Water polo is one of the most complete sports that you can practice if, in addition to having fun, you are looking to improve your physical condition. Learn about all the benefits that practicing this sport can bring you.
What is water polo?
Water polo is a sport that is practiced in a pool, and where two teams compete or face each other. The objective of each team is to score the highest number of goals in the rival team’s goal, during the duration of the game.
Each team consists of seven players (six from the field and one goalkeeper) and each player must wear a hat that can be white or blue . This will depend on whether the team is away (white) or home (blue). The goalkeeper’s hat is always red , this is how they differ and it is easier for teammates and rivals to be recognized.
Water polo is characterized as a group and team sport, considered highly demanding because it requires extreme agility, high speed, muscular strength and intelligence, both at a strategic and individual level. Therefore, if you are looking for a complete sport in which to have fun while improving your physical condition, you should try it.
It is a sport that can be practiced in any season of the year , since you can practice it in the outdoor pool in the summer seasons, and in the colder months you can practice it in the indoor pool.
How did this sport come about?
The origins of this sport go back to the late 1800s. It seems that it is at that time that this water sport began to be played, which was called polo and was practiced in beer barrels that emerged in a river. It was in these floating barrels that players mounted and struck a ball made of leather, using a mallet to score a point, similar to horse polo.
With the passage of time, the players lost their fear of water, and immersed themselves in it, leaving the barrels behind to go on to play directly with the ball, using their hands and feet.
In 1877 it was when the Scotsman William Wilson established the first basic rules of the game that he called water polo.
As time passed, the game gradually developed and played in Europe. Until in 1900 it was played for the first time in the Paris Olympics . As a curiosity, we can say that the United Kingdom was the country that managed to proclaim itself champion in the first competition of this sport.
In 1908 the international rules of water polo were created , thus continuing its propagation and officialization throughout the world.
The rules of water polo
Water polo is a sport with many rules, but the most basic that everyone should know if they want to practice this sport, are the following:
- Players can only catch the ball with one hand .
- The ball cannot be sunk or submerged in water when in play.
- It is forbidden to lean on the edges of the pool or touch the bottom of it when playing.
- The referees stand out of the water and on the sides of the pool to facilitate their vision and to be able to move with speed.
The benefits of practicing water polo
Water polo is an exercise or sport that will test your physical condition and that will require a high level of intensity in each of the basic physical capacities (strength, endurance, speed, flexibility).
Some of the benefits that this water sport can bring you are:
It will improve your cardiopulmonary resistance
To play water polo you will need great cardiopulmonary and muscular endurance . Because it is a sport in which you must be in constant movement, to stay on the surface of the water and move from one side to the other, you need resistance to be able to perform well.
The combination of swimming for movements and movement of your legs to avoid sinking will improve your cardiovascular capacity.
Stimulates blood circulation
The circulatory system is in charge of transporting the blood and the necessary oxygen to each of the organs of your body.
Sport or exercise stimulate better blood circulation, so the muscles receive a greater amount of oxygen-rich blood, which can improve performance over time.
Supports good blood pressure and reduces the likelihood of heart disease
During physical exertion, the blood pressure in your veins and arteries is increased but after the end of this, the pressure drops again.
This repeated process over time, due to training and physical exercise, makes the blood vessels gain strength and resistance and this translates into a decrease in the probability of suffering from heart attacks or coronary heart disease.
It allows the development of physical and mental abilities.
Water polo or water polo is a physical sport that requires strength and endurance to be able to practice it, but in addition to physical skills you will need to develop a series of psychic abilities to understand certain tactical actions that will allow you to enjoy a certain level or skill in the pool . It also helps to develop mental strength that will help us to get ahead in times when we do not have everything in our favor.
Stimulates fine motor timing
Due to the fact that some of the main actions of water polo demand certain precision, coordination and body control such as executing passes, taking shots at goal or responding to a shot to prevent it from sneaking into the goal, we can say that water polo is a sport quite complete and that will help you not only to improve the physical condition itself, but your motor skills will also be affected for good.
Improves muscle strength and prevents injuries
Water sports are often much safer than their counterparts practiced on land. This comes as a result of the water acting as a cushion for the joints of our body, avoiding the impact on them. Even when a player is hit or dives hard by the ball, there is no hard surface to fall against.
Help improve social relationships and meet people
As it requires 14 participants to play, it is a great activity to meet new people and form closer ties with colleagues or friends from the same team.
Helps to create adherence in sports practice
Water polo is the perfect solution for anyone who excuses himself or herself because swimming practice seems boring and decides not to go to the pool.
Water polo is a fun sport, in which you will laugh, do physical activity and enjoy the company of friends without any distraction, since in the water you will not be able to use mobile phones or tablets with which to distract yourself.
Conclution
If you are looking for a sport in which you can meet people, have fun and improve your physical condition , water polo is that sport you are looking for.
It is a very complete and demanding sport where, in addition to having a great time, you will improve your health and all your basic physical abilities.
References
- Reyes, JM Benefits of water polo. salud180.com https://www.salud180.com/nutricion-y-ejercicio/exercises/aerobicos/waterpolo
- Water polo. conceptdefinition.de https://conceptdefinition.de/waterpolo/
- Soles, M. (January 1, 2018). The 10 best benefits of water polo for health. yosoynoticia.es https://www.yosoynoticia.es/mas/waterpolo-para-la-salud
