Soccer vs. Jogging

I'm always looking for new and exciting things to do to keep my workouts...colorful. Monotonous routines are not only boring, but can quickly lead to "quitting" because of boredom. When something becomes dull, we are FAR less compelled to push ourselves to continue...where's the fun in that? That's one of the MANY reasons I LOVE Ladies Fitness Boot Camp. It is NEVER boring or routine!

Sometimes it's a challenge to juggle all of the things going on in our lives, and all too often we have more than one ball in the air...more than one place to be at the same time...more than one person (especially the "little" people) needing our attention all at once. Discovering something that allows us to accomplish two things at once is always a good thing, which is why I was so thrilled to read the results of a recent fitness study conducted by Copenhagen University's department of exercise and sport sciences in London, England.

According to Dr. Peter Krustrup, the head of the study, the 12 week study consisted of men & women between the ages of 25 & 35, who were measured, weighed and placed into 3 different groups: soccer players, joggers & couch potatoes. (Not surprisingly, the couch potatoes ended up the worst off at the end of the study, but we're NOT couch potatoes, right?!) The other 2 groups exercised accordingly for 1 hour a day, 3 days a week. Both groups were fitted with heart monitors during their workouts (to compare blood samples & muscle tissues) to determine how hard they were working out.

At the end of the 3 month study, researchers found that the body fat percentage of the "soccer players" had dropped an average of 3.7%, compared to an average 2.0% loss in the "joggers" group (that's nearly DOUBLE for you math-challenged ladies :D ). In addition to the body fat loss, the "soccer player" group also GAINED an average of 4.5 pounds of muscle mass, where as the "joggers" didn't measure any change. Unreal! Even though the soccer player & joggers averaged the same heart rate during their workouts, the soccer players managed a better workout because of the sudden "bursts" of activity that a game can ensue. At times, the soccer player's hearts were pumping at 90% their full capacity!

Dr. Krustrup said, "Even though the football (soccer) players were untrained, there were periods in the game that were so intense that their cardiovascular was maximally taxed, just like professional football (soccer) players. The soccer players were having more fun, so they were more focused on scoring goals and helping the team, rather than the feeling of strain and muscle pain."

When asked to comment on their experiences, joggers noted that they were consistently exhausted at the end of their workouts, whereas the soccer players (though tired) just had fun!

So, what can we gather from this? How does this help YOU?

If you're a mother like me, here is the PERFECT solution to getting in a workout AND spending quality time with your kids! Now you CAN do 2 things at once! Now you CAN pay attention to YOUR needs & you CHILD'S needs at the same time. And what's better than that, is now you know that by PLAYING with your child, not only are you getting a workout that has been proven to be more beneficial (and fun) than jogging alone, but you're encouraging your children to be active right along with you...and they don't even know!

And, if you're not a mommy, have no fear! Playing with friends & family works just as well! Call up some girls and put together a fun scrimmage! It's much more fun than a jog around the block or watching TV on a treadmill!

One more thing....Don't forget to stock up on pleanty of water and bring a snack for the little ones. NOW GET MOVING!

As always, I'm here for you when ever you need me! Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!Have an awesome day!

Love ya!

Fit NOW Girl

P.S. ~ I would love to hear from you! Tell me what you think about this