13 Notable Benefits of Playing Basketball

Last Updated on March 15, 2021 by Filip Poutintsev

The game was first played in 1891 in Massachusetts, U.S and has grown since then to become one of the world’s most recognized sports. This team sport is played on a rectangular court with hoops positioned approximately 10m high at each end.

Benefits of Playing Basketball

Each team usually consists of 5 players and their main goal is to shoot the basketball through the hoop at the end of the opposing team’s side while preventing the other team field.

Demanding a blend of strong physical abilities with strategic thinking and decision-making skills, the game tests the abilities of every sportsman.

Advantages of Playing Basketball

1. Strengthening the Muscles

Dribbling, passing, and shooting the ball are integral parts of the game which make use of arm muscles. Practicing these moves as a part of your training regime will undoubtedly make your arms leaner and stronger.

The game also involves a lot of running and jumping to pass the ball around and shoot it. The glutes, calves, and abs are so actively involved in monitoring the movement ensuring that the player gets a full-body workout session with a game of basketball.

2. A Healthier Heart

The heart is another muscle that benefits a lot when playing basketball. All the jumps, runs, dribbles and shoots lead to an increase in the blood flow in the body demanding the heart to pump more blood, thus strengthening it in the process.

3. Weight Loss

For the individuals who love basketball and are looking for ways to shed a few kilos, playing a game of basketball is the way to go! An intense game of basketball maximizes oxygen intake and increases metabolism, thus torching the calories down by large factors.
Consistency is also an important factor when it comes to losing weight and if you are doing what you love, committing to the activity becomes much easier.

4. Stronger Bones

According to the study done to analyze the impacts of basketball on Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of men and women, it was proved that the athletes and long-term basketball players had greater BMD than the rest of the population. Thus, the bones strengthen when we play basketball reducing the risk of osteoporosis (porous or weak bones which break easily).

5. Boosts Immunity

An intense game of basketball leads to an increase in blood and lymph flow throughout the body. In a way, this also facilitates the circulation of immune cells, increasing the chances of finding and killing pathogens. Playing basketball consistently ensures that your body receives full protection from pathogens and viruses.

6. Improves Motor Skills

Basketball makes use of both fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Gross motor movements are the large movements like running and jumping while fine motor skills are the small movements of the fingers, wrists, and the face.

It is the mastery of these small movements which allows a player to shoot a perfect ‘touch’ shot, dribble the ball well, and pass it with accuracy. Practicing basketball would mean that you are dedicating time to improve your motor skills. This will be beneficial in the long run regardless of your career choice.

7. Improves Hand-Eye Coordination

Hand-Eye Coordination is to process what you see to guide the movement of your hands fast and accurately enough to successfully complete a task.

Observing basketball as a game, it is quite evident that it revolves around whether you can control the ball well or not, and to be able to do so, you must be aware of the force you must put into a throw for it to reach your teammate or for you to score a goal.

You must also be able to estimate the speed and path of an incoming ball to catch it. Dribbling is the trickiest part as you have to control a bouncing ball while tackling the defense of the opposing team. Practicing all of these at the same time will undoubtedly refine your Hand-Eye Coordination.

8. Stress Buster

Physical activity, like playing a game of basketball, releases endorphins in the brain. Endorphins, also known as “feel good” chemicals are natural painkillers and happiness boosters. It helps reduce stress and also allows a person to sleep better. Relieving stress increases a person’s focusing ability and allows them to make better decisions, ultimately improving their lives as a whole.

9. Enhances Communication Skills

For a team sport like basketball, communication, and understanding between the teammates is crucial. It is only if every single person in the team understands the situation of the game that the team can move forward and make game-changing decisions. On-field communications with the teammates to form a plan and off-field talks to improve each other allows you to develop your social skills.

10. Improves Concentration and Discipline

To be playing a fast-paced game like basketball, one must always have their eyes on the ball. Predicting the next throw of the opponent, defending the hoop, and passing the ball accurately is possible only with good concentration abilities.

Sports also teach us a great deal about discipline as we must abide by a set of rules throughout the game, regardless of our personal opinions.

11. Improves Decision-making Skills

Carefully analyzed split-second decisions made by athletes is what makes a game thrilling to watch and this is probably one of the main reasons why basketball is so popular around the world. Practicing basketball will eventually help you master this art which will prove to be beneficial in every other aspect of life.

12. Teaches Respect

Basketball teaches you to listen to other’s opinions, no matter how different they are from yours. This enhances the team spirit in the long run and also teaches you to be a more respectful character.

13. Valuable Life Lessons

Basketball is not an easy game to learn and at times, you will fail and it is only with perseverance and determination that you will overcome those failures to meet a beautiful success. It teaches you to work for your success as it is the team that hustles the hardest that takes the trophy home.

So, work hard for every little thing that you wish to achieve.
Basketball teaches you to know your role and always improve yourself. You must know your place and your responsibility in the team and execute it to perfection. It is this sense of responsibility that determines your reputation in the society or workplace.

Isn’t basketball such a wonderful sport? Well, after reading all the way through, I sure hope you agree.

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