“Sports can unite a group of people from different backgrounds, all working together to achieve a common goal. And even if they fall short, sharing that journey is an experience they’ll never forget. It can teach some of the most fundamental and important human values: dedication, perseverance, hard work, and teamwork. It also teaches us how to handle our success and cope with our failure. So, perhaps the greatest glory of sport is that is teaches us so much about life itself.” – Ahmad Rashad
C.H.A.R.G.E. #122
The last few weeks I have been writing about the many benefits of exercise in general and the benefits that are specific to certain forms of exercise. One benefit, increasing your metabolism, occurs in all forms of exercise to one degree or another. Basically speaking, we are healthier, feel better, have more energy when our metabolism is high.
Okay, so you don’t like to slug-it-out lifting weights or pound away on the treadmill at the gym for your workout session. Riding the stationary bike bores you to tears, so, what to do? Have you ever considered playing your favorite sport with friends or co-workers to get that much needed exercise? Playing sports offers many benefits on many levels. To begin with, sports like tennis, flag football, basketball, volleyball, racquetball, jogging, and golf (if you walk briskly all 18 holes):
1. Reduce stress
2. Are a great form of physical activity, i.e. strengthens muscles, bones, and the cardiovascular and cardio-respiratory systems
3. Improves balance, flexibility, agility and memory
4. Increase confidence
5. Are great calorie burning activities
6. Help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels
7. Help reduce risk of heart disease
8. Improve mental well-being
9. Act as a social outlet for kids and adults
10. Help in dealing with adversity
11. Help develop leadership skills
12. Help to teach teamwork
13. Strengthen problem solving skills
14. Teach winning and losing graciously
15. Are fun and improve overall well-being
The key to playing sports when we are young is to do it for the right reason… to have fun. When we do this, it often times translates into playing them as adults. When we start pressuring our kids to perform at too high of a level and sticking to one sport verses multiple sports, we open the door to burnout and injury. This can happen to us as adults as well. When we play one particular sport year round, we develop muscle imbalances that can lead to an injury. By getting involved in multiple sports, we open ourselves up to enjoying all of the above benefits of competition.
C.H.A.R.G.E. Questions: What is your favorite sport to play? How would playing that sport benefit you? What benefits of playing sports appeal to you the most? Where could you go to get information on joining a league or creating a team for competition?
1. According to WebMD.com, which of the following is NOT a symptom of strep throat?
a. Swollen and tender neck lymph nodes
b. Fever
c. Rash on the neck and chest
d. White spots in the throat and tonsils
e. All of the above are strep symptoms
Answer – E
2. According to WebMD.com, which of the following is NOT a cause of memory loss?
a. Smoking
b. Syphilis
c. Stroke
d. Sleep Deprivation
e. None of the above
Answer – E
This Week’s Maximum Wellness’ FACT OR FICTION:
1. According to WebMD.com, which of the following countries ranked #1 in life satisfaction in a 2010 study?
a. America
b. Germany
c. Denmark
d. Canada
e. England
2. According to WebMD.com, which of the following acts as a dehydrator when considering the total amount of water we are consuming?
a. Coffee
b. Tea
c. Alcohol
d. Oatmeal
e. Sugary Drinks
(This week’s answer will be given in next week’s MaximumWellness’ FACT OR FICTION section).
*Information gathered from http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/slideshow-anatomy-of-a-sore-throat
*Information gathered from http://www.webmd.com/brain/memory-loss
*Information gathered from http://www.webmd.com/balance/rm-quiz-happiness
*Information gathered from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/healthy-family-choices-11/healthy-beverages
If you are interested in a personal training consultation, in-house personal training at my studio, wellness coaching by phone, or the three-month wellness journal, contact me at rustygregory@austin.rr.com.
