FITNESS/ HEALTH BENEFITS

Game of multiple skills
Fitness and health
benefits of softball

Below, a few key points summarized from a longer article titled "Top 10 Health Benefits of Softball" (just six listed below) by Samir Becic from Health Fitness Revolution website. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY.

Health benefits of softball...

► TOTAL BODY CONDITIONING: requires multiple skills... running, swinging, fielding and throwing... coordinated effort from numerous muscles.

Wesley Wolverine junior #4 MI/OF
Samantha Burns (Magnolia, DE) , a
Pre-Professional Physical Therapy major,
stretches muscle tightness from
senior #17 OF Casey Beall (Severn, MD).

► AEROBIC BENEFITS AND STRENGTH: explosive action... Hitting, throwing, quick lateral movements, jumps off the bases... throwing and acceleration... serves as a foundation to build muscular power.

► UPPER BODY DEVELOPMENT: The rotator cuff, triceps, biceps, forearms, deltoids and other major upper body muscles are central muscles for being able to swing, pitch and throw with power.

► MID AND LOWER BODY CONDITIONING: power generated during batting comes from the legs and the core. The oblique muscles on the sides of the abdomen are major contributors to the rotational elements of the swinging and throwing motions.

► REQUIRES INCREASED FLEXIBILITY: important to (stretch and) increase flexibility in... hamstrings, hip flexors, calves and chest area... tightness greatly increases the risk of injury.

► BURNS CALORIES AND FAT: The average player burns around 300 calories per hour of play.

Wesley Wolverine freshman #11 C Alyssa Zimmerman (Hagerstown, MD).