By Staff
waterhead.com
October 4, 2011

Water polo is an active sport that will keep you strong and in shape.  If you love the water and you love being active, live an active lifestyle and get involved in water polo to build strength in both your arms and your legs.  If you incorporate water polo into your life as a type of fitness training there are several things you should consider.  You should understand the fitness benefits, fitness requirements, fitness risks, and substitutions, before you get involved in the sport.  Once you do your homework, you should understand how the sport is played and how you can benefit from playing a sport in your local pool.

How is the Sport Played?

Water polo is a team sport played in a swimming pool.  While it has become its own individual sport, the sport was developed by combining swimming, basketball, football, ice hockey, wrestling, and rugby, into one.  There are two teams in the water at one time.  Each team consists of six players in the "field" and one goalkeeper that protects the goal.  Like soccer, the "goal" of the game is to score as many goals as possible during playing time.  The perfect players will require an accurate arm, speed, endurance, strength, and strategic thinking.  If you have the powerful arm of a baseball pitcher, the endurance of a long-distance runner, the vertical leap of a basketball player, the toughness of a hockey player, and the strategy of chess player, you could show off all of your skills in the water as a polo player.

The Physical Fitness Benefits

Now that you understand the basics of the sport, it is important to understand how playing water polo can benefit you physically.  As you may know, to live a healthy life you must stay active.  Just because staying active is a recipe in every healthy life does not mean you have to work up a sweat the traditional way.  Polo is a new way to exercise.  You can work up a sweat in the water without drenching your clothing or feeling the sweat drip down your brow.  If you thought you could not work out all of your muscle groups in the water, think again.  With polo, you train all of the right muscle groups while still improving your endurance and stamina.

Endurance

As you may know, working out in the water can be difficult.  While it is difficult, it is also less stressful on the joints and the muscles.  One of the best ways to build endurance is to do so playing water polo.  While some people love running to improve their stamina and endurance, others have difficulty running because of issues with their knees, ankles and feet.  When you play you do not have to limit yourself because of lower body issues in the ankles or feet.  Practices help build your endurance for games where you will be swimming on average 4 miles per game.  Now that is a lot of swimming!

Strength

If you love the water, chances are you have tried almost everything in it.  If you have ever tried to tread water you know how much strength it require.  Keeping your head above water is not just a saying, it is a rule that will keep you injury-free in the sport.  Studies show that it takes every muscle group in the body to keep the body above water and in the game.  You can build your build total body strength that can be used for other sports or other walks of life.  Constant ball tossing will strengthen and tone the arms while constant leg motion keeps the legs toned and strong.

Keep Your Heart Healthy by Playing Water Polo

Keeping your heart healthy is very important.  While your diet plays a huge role in the condition of your heart, so does physical activity.  Cardiovascular exercise should be incorporated into everyday life if you want to feel healthy.  Water polo has been proven to improve cardiovascular health.  When you play water polo you will burn as much as 700 calories per hour, which is far more than you burn running or bicycling.

The various fitness benefits of water polo include:

*  cardiorespiratory
*  flexibility
*  muscular strength
*  muscular endurance
*  body fat reduction

The Risks Of Playing Water Polo

Wherever there are benefits, there are also risks.  Whenever you consider getting involved in a new sport you should consider the common risks associated with the sport.  If you know how to follow safety techniques, you can avoid most of the common risks associated with playing water polo.  The risks of playing water polo include:

*  Shoulder injuries and impingement syndrome are very common conditions from playing water polo.  This damage is usually caused by overuse or by players using the improper form. 

*  Knee pain is very common.  It is important that players always stretch their muscles before they practice or play a game.

*  Lower back injuries are common from exaggerating the body while treading above water.

*  Eye irritation from chlorine in the pool.

*  Bruises are common from player-player or player-ball contact.  You may also expect cuts and scrapes.

How Can Playing Water Polo Benefit Other Sports Training? 

As you can see, water polo is a sport that requires skill in a number of different areas.  If you train for water polo, you can perfect your game for other sports including:  swimming, soccer, basketball, rugby, running, or any other sport that requires endurance or strength.

What Type of Equipment Do You Need to Play Water Polo?

If you do not have all of the equipment you need to play water polo it is time to invest in the right gear to stay protected.  All players must invest in goggles to protect their eyes from contact and also from chlorine in the pool.  Players also need a quality bathing cap or swim cap that fits the head and prevents drag in the pool.  If you do not have hair, swim caps also protect your scalp from burning when it is out of the water.  All water polo players need a comfortable bathing suit that is designed for competition.  Competition suits are made of a durable material that will not weigh swimmers down in the water.  These suits are also designed to fit the body right so sagging is not an issue while you are playing.  The final piece of protective equipment you must invest in is headgear.  Headgear is essential to protect the ears during play.

If you are looking for a new hobby or you simply want to get in shape without running laps around your local track, consider the advantages of playing water polo.  You can play the sport for fun with a group of friends or you can look up activities in your community to see if there is adult team events you can take part of.  Make sure to consider the physical benefits of playing water polo, the risks of playing the sport, and what type of gear you need to play the sport.  If you follow safety precautions and you have the right gear, you can enjoy yourself in the refreshing water, compete, and work up a sweat without even feeling it.

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