Why Football Cardio is Different From Other Sports

Football on grass
Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash

Football, like basketball, hockey, and soccer, is one of the most popular sports in the entire world. Mostly popular in the United States, it’s a cornerstone of American sports history and loved by many. When it comes to cardio exercise and staying fit, football is just about as effective as any other sport. But here’s something unique about football that truly separates it from the pack.

More Physical

Perhaps one of the biggest things that separates football from most other sports is the physical toll it takes on your body. It’s not just about the cardio—it’s about the fact that you need to prepare yourself for tackling other people to the ground, and getting tackled as well.

Sprinting and Stopping

Most other sports, such as soccer, basketball, and hockey, require constant motion. You may think that means it’s harder than football, but this isn’t necessarily true. Due to the way football games are played, based around periodical “downs”, it requires a lot of intense sprinting (and the aforementioned tackling), and then frequent stopping. It requires a specific kind of mental focus to be able to sprint again after stopping to catch your breath—because it can give your body a false sense of rest.