Written by Menswear Style in Sports on the 1st September 2014

There are a record number of us playing sports in the UK than ever before. From football to golf, men and women are reaping the benefits of being a team player. But what are the top reasons for taking up a sport and how do you go about training?

Why Play a Sport? 

Mental – regardless of what sport you play, the improvement in your mood crosses all. You needn’t be winning all the time to feel it either. We all have that competitive streak in us, but even that has a good nature and playing sports has been proven to help you relax. 

It is also known to improve concentration, keeping your mental skills sharp and quick, reducing stress and thoughts of depression, improving your sleep and boosting your self-confidence. In fact, as your strength improves, so does your sense of self-worth due to the energy that omits with regular exercise.

Physical – this is an obvious point, of course playing sport has an impact on your physical being, but how much? Whilst the gym can be somewhat unproductive sometimes, playing a team sport always pushes you. Your adrenaline takes over as you sprint or push yourself to win a point. This results in a higher calorie count in a smaller space of time in comparison to the gym. 

Social – team sports are a no brainer when it comes to socialising with people, even sports like golf can improve your social skills. Many sports are all about good communication which can unleash leadership qualities you never thought you possessed, or you'll refine your passive listening skills. 

Sport Specific Training; Getting Started 

It is surprisingly simple to get started when opting to play any sort of sport. The first step is to get yourself some expert advice. Along with the wealth of internet information out there, the best thing to do is get some proper advice straight from the experts. 

Many fitness networks such as the LiveFit team have sports specific trainers allowing you to gain the best advice quickly and competently. Whether you’re just starting out and need that push or need that extra drive for upcoming competitions, opting for a trainer is easily the most efficient way to go about matters.

Football Specific Training 

Football is one of those sports with a fair amount of contact. Whilst tennis has none and sports like basketball have minimal, football requires you to have stamina as well as resilience. Football training is all about building leg muscles and keeping lean, so the winning combination of sprints and squats is ideal. Squats are the best exercise for building leg muscle and are easy to do. Keeping your back straight and legs shoulder-width apart, start with three reps of 10 and build as your leg muscles becomes stronger.

Rugby Specific Training 

Rugby is a contact sport with a completely different approach. Depending on your position, a strict diet regime is required to get that perfect weight. The typical rugby player needs between 4,000 and 5,000 calories every day, nearly double of the usual recommended daily allowance. It’s all about eating the right foods too. You need plenty of protein to build those muscles such as chicken, fish, red meat and also hydrogenated fats and saturated fats are highly advised.

Tennis Specific Training 

Tennis requires a whole different skill-set. For example, the pressure on your calves and in particular your ankles is high. Lunges have become your new best friend. From walking lunges with weights to lateral side lunges, these will help strengthen your ankles for when you’re about to deliver that killer swing. With the lateral side lunge, it is important to maintain control to build muscle. With walking lunges, your bending legs should finish at a right angle and remember to use weights to build up your upper arm strength for a more powerful swing.

*Tennis, Rugby, Golf, Measuring waist, Paok players and Football images via Shutterstock

A look at the benefits of Sports Specific Training and the reasons to take up a sport. We cover information on tennis, rugby and football training.