Cricket is probably not the first sport that pops into your mind when you’re thinking of something that’s going to do wonders for your fitness levels, but it does actually have plenty of health benefits. If you’re looking for a new activity to get involved in, then this could be a great choice; there are numerous clubs all around the country catering for all levels of ability.
Be Safe
Now, a word of warning first. Cricket is indeed great for your health, but not if you don’t take the necessary precautions. Without safety equipment, it can be dangerous, and serious injury is very likely; cricket balls are very hard and move very quickly. The tragic death of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes is a clear example of this. You need to make sure that you’ve got all of the requisite gear. If you’re going to be serious about the sport, you’ll need to buy equipment from somewhere like Talent Cricket. To start with however, you may be able to borrow gear from the club you go to.
Benefits
Endurance and stamina is one of the big benefits of this sport. While you’re not going to be constantly running, cricket matches take much longer to complete than other sporting games, so you’ll learn to be on your feet and active for long periods, which is great for stamina. It might be difficult at first to go a whole match without getting tired, but you will improve.
General coordination will be greatly improved by playing cricket. You’ve got to have a keen eye and reactions to catch balls, and also hit them true with a bat. Being a batter successfully will also require some strength; the further you can get that ball, the better.
Overall fitness is the final thing that you should see an improvement in if you keep up the sport for a decent length of time. Whether you’re running for runs, or to catch stray balls, you will be doing a fair amount of cardio exercise, which is great for making you fit and tone up. The energy expenditure is also often explosive rather than being a gradual increase, which can be good in some ways.
So, if you want a new sport to get involved in once winter is over, then cricket could be a great idea. There are fantastic benefits and plenty of opportunities, whether you’ve played before or are a complete newcomer.