Community Corner
Volleyball: Where Fun Meets Fitness
If you are seeking a new way to meet your weekly exercise quota, you may want to take up the fast-paced and fun sport of volleyball.
Have you ever watched a volleyball tournament and noticed how perfectly lean and sculpted the participants bodies usually are? Tight and toned—this is the type of body most of us yearn to have.
It is a well known fact that volleyball provides a fantastic total body workout. It is a great form of exercise that tones and strengthens your arms, shoulders and back muscles, while it also builds strength in the legs, buttocks, and core. Volleyball increases endurance and hand-eye coordination, and helps develop speed, agility and flexibility—all while having fun in a social and sometimes outdoor environment.
One hour of volleyball can burn up to 400 calories (depending on your body weight), which over the course of one year, would add up to roughly 62,000 calories or 18 pounds of fat lost. Yes, there are other forms of exercise which can burn even more calories per hour (such as treadmill running) but I doubt it will be as entertaining and rewarding as a game of volleyball. Remember, you are more likely to adhere to an exercise routine if you actually enjoy it.
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If you like chit-chatting while working out, volleyball may be your sport. A slow paced match will allow for an opportunity to catch up with friends, or even get to know new ones. In addition, this sassy sport helps develop a healthy sense of teamwork and cooperation which can transfer over to other parts of your life.
Perhaps you’ve thought about joining an adult league in the past but did not know how to approach it. Maybe you were too intimidated because you’ve never played before, are highly uncoordinated, are overweight or just plain shy. Well now is your chance to leave those insecurities behind and venture beyond your comfort zone. Volleyball may be the perfect addition to your exercise routine and now is the time to get involved in this fun, social, calorie-blasting sport.
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There are several leagues throughout the Bay Area. From sand volleyball at your local park, to indoor volleyball at the high school, with a little research you will find a league to suit your personality and ability level. Some leagues are co-ed while others are exclusively for men only or for women only. Some teams are highly competitive and may not be conducive to the chatty-Kathy personality, while another team’s main focus may be the socialization aspect and not the actual game of volleyball. These are all things to consider.
How many times a week would you like to practice? Would you prefer a drop-in league or one that you have to officially commit and be held accountable if you miss a practice? Would you like to mingle with those of the opposite sex, or maybe you’d like to join a “couples” volleyball team so you and your significant other can spend quality time together? Do your homework and really think about what you want to get out of your new exercise routine. More than likely, you will thrive both physically and mentally with the regular practice of volleyball.
You never know until you try—volleyball may be the perfect match for your new fintess endeavor, so check out the links below to find out more regarding a league in your area.
In Cupertino
