Why sport is good for you

without catching anything. Consequently, I am very fit in summer and not very fit in winter. My sporting is linked to a particular benefit, which is fish. In winter I cannot justify going through the pain of cold for no tangible benefit.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that on average most Zimbabweans spend four hours praying, 14 hours watching television or listening to the radio, 40 hours working in the industries or in the fields (rural areas) and 63 hours sleeping per week. After work people rush to their homes and have meals and sleep.
Except for school going ages, very little time is allocated for sporting activities. In most average households, there is no culture of sporting. People do not run nor walk for the sake of exercising.
In some cultures/nations such as China sporting is an important ingredient to their lives. The only time I visited China left longlasting memories to me. One of them being failing to compete at brisk walking with a couple that was above 85 years old (more than double my age). The reason for my failure was that the couple had been exercising consistently for the past 50 years.
Why is sporting important?
There are many facets of life that help build an individual to enjoy life to the fullest. Very often one comes across people who are depressed, stressed, sad, moody and sometimes with suicidal ideation. At the other extreme end you can observe people who are extremely happy, healthy and strong.
I admit sport is painful and thus very difficult to justify for most mortals. If sport is not well ingrained in your system at a very tender age, it might be difficult to adjust to at advanced age except if it is part of the prescription from the doctor. Nevertheless the following are the benefits of sport:
Looking attractive and healthy
Generally people would want to look pretty or handsome. At times it is difficult to change one’s genetic make-up but certainly this physical disposition can greatly be altered by accumulating excessive fat on one’s body or enhanced by keeping the body trim through regular and rigorous exercises.
During the hyperinflationary era, Zimbabwe had very attractive people and obesity had gone down. However, with increased availability of food, men and women with aggressive pot bellies are now a common sight in our streets. In our culture obesity is associated with affluence but the sad reality is that obesity is a recognised medical condition. Obesity is a major contributor to a number of serious chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer.
Extensive research suggests that increased left ventricular mass without physical activity results in a high risk of stroke (Rodriguez et al, 2002). In Scotland 6 percent of strokes have been assessed as attributable to obesity (Walker, 2003). Evidence linking inactivity and a variety of cancers has grown over the last decade (Thune & Furberg, 2001) the evidence for a positive relationship between regular physical activity and reduced risks of colon cancer is “convincing”, and for breast and prostate cancer “probable” (Marret et al, 2000).
It is now commonly accepted fact that “‘regular physical activity and increased cardio-respiratory fitness reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in general and of coronary heart disease mortality in particular” (US Department of Health and Human Services 1996, European Heart Network 1999). Exercise improves cardiovascular fitness and controls your weight, more importantly being active in sports can help you look good, i.e. reducing body fat, strengthen bones and build muscle (www.oxfordfencing.com)
Happiness
Sporting helps in relieving people of stress which manifests itself in moodiness, easy irritability, and depression. Cumulatively or in isolation this emotional conditions makes a person sad and unhappy. Playing sport releases stress, tension and also helps fight depression and anxiety. Playing sports enable you to feel relaxed at times under high pressure situations.  
Slows the ageing process
We all want to feel and act young, however, the reality of life is that one we will be old someday. Training strengthens the bones which reduces the discomforts which might be caused by weakening of the bone structure (www.realbuzz.com/articles). One way of slowing the ageing process is by exercising. As we get older our bones weaken.
Helps to reduce risks of injury and helps
you to recover faster
This year I broke records for all the wrong reasons. I attended sporting weekends for one company I am associated with. I pulled muscles of both legs in a 100- metre race and I was the first person to be attended to by medical personnel during the competitions. This had never happened to me before because I was very fit. However, this time around I had not exercised the whole winter and I paid a heavy price for that. An unfit person is prone to injury.
In addition, sports can also help to aid stamina, co-ordination, balance, flexibility and concentration (news.bbc.co.UK/sportacademy).
Skills transfer
Sport enables one to acquire skills in goal setting, leadership, team building, training and time management. These skills can be transferred to academic performance or on the job performance. Moreover, sports enable individuals to experience the highs and lows of both winning and losing. This environment prepares one mentally to cope with success and failure in commerce and life in general.
Increases productivity
Sport helps to reduce absenteeism due to ill health and therefore helps in increasing productivity and general happiness of your staff.
Social inclusion
Participating in sport can improve the quality of life of individuals and communities, promote social inclusion, improve health, counter anti-social behaviour, and raise individual self-esteem and confidence, and widen horizons (sportscotland, 2003, p7).
Being part of a team gives great sense of belonging. It encourages individuals to work in a group and encourages them to be considerate of other individuals who make up the team. Through sports you will meet people with similar interest to yourself and are likely to gain new friends (www.realbuzz.com/articles).
Sports are diversified in nature such that it offers physical activities for everyone depending on one’s areas of interests. Business people can try sporting disciplines such as golf, squash fishing and loan tennis. Religious affiliations can build their teams in volleyball, basketball, soccer and athletics. Individuals can try brisk walking, cycling, swimming and aerobics. The official recommendation (Physical Activity Task Force, 2003, p13) is that adults should accumulate (build up) at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week.
Children should accumulate (build up) at least one hour of moderate activity on most days of the week. Generally “moderate activity” is using about five to seven calories a minute — the equivalent of brisk walking.
Most people avoid sports because they are painful but what they don’t realise is that induced pain is less painful than sickness.