It's well-established that team sports can be wonderful for school-aged children. Not only do they promote respect and teamwork, but they're great for improving confidence, developing friendships, and enhancing academic performance.

But did you know that adults can benefit from team sports, too? Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider taking up a team sport.

Social Outlet

One of the great things about team sports is that they provide you with a social outlet. Seeing as you're on a team, you have to engage with others, work as a team, and get along. Plus, you can make new friends and spend time in social activities. Studies have proven that social engagement can reduce the risk of depression and anxiety and improve mood.

Excellent Exercise

While some team sports like baseball and softball require minimal effort, other sports like basketball, football, soccer, and hockey are excellent exercise. Not only do you get good cardiovascular exercise, but both the training and competitive play can lead to improved muscle growth. You'll find yourself getting fitter overall thanks to the team sports.

Motivational

Many people have a hard time getting in a workout, often due to lack of time and/or motivation. With a team sport, you have many people motivating you to train, practice, and play. It's easier to stay faithful with your workouts because your teammates are depending on you.

Push Yourself

It's easy to slack off in your workouts or take it easy, but not when you have to perform in order to remain on a team. Many people push themselves harder than they ever would working out at home or the gym because they don't want to be benched or taken off the field/court before they've had enough playing time. The spirit of competition is highly effective at improving performance both during training and gameplay.

Stress Relief

All exercise can be a stress-reliever, but team sports are doubly effective because of the mood-boosting benefits of social engagement. You'll naturally feel less stressed as you hang around your teammates and have a killer workout/training session.

Better Mobility

The main reason so many people are suffering from mobility issues today (stiff joints, inflexibility, and skeletomuscular problems) is due to a lack of movement. What could be more active than team sports? The more you move, the more your body adapts to the motion demands placed on your body. Thanks to team sports, you can combat the stiffness, aging joints, and inflexibility caused by spending all day sitting down.

Fun

Let's face it. Sports are just a whole lot of fun! No two games are ever the same, and there's always something new and challenging to face. You'll often feel better about yourself because you can see visible improvement in your performance. For those who want to add variety and spice to their fitness routines, it doesn't get better than team sports!

Team sports may not be the best quality exercise, but so what? They're excellent cardio, great for boosting your mood, and a whole lot of fun. In the end, isn't that more important than building huge muscles or being the fastest sprinter in the gym?

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