Playing Outdoor Sports for Perfect Health

By Brian Mack Posted in SPORTS

Our bodies are designed to move, not sit still. When we stop being active, our health begins to decline.

What better way to get moving – and enjoy perfect health – than by playing outdoor sports?

Any movement is better than none, but forcing yourself to go to the gym a few times a week was never the best way to achieve perfect health. However, as of this writing, we don’t even have that option. So, how can you still get that necessary exercise?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends adults get 150-300 minutes of moderate or 75-150 minutes of intense physical activity a week.

Participating in an outdoor sport is the ideal way to achieve that goal easily – and so much more.

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What Defines a Sport?

Sports is defined as “competitive physical activity that improves physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to the participants, and in some cases, spectators.”

Sports have been around since humans have been on the planet. Some of the oldest sports in the world include:

Running

Wrestling

Archery

Javelin Throwing

Boxing

Gymnastics

Polo

Various Ball Games

Playing a sport well requires muscle groups to work in an integrated, functional manner in order to achieve success, rather like a sports team itself. Compare that with going to the gym, where muscles are typically worked in isolation. We all tend to work with our strengths, but the reality is that we need to develop and strengthen in all areas.

For most of us, the gym feels like something we “have” to do, whereas playing a sport is something we look forward to doing – notice how we use the word “play” when talking about sports. The gym remains a valid and important option that can add value to our lives; it’s just not the same.

What About Solitary Outdoor Sports?

Solitary activities that are also considered sports shouldn’t be excluded. An essential aspect of any competition is competing against yourself as well as others. It’s the challenge to excel, as well as the enjoyment that is an integral part of sports.

Sports activities that may be done in a group or singly include:

Biking

Ice Skating

Basketball

Golf

Rollerblading

Jogging

Hooping

Volleyball

Parkour

Tennis

Running

Skiing

Swimming

The Benefits of Playing Sports

According to a Swedish study, people who are active in sports are, in general, healthier than those who do not.

Physical Benefits

1. Cardiovascular health improves, leading to less heart disease. The heart is a muscle that needs exercise, too. During a game, it has to work harder to meet the increased demand.
2. The immune system is strengthened, increasing our resistance to illness.
3. Diabetes can be prevented or controlled by adding regular exercise to one's lifestyle.
4. Cholesterol levels are lowered to healthy levels.
5. Range of motion and flexibility are improved.
6. Blood pressure is lowered as the heart begins to function more efficiently.
7. Dropping that extra weight becomes easier.
8. Blood circulation increases, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout the body.
9. Functional movement improves and translates to better movement in other areas of life.
10. The quality and ease of falling asleep improves.
11. Coordination increases as skills develop.
12. The repeated use of muscles builds strength.
13. Osteoporosis can be reduced or prevented with regular sports participation when there is frequent surface impact or use of strength.
14. Work attendance and focus have been shown to increase as a result of engaging in sports.
15. Longevity is increased as a result of all these benefits.

Mental, Emotional, Spiritual Benefits

Benefits from participating in sports cross over into multiple areas in life.

1. Focus and concentration are sharpened.
2. Opportunities to learn how to work together as a team abounds. Many sports are team-based, where give and take, along with a degree of maturity, must be developed for success to occur.
3. Healthy social interaction is learned and developed. In our current, necessary "social-distancing" climate, social interaction is something we are all keenly missing.
4. Learning to win graciously is an important life lesson. No one likes a poor winner in sports - or in life. Opportunities exist to recognize that everyone else did their best, too, and to give credit where credit is due.
5. Learning to lose graciously is also an important learned skill, as we all lose from time to time. Losing can be turned into motivation to work harder at your sport.
6. Attitude and mindset improve.
7. Confidence increases as we gain skill and achieve success.
8. Problem-solving abilities are enhanced.
9. Stress is reduced through physical and mental release.
10. Self-image is improved.
11. Satisfaction and a sense of camaraderie are gained from bonding with like-minded people.
12. Creativity is enhanced. Sometimes you have to think outside the box or anticipate what your opponent is going to do next.
13. Discipline in both body and mind increases, an essential quality for success in life.
14. Overall, we get more enjoyment out of life as a result of participating in one or more sports.

Possessing a healthier body, mind, and spirit through sports doesn’t pull on economic resources, but rather contributes to them through more confident, positive attitudes and actions.

The Benefits of Being Outdoors

Being outdoors is as simple as walking out of your home; the back yard, parks, and designated walkways are easy to access and are low cost or free. No one can deny the wonderful feeling that comes from being outside in the fresh air, having senses engaged, and simply enjoying the beauty of nature.

Many indoor sports can be taken outside, like cycling, archery, tennis, running, swimming, etc.

Physical Benefits

1. Sunshine offers multiple benefits, including the enhancement of Vitamin D3 production within the body.
2. Getting lots of fresh air, rather than breathing stale, germy indoor air is much healthier and strengthens, rather than compromises, the immune system, the body's basic defense system.
3. Moving on uneven outdoor surfaces, versus an artificial flat surface, is easier on the body's joints. It also forces the mind and body to work together to anticipate and adapt to the changes in terrain.
4. Moving on surfaces with more natural vibrational frequencies is easier for the body's kinetic chain to absorb and reflect back. Grass and sand produce frequencies that are more natural to our bodies than asphalt or concrete.
5. Wind resistance can help you burn more calories. When you're running, cycling, or even walking against the wind, you have to expend more energy. This burns more calories as you must work harder to overcome the resistance.
6. Being outdoors strengthens the heart and lungs due to variations in terrain, wind, and weather conditions.
7. Sand sports like volleyball offer greater resistance to the legs, strengthening feet, calves, legs, and glutes.
8. You get the benefits of grounding or earthing, which involves connecting with the Earth's surface electrons and transferring the energy from the ground into the body. Research shows benefits include reduced pain, better sleep, blood-thinning, and more.

Mental, Emotional, Spiritual Benefits

These benefits include:

1. Increased positive engagement with other people; being outside can just make you feel like smiling.
2. Greater feelings of refreshment and revitalization
3. A marked decrease in tension and anger
4. Less depression and anxiety
5. Improved self-esteem. This is particularly true for the mentally ill. One study found that this group experienced the greatest improvements in self-esteem from being outside as compared with others in the study.
6. Increased clarity and focus
7. Increased feelings of well-being
8. Increased sense of adventure
9. Experiencing a greater sense of connection with nature, God, and humanity

Playing Outdoor Sports = Perfect Health

Outdoor exercise has been called "green exercise" because it combines all the health benefits of physical activity with those of simply being in nature, exponentially. Research shows that green environments improve both self-esteem and mood, with been greater results when water is present.

Let's remember that the indoor gym setting is a recent invention, compared to the long history of sports. Gyms serve an important function in many ways, but as a species, we have historically gotten our physical exercise by working hard just to survive. That involved hunting, fishing, food preparation, laundry, all activities mostly done outdoors. History also shows the presence of sports as an integral part of our ancestors' lives. Although useful today, there was no need to perform repetitive tasks inside a building set aside for that purpose; exercise came through survival techniques.

It's no wonder, then, that participating in outdoor sports combines the innumerable benefits of sports with the additional benefits of being outside. Contrast forcing yourself to go to the gym a few times a week with engaging in regular sports activities that you genuinely enjoy and sports wins, every time.

And playing outdoor sports? Now you're looking at perfect health in every area.

If you don’t already have a favorite sport or two, find one that you enjoy. If you’re trying a new sport, give it a few tries before deciding it’s not for you.

Have fun along the way and expect exceptional results!