There have been concerns about the safety of rugby in the past, but the risks should be looked at in comparison to the risks undertaken with any contact sport. Rugby is surprisingly beneficial for your health. Still not sure? Here are some examples of how rugby is good for you:
Partaking in any form of physical activity is good for you but rugby deserves a special mention because it incorporates such a broad range of movement. Playing rugby involves running over considerable distances during a match, moving at a range of different speeds and reaction times and using different intensity levels of activity. Rugby combines moments of aerobic activity, such as jogging along with periods of anaerobic activity like a scrum. Health advice has recently stated that the best exercise is one that combines both aerobic and anaerobic activity, so rugby offers the perfect package for our weekly exercise routine.
Playing rugby involves the entire body and exercises every muscle group in the body. Sprinting and running uses the lower half of the body, while catching and throwing the ball gives the upper body a thorough workout, including the core muscles. If you’re looking for a total body workout, look no further than rugby. For some new Rugby Training Drills to liven up your training, visit Sportplan
The aerobic parts of rugby, like running and jogging are great for cardiovascular wellbeing. Whilst playing a match, players will sprint, run, jog, tackle and throw the ball which are all actions that encourage the heart and lungs to work harder and better.
A match of rugby includes spurts of extremely fast-paced, energetic play followed by quieter periods. It isn’t a steady activity like a long-distance run, for example. It is a perfect example of exercise known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Sports scientists believe HIIT to be the most effective form of exercise for decreasing belly fat among other things. For weight management, following a calorie-diet and playing rugby is the ideal combination for consistent and clear results in reducing fat levels.
Surprisingly, rugby is also a great sport for reducing inflammation. For conditions like arthritis, where inflammation is a symptom, exercise that helps to reduce this is recommended to keep us healthier and active. Tests on people who played rugby for just 40 minutes a day for 7 days showed considerable reductions in inflammation around the joints. It was concluded that rugby helps in the regulation of inflammatory cytokines.
Rugby also has a strong role to play in helping reduce stress. Stress has long been known to contribute to poor health, including conditions ranging from insomnia to cancer. Team games have been proven to reduce the levels of stress people experience. Activity and sport can help to improve mood, providing a useful outlet for stress while releasing the feel-good hormones known as endorphins into our system. That buzz you feel after a good workout is the result of these endorphins being released and they boost our mood and can even improve our creative thinking.
