Think netball and it'll probably take you back to the school playground, but it's also a great post-work workout, with plenty of social benefits, too. The England women's team awesome performance at last year's Commonwealth Games, are inspiration enough of the sport's benefit.
Thinking of join a team? Here's five reasons you should scratch up on your pivots and sign up, pronto:
1. Netball Legs
No matter how much you go to the gym, or how good your squatting/burpees/lunges routine is, until you have run and super-jumped your way around a sweaty indoor court, side-stepped and sprinted around for an entire, unrelenting hour, week in week out, you have not seen your legs in their full sculpted glory. Ditto re: Netball bum.
2. The Pub
Possibly the most persuasive reason to join a Netball team ever. Inevitably, after you’ve sweated out all your stresses on court, the team will head to their local to enjoy a swift wine or two and some post-match banter. Yes, sport and wine. Sport and wine. Say it again, and try to tell us you’re not sold yet.
3. Mates
There are no better mates than team mates – with these friends you not only get to go to the pub together, but (hopefully) win together, sing your best chants together… And you know, no matter how flaky they might be, you’re definitely going to see them at training a couple of times a week. Also, with these friends it’s socially acceptable (and secretly fun) to regress to a teenage state wherein wearing all matching dresses with your names on the back and plaiting each other’s hair into pigtails is totally the norm.
4. It’s More Fun Than The Treadmill
Netball keeps you super fit. Like, really, super fit. And you don’t even notice you’re doing it. Taking part in an actively competitive game makes you work harder than you ever would normally, if only so you don’t feel like you’ve let your new mates down. Also, it keeps you mentally healthy – when you only care about getting your mitts on that ball, you can’t help but clear your mind – and mentally agile, whilst being infinitely more fun than a Sudoku. If that doesn’t work, vent some of that pent up aggression you’ve had brewing with a sly, ill-timed lunge for the ball.
5. More Food!
Since you’re burning all those calories, you need to make sure you keep your energy levels up. Pub tea? NO PROBLEM! Get a pudding while you’re at it. You deserve it, netball newbie.
Feeling inspired? Check out the opportunities and how to get back into to netball here.
READ MORE: Boost Your Gym Session With These Workout Playlist
Missed the action at the Commonwealth Games? Watch the highlights below: