Written By: Nirmalya Dutta | Published : October 13, 2014 11:49 AM IST
The Indian Super League started with a bang yesterday as celebrities added some glitz to the football tournament that s set to transform football in the nation. Atletico De Kolkata ran rampant scoring three against a star-shorn Mumbai City FC which was missing its two star players Freddie Ljunberg and Nicolas Anelka.
The Indian Super League will help give Indian players the exposure they need to finally qualify for a FIFA World Cup. Hopefully, we ll also witness a trickledown effect which will see more and more Indians of all ages play the game. And that ll be great for a nation which is suffering from a burden of diabetes and heart disease, and other obesity-related lifestyle disorders. (Read: Who s the fittest footballer at the FIFA World Cup 2014 Brazil?)
Cricket might be the national game but the truth is that 90 minutes of cricket won t ever burn the same amount of calories as playing football for the same duration. Also, football is a far more interesting cardio activity than say running, walking or plodding along on an elliptical machine. (Read: Play football, lose weight!)
In fact, researchers at the University of Copenhagen found that even senior citizens could benefit from playing the game. They divided the subjects into three groups one played football, the other did weight training twice a week and the third remained inactive. (Read: What actually happens in a football transfer medical)
They found the football-playing group had 30% improved muscle function, higher oxygen intake capacity and improved bone mineralisation. While the strength training group also improved their fitness, the football players had best results in terms of maximal aerobic fitness and exhaustive exercise performance. (Read: FIFA World Cup 2014: Why football is so much more than a game)
Here are some other reasons India and not just seniors should embrace the beautiful game:
It s a great cardiovascular workout
Football is a great cardiovascular workout which requires you to move your feet, increase your upper body strength and run fast. However, unlike regular running, it requires you to sprint and stop and then sprint again which is a great substitute for high intensity interval training. Also it s a lot more fun than running on a treadmill.
It beats stress and promotes teamwork
Football is a team game and the sum of the parts is always greater than the individual players. So playing the game requires people to work together and watch each other s movements. With time, people who play together learn what they re going to do which goes a long way in cementing togetherness. Also as a cardiovascular workout, it releases serotonin, testosterone, peptide YY, Irisin, endorphins and other hormones all of which make you happier and healthier!
It improves lower body strength
A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen found that playing football increases lower leg muscles mass, jump height, improves your posture and power. Along with that, it helps create stronger bones which make it less likely to suffer from fractures.
Photo source: IANS
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