Top Reasons Why Basketball is a Beneficial Sport

Basketball is one of the most widely played games around the world.  With little equipment needed, nearly anyone can pick up a basketball and begin play.  And with basketball requiring both offensive and defensive excellence to beat an opposing team, basketball is one of the only sports that fully incorporates an all-around workout each time it is played.

Below, we are going to look at the top reasons why basketball is a beneficial sport.  We will look at the social, physical, mental, and emotional aspects of the sport and fully discuss just why basketball is such a beneficial sport and why it is one of the most popular sports in the world.

For many, the love of basketball is real.  As a sport, it can generally be played at nearly all hours of the day and requires little gear or equipment to get started.  In addition, basketball can be enjoyed by just about anyone.  From younger players to older ones, male or female, basketball is a sport that rarely discriminates and allows for the most committed players to excel.

Strengthen Muscular Endurance

Perhaps one of the top reasons why basketball is such aa beneficial sport is due to the simple fact that it strengthens muscular endurance.  Basketball is a sport that requires a ton of movement, both on the offensive and defensive end.  In addition, due to the back-and-forth nature of the sport, basketball requires, and helps to build, stamina in players.

Through a simple game of basketball, players will not only build their muscular endurance, but will also develop their fitness and physique.   In fact, just one hour of basketball can help players to burn an average of 750 calories.  If you’re looking to get in shape and build your stamina, then basketball is one of the best sports to engage in.

Builds Self Discipline

Basketball, along with many other sports, requires dedication and commitment to excel in.  However, with basketball, the competition to excel in the sport is quite steep.  This means that an individual player will need to commit themselves to the sport in order to excel in it.

However, this is not easy and requires a level of self-discipline. Many basketball players, including Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant speak to the challenges required to excel in the sport, including waking up early, watching what they eat, and performing rigorous high-intensity workouts such as HIIT and Tabata.

Helps Heart and Body Health

It is a well-known fact that engaging in physical activity helps with heart and body health.  However, many studies have been performed on basketball specifically.  And in these studies, the heart and body health benefits of basketball were truly shown.

In one study, Dr. Howard Hartley, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, noted that regular engagement in basketball is associated with lowered risk of coronary disease in apparently normal populations. In addition, basketball exercise improved bone mineral density significantly (for 1.5% on average) in collegiate women who experienced 16 weeks of programmed exercise (along with calcium supplementation), compared with other sports.

Similarly, a basketball exercise program conducted 3 times per week (70 minutes per session) for 8 weeks decreased both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and significantly reduced waist circumference in young men. 

And lastly, in the most comprehensive study so far, Randers and coworkers evaluated whether street basketball could improve fitness and health profiles of untrained men after 3 months of supervised exercise. Among other results, basketball practice—3 times per week, 75 minutes per session—significantly increased bone mineral density and mean arterial pressure and body fat percentage were lowered at 3-month follow-up. 

Lowers Stress

While many of us may not consider the effects of stress on our daily well-being, stress has been shown to negatively affect our sleep, morale, energy, and other daily functions.  One great way to reduce a build-up of stress is through a game of basketball.

Basketball, as both a sport and a form of exercise, helps to release endorphins, which are the feel-good or happiness hormones.  Endorphins can not only boost your mood, but they can also promote a relaxed feeling and help to reduce pain.

Develop Better Communication

Basketball is one of the best sports for developing better communication.  As one of the social benefits, basketball allows and requires for individual players to play as a team.  And within that team structure, communication is key to success.

Whether you are handling the ball and calling for a screen or looking to alert your teammate to an incoming one, basketball encourages and rewards proper communication with teammates.  If you are looking to develop your communication skills, then basketball is one of the best sports to help you do so.

Build Lifelong Friendships

Whether with a regular player you meet at a pick-up game or with a player on your varsity team, you will develop and build lifelong friendships with your teammates.  These friendships will not only give you more confidence but will also help you to be more social and outgoing.

As teammates, you will go through practice, workouts, and games together.  You will face similar challenges and circumstances and being able to lean on one-another will help you both to overcome and surmount them.

Basketball is an All-Year Sport

Unlike many other sports, basketball is both an all-year and an easy to play sport.  All that is needed is a basketball and a basketball hoop.  And with many basketball shoes costing well-under $50,  basketball is an easy sport to begin playing.

In addition, basketball can be played either indoors or outdoors, allowing for play nearly all year round.  And while playing basketball during the rain or colder weather can be a bit more difficult, it is still possible.  Simply wearing additional layers and even goggles to prevent water from splashing into your eyes can make the game possible all year round.