Ancient Greek philosophers were all wrong about education. Those white-bearded guys in togas used to separate physical activities from mental ones. In short, they would have taught you that PT classes would improve your body strength but not your mind. Today, we have NBA players that can effortlessly persuade you in the mind-and-muscle connection. Check why basketball is important for one’s mind power in the article below.
Reason #1: It’s All About Concentration
Do you know what relates reading a book to playing basketball? The answer is a little unexpected. A tough concentration. In fact, the same brain zones responsible for memory and concentration get activated.
Yes, you need your strong focus to remember the plot while reading in the same way you need it to memorize game combinations. In both cases, the brain stores the memorized information in your long-term memory to use the next time you write an essay or play a sports game.
Reason #2: Get Your Core Strength Back
While playing basketball, you use your whole body to bend, jump and pass a ball to other players. However, the greatest part of the load falls down on your back and core muscles. By playing basketball, you eliminate the pain in your back from all those long sitting hours at the college library.
You learn ‘healthy’ studying by imitating basketball training. Just like in the Pomodoro technique, you play or study for 25 minutes and relax or engage in physical activities for 5 minutes, respectively. This is how sports imitates life: we all need a break to become stronger or smarter. In the end, you get a ballet posture and prevent your back from aching, which is a win-win outcome.
Reason #3: Boosts Your Academic Confidence
Basketball Teaches You Consistency
While playing basketball, you learn to establish goals and achieve them. Whether a goal is to become faster or pass a ball quicker, you work on your ways to achieve it. With time, you’ll learn that it is important to break a big goal in smaller steps and be consistent in your training to attain them. You may apply the same principles in real life. Next time you get a complex project, divide it into smaller parts, set a deadline for each part, and be consistent.
It Also Teaches Leadership
Once you become a mainstay of the team, the latter may choose you to be their captain. Here, you’ll need to inspire the team when times are hard and instill hope in their minds when victory seems far away. Basketball will teach you how to stay motivated and move to the goal. The same principle can be applied in academic studying. Everyone needs the motivation to keep going, right?
… And Competition
Sports are all about competition. In some ways, college studying reminds one of a sports competition too. Especially those political or philosophical debates you hate so much but must participate in.
Reason #4: You Are a Part Of a Team
Making friends in a new place is crucial for college newbies. First of all, studying in groups has always been more funnier than studying alone. Secondly, we all as human beings crave recognition and support from others. This means your basketball team can be a great source of support and motivation for you.
There is also a high chance that your faculty group members are a part of the local basketball team too. In such a way, you’ll get friends who also share your academic aspirations. Next time you’ll know whom to ask for help during a dreadful exam week.
Reason #5: Develops Your Verbal Communication Skills
Team playing is all about communication. Whether you attract the teammate’s attention with a hand gesture or loud commands, communication is a must to win.
- Persuasion. During training sessions, you learn about persuading others on sports matters. For instance, why some game combinations may be inefficient in your opinion;
- Tolerance. Let’s be honest; some people just put us out of temper in seconds. There is a chance you’ll meet such people on your basketball team. You’ll need to cooperate with them anyway. Yet this is how one builds unbreakable tolerance;
- Active listening. While discussing game combinations, you’ll hear opposing views. But to stay friendly and solve a problem, one must be a great listener. Having amazing listening skills also teaches you respect for others.
Reason #6: Fights Back the Sedentary Lifestyle
In the age of immense technological rise, everyone is guilty of staying inactive. Why do anything if robots will soon rule the world? Whether you indulge in binge-watching or binge eating, sports fights back the consequences of the damage you have done to your health.
- Playing basketball keeps your weight under control by increasing the lean body mass;
- Your heart is healthy because sports activity pumps your heart rate up yet trains the heart muscle;
- Your tendons stay healthy too;
- You get a strong core.
Reason #7: Keeps Your Stress in Check
When you are engaged in sports activity, your body releases endorphins. The latter have opposite effects when compared to cortisol, a stress hormone. Endorphins give you this feeling of euphoria yet happiness. In such a way, endorphins prevent depression, making sports the best way of quick relaxation.
Hence, there is no need to learn stress management techniques if you play basketball.
Final Thoughts
If you have never been a basketball fan, now you should become one. Because basketball improves your mental and physical health, you get only positive outcomes. In turn, this sports activity boosts your overall confidence and academic performance.
We hope our article has taught you why playing basketball is great. Jump high and reach your goals!