Playing sports has lots of advantages and it comes with no surprise that there are several benefits of playing Basketball that we should all take into consideration.
The benefits of playing basketball do not just mean physical benefits but also mental and emotional ones. As compared to other games which require the use of physical strength and body endurance, basketball demands a lot from its players.
Players will become psychologically strong to cope up with the physical strain that this sport puts on its players.
What can Basketball teach you?
In this article, we will go through the health benefits that can help improve your physical well-being, motivate you to become an extraordinary athlete and develop your decision-making and concentration skills.
What are the Physical Benefits of Basketball?
1. Strengthens Your Bones
Basketball not only helps develop your game, but it’s also great for strengthening your bones. It develops a lot of body strength because you use your entire body to play.
According to research by the National Institute of Health, sports such as handball and basketball can help develop stronger bones. In fact, a group of elderly players had remarkably greater bone mineral density compared to players of their same age but also younger ones.
As you exercise to increase your basketball abilities, keep in mind that, of course, the more you do, the stronger your bones will become. Start with some easy exercises that focus on those major muscles.
2. Improves Your Coordination And Balance
There are many ways that basketball can improve your coordination and balance. For instance, one of the elements that you’ll develop when playing basketball is the coordination hand-eye as well as foot coordination.
During the game, you’ll need to pay attention to your movements, to the parts of your body moving quickly, and therefore, you’ll develop better body coordination and balance.
3. Build Up Your Endurance
Basketball has been proven to increase a person’s endurance and it will definitely do that for you. In fact, as a basketball player, you’ll improve your strength, endurance, and more through rigorous basketball training.
Endurance is the ability to repeat the applied force for an extended amount of time and you’ll increase it when playing basketball and using both your lower and upper body strength.
According to a report by the National Institute of Health, physical activities such as basketball and tennis will keep you healthy longer, improve your heart’s health as well as lungs and circulatory system.
To sum up, if you want to remain healthy, be more fit, and even lose weight with more gained endurance, this is all you will get playing basketball. Remember, if you want to build up your endurance, basketball will do that for you.
What are the Mental Benefits of Basketball?
Basketball improves mental health in several different ways. In fact, basketball involves moving your body from side to side, jumping, and throwing the ball with tremendous energy and velocity.
Being related to that exercise there are specific mental health benefits of playing basketball and they can be beneficial to our daily lives. Let’s go through the main details here below.
4. Help your mental health
First of all, basketball improves self-confidence as it helps perform better in competition. It will improve concentration, which is the basis of self-confidence because you have to keep your mind focused and avoid negative thoughts.
Secondly, it can lower your stress levels. Basketball, and physical activity in general, will release endorphins which are essentially happiness hormones and can boost your mood. Other than that, endorphins promote relaxation, reduce depression, and even boost your self-esteem. Overall, these are all factors to decrease your stress levels.
Moreover, it will eventually help you remain mentally healthy. Of course, basketball is a physical game but it will help you keep healthy in general. With less stress and anxiety, higher endorphin levels, and make players stronger mentally as a whole.
To sum up, mental health is one of the benefits of playing basketball that shouldn’t be underrated.
What are the Social Benefits of Basketball?
Other than mental and physical benefits of playing basketball, there are also social ones that must be taken into consideration.
From interacting with other team players to helping to make important decisions during and after the game, these are only some of the benefits of physical activity.
Let’s go through the best social benefits of playing basketball.
5. Teach You To Be A Team Player
With 12 players on each basketball team, it is clear that you will become a better team player. During a match, you’ll need to interact with other players and pass the ball regardless of their background, their perspective, and anything else.
Also, you will need to play fairly and be supportive with all team members no matter what the game outcome is and that is simply a positive side to join a Basketball team.
In plain words, learning the fundamentals of basketball will help you become a better team player.
6. Improve Your Communication Skills
Another incredibly efficient benefit of playing Basketball is that you will be able to improve your communication skills. Of course, this comes as no surprise since talking to all team members is mandatory.
The more you interact and talk to other players, the better you will communicate yourself.
Whether you’ll communicate before a game, during the match, or after victory or failure, you’ll slowly learn when to talk, when to give your opinion, and when to stay silent.
Moreover, communication skills are important to make better decisions in life and at work, to coordinate yourself better with future friends and colleagues, but also to improve managerial efficiency.
Last but not least, since listening to other members is also incredibly important, you’ll also develop your listening skills which, needless to say, is something to consider.
7. Teach You Time Management And Decision Making
Time management and decision-making are important aspects of life on both professional and personal sides. Basketball can be an eye-opening sport that will teach you both.
For instance, as a future manager in a company, it is important to know how to prioritize your tasks, delegate to team members, set goals and targets, think about strategies, and solving problems.
On top of that, making the right decisions will help you in your life as well as on the basketball camp. Just like time management, it will teach you reasoning, teamwork, and even leadership on some occasions.
All these are the benefits of playing basketball that will be beneficial to your life, your future, and at work.
As a result, the importance of basketball within your future professional and private lives cannot be stressed enough.
Our Take On Basketball’s Benefits
These were the main benefits of playing basketball that you should know. What we find so beneficial with basketball is the fact to have fun while being in a competition and at the same time improve both our mental and physical health.
To conclude, play basketball on a weekly basis to strengthen your bones, build up your endurance, make you mentally stronger, and eventually improve your communication and time management skills to guarantee yourself a better future.