Health benefits of hockey

Field hockey is a team sport in which players try to score to the opponent's goal by striking or pushing balls with hockey sticks. Hockey plays very fast and extremely technical, where players use the rapid movement of a stick, fast and precise passes and strong shocks in an attempt to retain possession of the ball and move the game to the opponent goal. Body contact are generally a physical obstruction aren’t allowed. One of the most important rules is that playing is allowed only by one side of stick, which has one flat side and the other is rounded.

Field hockey is considered one of the oldest sports. Traces of this sport can be found in 2000BC in China, Egypt, Pakistan and Persia. Modern hockey was created in England public schools in the early 19th Century. The first field hockey clubs was founded in London in the 1861. And the first international match was played in the 1895. British brought hockey into India in the late 19th century and then begin a longtime domination of this country in international competitions. This dominance is being interrupted by introducing the field with artificial surface when this sport experienced a significant transformation. Many aspects of hockey have changed: increased speed of the game, introduced new techniques and tactics which are accompanied by new rules. Considering that artificial grass is very expensive, by the 70s the richer countries the Netherlands, Germany and Australia take the lead.

This sport exhibit many benefits to human health.

Primarily, because of the dynamic playing hockey is very involved in burning calories which consequence is losing weight and unwanted fat.

Given that requires a lot of energy and muscle strength hockey has a positive effect on the development of the cardiovascular system. It increases lung capacity, which improves breathing and thus provides more oxygen to other organs in the body.

Hockey is a very demanding sport that develops and strengthens the body muscles, especially hamstring, calf and hip muscles and hand muscles such as triceps, forearm and shoulder muscles.

By field hockey faster reflexes, better coordination between the eyes and hands and fast and playful feet are achieved.

Hockey positively effect on the socialization by developing team spirit and unity in achieving the set goals and victory. In addition, each teammate develops special techniques of communication, which further deepens on their relationship and gaming skills.

From mentioned it can be concluded that field hockey is an ideal way for increasing physical fitness, developing and strengthening muscles, maintaining good health and increasing social skills and communication.