We Aussies love our basketball. It partakes in our top five favourite sports, up there with cricket, footy, rugby and world football. It’s for this reason both kids and adults across the country join teams and take their skills to the court. It’s also for this reason that the sound of a ball hitting a backboard on a Saturday afternoon is as ubiquitous to Australian suburbs as the Bunnings sausage sizzle!
Yes, whilst weekend nights might be for party-going adults, weekend mornings certainly are not, with the constant pound of a pill knocking against the ring and backboard a reminder that we should all be a little more active when it comes to exercise at home or the local club.
With this in mind, here are a few reasons why having a home basketball ring is good for your health:
- It’s a great way to stay active at home
Many people overlook the opportunity to stay active at home.They often opt for their local gym or sports club to maintain a heightened level of fitness. And, of course, these places are great, especially if you’re part of a basketball team, but the home is also a great place to maintain an excellent level of fitness.
And one of the best ways that avid ballers can maintain a heightened level of fitness outside of the sports club is to have an at-home hoop. You can pick up your ball and head out to the driveway whenever the mood for some exercise strikes.
Playing basketball at home is one of the best ways to maintain your match fitness. What’s more, it’s great for your agility, balance, calorie burning, cardio health, muscular strength and more. So, if you’re looking for an awesome way to maintain your fitness, having a home hoop is one of the best ways to do it!
- It gets you out in the sun
Australia is (typically) blessed with great weather and the kind that makes us want to get out into the sun. And, naturally, getting a healthy dose of sunshine is good for your overall health. The sun provides our bodies with plenty of vitamin D and this offers many health benefits that makes playing ball at home a great option.
Disease prevention, improved bone health, lowered blood pressure and mental health benefits are all on offer when you get a healthy amount of sun. So, if you’re someone who’s been thinking that they spend too much time indoors when they could be outside getting some healthy vitamin D, perhaps the home hoop is perfect for you?
- It reduces stress
This is obviously a given. Playing any sport – or any exercise at that – is ideal for reducing stress. Exercising – such as playing ball at home – releases endorphins which, in turn, helps you feel more relaxed afterward. What’s more, exercise reduces your stress hormones that include adrenaline and cortisol.
Finally, if you have something on your mind, shooting a few hoops is a great way to distract yourself before all those awesome endorphins come rushing in to hopefully relax whatever it is that is playing on your mind.
So, if you’ve been considering attaching a basketball hoop above the garage, you can be sure that you are doing your health some wonderful benefits. You will increase your fitness whilst getting plenty of vitamin D and reducing stress levels – it’s a winner on all levels!
