Playing soccer burns off more fat, builds more muscle, and “feels” less tiring than jogging… according to a new study from Denmark. Researchers found that, after 12 weeks, men who played soccer lost an average of 3.7% of body fat — compared to only 2% for joggers — while also increasing their muscle mass by almost 4.5 pounds. The joggers didn’t experience any significant increase in muscle mass. Both groups exercised for about an hour, 3 times per week.
So why does playing soccer seem to be so much more effective than jogging for overall fitness? Here are some possible reasons:
- Soccer involves many short bursts of high-intensity activity. This is similar to interval training, which has been shown to be highly effective for fat-burning as well as muscle building. According to lead researcher Dr. Peter Krustrup:
“…there were periods in the game that were so intense that their cardiovascular was maximally taxed, just like professional football (soccer) players.”
- Playing soccer (or almost any sport for that matter) is more fun than jogging, so a person doesn’t notice the “pain” and exhaustion of exercise as much. According to Krustrup:
“The soccer players were having more fun, so they were more focused on scoring goals and helping the team, rather than the feeling of strain and muscle pain,” Krustrup said.
- Soccer is more of a “total body” exercise than jogging. Playing soccer involves running, sprinting, jumping, falling and getting back up off the ground… and even some pushing. In general, total body exercise provides more overall health and fitness benefits than “partial body” exercise such as jogging.
The bottom line: For fat loss, muscle building, and increased cardiovascular health consider playing a fun sport that involves bursts of high-intensity total body exercise a few times a week. You just might get more fitness benefits than jogging alone!
Related:
Soccer beats jogging for fitness, study suggests
Soccer Could Be Better For Fitness Than Jogging