport is that you
can play with any number of players, in any open
space!
BENEFITS:
Increases Aerobic Capacity: Running -at any
intensity- for 90 minutes requires a high level of
stamina. Therefore, football players often have a
tremendous amount of aerobic capacity- being able
to go from walking to sprinting and have a fast
recovery to do it again, and again, and again
Improves Cardiovascular Health : The average player
runs 5 to 7 miles in a full game. The constant
walking, jogging and running helps keep the players’
heart rates up, providing excellent cardiovascular
exercise. This constant movement helps players
strengthen their hearts, resist plaque build-up in the
coronary arteries, reduce their blood pressure and
burn excess calories.
Lowers Body Fat and Improves Muscle Tone:
Football is a great sport for burning fat because it
works the muscles and your heart in different ways.
Football builds more muscle mass and burns more
fat by recruiting both slow-twitch and fast-twitch
muscle fibers. As a general workout, football
playing burns more calories than typical workouts
because players are forced to switch between
using the aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways.
Builds Muscle Strength: lower body strength is
required for kicking, jumping, tackling, twisting and
turning and also forms the foundation for explosive
speed. Upper body strength is required for
shielding the ball, holding off opponents, throw-ins
and also contributes to overall power and
explosiveness. Regular football playing builds
strength by using the whole body.
Increases Bone Strength : In general, bone density
decreases as people get older. The repeated
weight-bearing loads on the body during a football
match are an excellent way to increase the strength
of our skeletal frame. Maintaining fitness through
football throughout a lifetime is a great way to keep
bones strong.
Teaches Coordination: due to shifts between
walking, running and sprinting, coordination is key to
football. Body coordination is improved through the
complex movements like dribbling, turning and
passing, which are performed at varying rates of
speed and direction. Hand-eye coordination is
improved when players either kick the ball or
receive a pass from someone. The better the
coordination, the better advantage in a match.
Promotes Teamwork and Sharing: While fitness
goals are generally very personal, we can all benefit
from sharing common goals with others who push
us towards them. The lessons that players learn on
the field translate to the rest of their lives and the
camaraderie teammates share in unparalleled. The
ability to work with others to reach a common goal
is powerful when related to everyday life- in other
words, join a team!
Increases Cognitive Brain Function: Football helps
increase skills in concentration, persistence and
self-discipline because it is a fast-paced game that
requires quick decisions on the field. Even when the
tempo appears to slow down, players are
constantly looking for territorial advantages, trying
to position themselves to receive a pass or to
defend an area the opponent may attack.
Increase Confidence and Self-esteem, and Helps to
Reduce Anxiety: Building physical strength and
endurance helps build confidence in a player both
on and off the field. Confidence and self-esteem
not only impact sports performance, but also
performance in school, career, family life and
friendships. Also, as with all forms of exercise, the
feel-good endorphins released into the body after a
match are major stress and anxiety reducers.
Several studies point to exercise as being a highly
effective treatment for depression and anxiety.
Anyone can Play, Anywhere: Football is not an
expensive or prohibitive sport. All that is needed is
space and a ball. It is a relatively simple sport to
catch onto and is played mostly outdoors, which
we already mentioned as being healthy here.
Gov. Ikpeazu, therefore, urge Abians to engage in
sports activities, which helps to burns down
cholesterol fat thereby preventing a lots of health
hazards, keeps one looking fit and makes one
better equipped to handle stress and fatigue.
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