Adopting a healthy lifestyle has become the goal of many people across the globe, primarily due to an increased awareness of the many diseases and medical conditions that one can easily get simply by neglecting one’s health habits. While eating the right foods, drinking enough water, and practising moderation are essential to a healthy life, these practises have been proven to be only half the battle. A person would also need to get enough exercise, either by having a regular workout routine, participating in team sports, or accomplishing other high-energy activities that can sufficiently burn calories and keep the body fit and toned.
For both men and women seeking a sports challenge different from the more common team activities available, they can try their hand at playing netball. In Melbourne, social netball has become a popular team sport that both men and women can try. The sport evolved as a variation of the more traditional men’s basketball — instead of running and dribbling the ball (which women in earlier decades found difficult to accomplish on a grassy field with their long skirts and sleeves), players pass the ball among themselves by simply throwing the ball. Australia’s youth and adults alike have grown to love signing up for women’s and mixed netball teams and getting fit through the many skills the sport develops in a player.
Netball is a fast-paced and very intense game that can actually provide a total body workout. Each game lasts sixty minutes and the players are required to continually make short, sharp passes and sprints. The usual actions that can be seen in this game are running around the pitch, sprinting in short distances, leaping to pass or catch the ball and making sharp changes of direction. All those activities can develop better leg strength and agility plus it also gives good cardiovascular workout.
Passing the ball from one player to another and aiming to shoot the ball into the net are additional actions that develop the hand-to-eye coordination necessary for the game. Using key arm muscles helps to improve upper body strength. In an average game, a player can burn up to 1,883 kilojoules or 450 calories, and over time, the regular cardiovascular activity burns a significant amount of calories and lowers body fat, which improves the player’s overall physical fitness.
Improved strength and stamina, increased flexibility and nimbleness, better coordination, and a healthier cardiovascular system — with all of these benefits, what’s stopping anyone from getting involved in one of the more popular team sports in Melbourne? Social netball is a fun and healthy activity that anyone can try by simply visiting their local sports centres where they can join a team, or by forming one with a group of friends. Get active and enjoy the health benefits of playing netball today.