Is 5-a-side a good form of exercise?

More than just a fun sport to play as a child then leave behind, football is a great form of exercise for all age groups and abilities. All too often, the specific health benefits that have been attributed to football have been overlooked as the competitive aspects have slowly taken over. It seems that quite often, people aren’t playing to enjoy themselves or see it as a good source of exercise, but are instead choosing to focus solely on winning. 

For those in the know, football is respected as one of the most accessible and healthy sports in the world, with only a ball and some space needed to indulge in the fun. Even those who struggle to join in on what is considered a high-impact sport can get involved through less intensive ‘walking football’ games which limit the strain that running can place on the joints and bones.

Whether you’re looking to expand your exercise routine by starting to play football or are simply wondering what exactly it is about football that makes it so good for you, read on to discover the health benefits of playing football.

Is football good exercise?

In the simplest of terms, yes football is good exercise. Beyond the array of health benefits associated with football, which we’ll get into next, football is capable of providing that all important quality that so many other sports fail to inspire: sticktoitiveness. 

One of the hardest parts of changing your lifestyle to be more active is that those large scale changes can be incredibly hard to stick to. In the beginning, it’s all renewed motivation to live a better, healthier life but as the months drag on, convincing yourself to go for that run gets harder and harder. Typically, people will try and stave off this future by asking a friend to join in on the health kick but, eventually, schedules can clash and those sessions at the gym seem to be pushed back more often. This is just one of the reasons why football is good for you.

A team sport at its heart, football is perfect for those that struggle to stick to an exercise schedule as you have a team of people ready to support you. Ignoring that voice that is telling you to just cancel and stay home is much easier when you have a regular training schedule and four other people relying on you to be there. 

What are the health benefits of playing 5-a-side football?

When it comes to the health and fitness benefits of football, there are quite simply too many to ever name. However, in order to sum up just why football is good for you, we’ve condensed the benefits of football into three convenient categories: physical health, mental health and social wellbeing. 

Physical health benefits 

Classified as an aerobic exercise, football has many elements that make it perfect for the conditioning of the cardiovascular system. WIth walking, running and sprinting all used to traverse the field all done during a standard game of football, not to mention the leg exercises of kicking and dribbling the ball, it’s easy to see how hard the body has to work to keep the blood pumping quickly. By working the cardiovascular system regularly in this way, your risk of suffering from chronic illnesses like heart attacks, strokes and type 2 diabetes is also reduced.

More generally, football is also considered a good exercise for reducing body fat, strengthening and toning muscles (particularly in the legs) and improving your endurance and stamina. Because of this, playing football regularly can also increase your performance in other sports and exercises such as running and swimming as they require the same types of physical fitness.

Mental health benefits

The mental health benefits of football are still being looked into but many sufferers of mental health issues have reported that regular exercise and sports saw a reduction in their symptoms. Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression in particular are believed to be improved in this way as the physical activity is stress relieving and releases endorphins. 

Outside of specifically tackling the symptoms of mental health problems, football is also known for improving the brain’s functions. By utilising strategies and training physical and mental connections, under-used areas of the brain are activated and improved leaving you with faster reflexes and better coordination.

Social benefits of 5-a-side football

As a team game, one of the biggest health benefits of football is the social aspect. Communicating with others on a regular basis, enjoying a little friendly competition and spending time with friends are some of the most compelling reasons to get involved in football. Additionally, as a child, the social aspects of football are particularly important as playing with friends and competing against them aids in the development of important social skills. 

Walking football 

As we’ve already mentioned, football is classed as a high impact sport as the fast paced running, sprinting and kicking can take its toll on sensitive bones and stiff joints. Because of this, for people that suffer these particular health problems either through illness or old age, walking football is a safer option. Allowing you to benefit from all the mental, physical and social aspects of football without risking aggravating the joints and bones, walking football is a perfect alternative for those suffering from ailments seeking ways to get into football. If you’d like to look into joining your local walking football team, head to Scotland’s Paths For All or England’s Walking Football Association websites and find a team near you.

Enjoy the health benefits of 5-a-side football with Avec Sport

There are plenty of options available for those who’ve chosen football as their exercise routine; however, if you want to make the most of all football has to offer, you should look to join or start a football team. Most areas will have a local grassroots football league you can join or, if you aren’t comfortable in your footballing abilities just yet, you could even try and set up a club through work. 

Lots of workplaces have a five-a-side football club as it’s good for boosting teamwork and improving the physical and mental health of workers. Because of the benefits of having a five-a-side team, you may even be able to talk to a manager about getting funding for equipment, pitch rentals and a team kit. 

At Avec Sport, we have everything you need to get started and reap all the health and fitness benefits of football. Choose from our range of football accessories, training wear and equipment or, if you’re looking to start a new team you can use our kit building tool to customise any of our base kits with your team crest, sponsor logos and player personalisations.