Playing baseball at a professional level requires extreme levels of fitness. This is a game that challenges strength, speed and stamina and all MLB players will work on each discipline ahead of, and throughout the season.
The best basketball players are handsomely rewarded for their efforts. The salaries that are paid by their franchise teams are supplemented by external endorsements, while associated sectors also stand to benefit.
MLB betting is now big business and the industry publishes many thousands of baseball odds markets across the campaign. It’s tough for most to aspire to those levels, but we can all benefit from this sport in a different way.
An All-Round Health Package
Studies have shown that the health benefits attached to playing baseball can be both mental and physical. At junior level, it can also help youngsters to understand the value of essential life skills such as teamwork.
It’s a great all-round sport for anyone looking to work on their overall fitness, but there are some specific areas of the body which will gain an extra advantage.
Cardiovascular Fitness
It’s shown that baseball can provide a great, all-round work out for the heart muscle. Cardiovascular fitness is under the microscope and this sport can offer great benefits in this respect.
There can be a lot of standing around in baseball but there’s also a great deal of running, often from a standing start. Batters and outfielders sprint at regular intervals during the game. This helps to boost lung capacity which, in turn, will benefit the cardiovascular system.
Strength in all four Limbs
Playing baseball is shown to offer substantial benefits in terms of arm and leg strength. To an extent, those runs that are executed during the game will provide decent advantages where the legs are concerned.
Moving laterally and squatting to collect the ball can also help. During a game, the hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes and calf muscles all get a good workout.
The simple process of hitting the ball requires supreme strength. Timing is also important, but sluggers need that extra power to keep piling on the home runs. The biceps and triceps enjoy a batting workout while flexibility in the arms can also be improved by throwing and catching the ball.
Speeding up the Metabolism
Baseball can also aid all round weight loss. The physical demands of playing the game will speed up the metabolism and help the player to burn calories much faster. There are some impressive stats to back up this theory and, according to the Mayo Clinic, a person of average weight can burn up around 365 calories an hour.
Anyone looking to lose weight should address other areas by adopting an all-round healthy lifestyle, but baseball can certainly help them along the way.
Hand and Eye Working Together
Baseball can improve fine motor skills by getting players to work on their hand eye coordination. The key aspects of the game both help to develop these areas.
Hitting, catching and fielding the ball are the essential skills needed in this sport, and they will have knock-on effects on the human body.
A True Stress Buster
We’ve focused on the physical attributes of the sport, but baseball has some great mental health advantages too. The need to concentrate while the game plays out offers a perfect distraction from day to day issues, and the stress busting qualities can be felt beyond the end of the match.
Baseball helps to develop mental focus and, away from the field, players may continue to concentrate on the important issues, while avoiding mental fog.
The Great Outdoors
One obvious benefit of playing baseball lies in the fact that it is played outdoors. The advantages of being in the fresh air can be felt in both body and mind.
The sun is a perfect natural source of Vitamin D. This helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphates that are in the human body and, in turn, bones, teeth and muscles become healthier.
The skin should not be exposed to the sun for lengthy periods of time, but we can measure our exposure to sunlight and protect ourselves in order to obtain Vitamin D safely.
Certain individuals can also be more prone to low moods and serious issues such as depression during the winter months. In this respect, baseball can offer great benefits to mental health too.
Baseball: A Great All Round Health Package
It should be pointed out that those with pre-existing health issues, or problems such as obesity or advancing years, should seek the advice of a health professional before taking up any sport.
Those who are clear of such concerns and who have a green light should seriously consider baseball as an option. It can tick so many boxes in terms of a physical and mental workout and, in case we forgot to mention, it’s great fun too.
