8 Benefits of Playing Baseball | Improve Your Mental And Physical Health

The importance of physical and mental fitness is essential in our lives, and both can be developed with the help of baseball. There are numerous benefits of playing baseball for all ages and genders.

Since baseball involves a lot of our senses, it is an excellent exercise for both your mind and body. Baseball also encourages young children and teenagers to participate in group work, and it involves activities that can aid in improving concentration.

In a world full of gadgets and video games, playing physical sports like baseball can help in social bonding, and you can even make some fantastic memories with your child on the baseball field.

Apart from these, baseball has other benefits as well, which are backed by scientific evidence. Being an ex-baseball player and a current coach, I can name some amazing facts about baseball which will surely fascinate you.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of baseball, reasons to play, and lots more.

Benefits of playing softball and baseball

Table of Contents

What are the 8 Benefits of Playing Baseball?

Skills that are merely seen as sportsmanship have a deeper meaning in life. Especially sports like baseball can help you as well as your child build their personality and practice empathy towards others.

I have first-hand experience with how my students evolved with time while playing baseball.

So, what skills does baseball improve? Here are some points to discuss:

1. Stress Buster

Baseball is an excellent way to spend quality time with your friends and family. You are playing as well as laughing, engaging in jokes, and chatting with other players. This is a proven way of relieving stress.

When your stress hormones decrease, it automatically reduces your anxiety and also helps in a better immune system. With regular baseball sessions, you can elevate your mood substantially, which aids in overall well-being.

Doctors suggest that if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly, it can play a huge role in managing your stress. Exercise does not mean that you have to hit the gym. You can do what you love to do, like playing baseball, and still achieve your goals.

2. Teamwork

One of the greatest signs of nobility is when we can put others first. Baseball can help your child understand teamwork.

Your child can understand the importance of teamwork from a young age, and instead of being the sole winner, your child learns to support, share, and work hard not only for themselves but for others as well.

They learn to win with the team rather than focusing on being the star of the game. When adults play baseball, they get to live their childhood and enjoy being in a team, moving away from the corporate circus.

3. Mindfulness

Baseball requires attention no matter in which position you are playing. Even if you are chilling in the dugout with other team members, you have to keep a close eye on the scoreboard, on the ball, and on the base.

Similarly, stealing the base, catching, or throwing the ball requires focus which can be practiced while playing baseball.

Mindfulness is one of the most important aspects of excelling in sports. So in the process of being a good sportsman, you can practice patience and mindfulness and also help your child learn to face the world with fortitude.

Here is how you can make baseball entertaining for your little champ Baseball Drills for 7 year olds

4. Better Motor Skill

Sports require an adequate amount of physical activity and coordinating skills. Especially baseball, where your leg muscles and upper body are particularly in use. Activities like Baserunning help build your core strength and increase motor skills.

Baseball players, over time, increase stamina and endurance. This means you can have a higher level of perseverance to keep going in sports and in life as well. Baseball can also increase your muscle strength and improve hand-eye coordination.

If you practice baseball with your child, it can also improve their metabolism. Regular cardiovascular exercises during a match or practice will enhance your lung capacity and aid in better overall health.

Want to know the differences between baseball and cricket? Here is an article explaining the facts- Cricket vs Baseball – Bat and Ball Games Comparison & Difference

5. Decision Making

Baseball is not bound by some basic rules. Different pitches require the player to think out of the box and decide whether or not to hit or miss. This is where your decision-making process is challenged.

Since baseball requires your mind to order your body to use its strength, your brain remains active. When to hit, at what speed, where to run, how fast to run, all this information has to be processed in a limited time.

This escalates your power to think and sharpens your mind to make better decisions even under pressure. However, this skill is developed with time, and it requires practice and determination.

Your child could be a natural baseball talent. Learn how you will know your child is gifted with baseball talent.

6. Aids in Weight Loss

Being healthy and fit has major upsides on health. Not only in adults but obesity in children can be fatal as well. According to the National Library of Medicine, childhood obesity imposes a life-long health risk that can disrupt the normal lifestyle of your children.

However, some people can face weight-related problems because of other health factors as well. Nevertheless, baseball can be an excellent way to stay fit, and it will not bore children, mainly because they will have company and something new to learn every day.

If you want to attract your child into playing baseball, giving them some baseball gifts will be a nice way to start. Tell them fun facts about baseball, and don’t be too harsh about the game rules.

You can take a look at this article to revise the baseball rules.  Basic Rules Of Baseball You Should Know Before Play

7. Social Benefits of Playing Baseball

Baseball is an outdoor game that requires a group of players to start the game. You can take this opportunity to mingle with your neighbors, or you can also encourage your children to make new friends outside of school.

Your children can as well invite their school friends and their parents for a friendly match which gives everyone an opportunity to mix with more people. Meeting new people will help you de-stress, and your child will get a broader view of life.

Having more friendly people around means you can help each other in times of need, your children can always learn new things, and they will also get a chance to socialize and remain mentally and physically active.

Nowadays, online games, gadgets, and a lack of social activities have created massive problems, especially among young adults. This can be avoided when they can share their likes and dislikes with friends, spend quality time with family, and get more fresh air.

8. Mental Benefits of Playing Baseball

Apart from numerous physical and social benefits. Baseball benefits your mental health as well. While playing baseball, you get enough time outside to soak in the vitamin D you need to keep you healthy and active.

It is now proven that vitamin D deficiency can lead to various psychological problems. Lack of vitamin D in the human body can cause the same symptoms as depression.

You are able to spend time with like-minded people and may also share problems while playing baseball, which can keep your mind off tension and worries and refresh your mind.

‘Haste makes mistakes,’ this sentence has a significant impact on our everyday life. Patience is a virtue if you are willing to achieve something in life.

Baseball can teach you to keep going further and to keep patience until the end. To quote the baseball legend, Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

What are the Pros and Cons of Baseball?

Like everything else, baseball, too, has some pros and cons. Before indulging yourself or your children in the sport, you should know both sides to rip the most benefit and to stay protective of the cons.

One thing to remember is always to wear your protective sports gears and gloves to avoid any accidents. There are various types of baseball gloves available in the market. You can choose your gloves after carefully measuring your hand for the best fit.

Here is an article on how to measure your hand before purchasing baseball gloves.  How To Measure Hand For Baseball Gloves | Best Tips From A Professional

Let’s find out some positive and negative aspects of playing baseball and what precautions you can take to avoid facing any problems while playing.

Pros of Baseball

Baseball Develop Skills

Previously we have discussed how baseball can improve motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and improve physical strength. In addition, baseball can also help improve eyesight and build muscle.

Baseball can increase your ability to focus on a certain thing without giving up on them. You can build your confidence and increase your ability to take risks without stopping yourself from the fear of losing.

Baseball Skills List

In case you are finding it all overwhelming and still wondering what skills baseball develop, here is a compact baseball skills list for your better understanding.

Increase partnership skills,
De-stress with baseball,
Higher concentration,
Improves agility,
Better analyzing skills,
Enhance reflex.

Cons of Baseball

Keeping all the good things in mind, baseball is not immune to its adverse effects. Since it is a physical sport, there are certain risks and downsides which can not be avoided. Let’s see some cons of baseball and things that you need to keep in mind.

Risk of Injury

You need to run, throw, catch, hit and participate in several physical activities while playing baseball. Meantime, if you do not take necessary safety precautions, there is a risk of injury.

As a baseball coach, I have always cared about safety while coaching my students. In fact, to motivate my students to always wear their safety gear, e.g., wrist tape. I myself have never gone to the field without wearing them.

Make sure you keep a first-aid kit handy and play carefully, especially if there are children involved. Oftentimes, children can not match the same energy as adults, and unfortunate incidents can occur.

Safety Guard reviews:

Evoshield Catcher’s Gear Review| Supreme Security Behind The Plate

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Easton Force Catchers Gear Review | Learn Every Parts Of The Set

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Expert Guidance

Baseball terms, rules, and postures can be difficult for most people, especially if you are in the initial stage. Some players get easily demotivated and quit playing before even discovering the game.

To teach and guide the players about baseball, they may require expert guidance. Since nothing comes for free, the experts (also known as coaches) come with a fee.

This may be a hassle for some people to spend some additional bucks on a hobby, especially if you are not a professional baseball player.

However, schools offer their students coaching in several sports where you can also enroll your child if you wish them to pursue baseball in the future.

For instance, I am a coach, and our institution does not require any additional expenses for baseball. All our costs are covered by the tuition fees, which the parents pay monthly. There are even scholarships for students who can excel in their respective fields.

As for adults, you can check out this article to get in-depth knowledge of baseball. Basic Rules Of Baseball You Should Know Before Play

I also accumulated some terms every baseball fan should know ERA, CYCLE, WHIP, PO.

Basic Skills in Baseball and Softball

I introduce baseball and softball to my students as sibling sports. Both have almost the same rules, and the basic skills are also identical. Apart from the field size and the number of innings, both baseball and softball share significant similarities.

The basics of both baseball and softball are:

Hitting,
Catching,
Throwing,
Fielding, and
Baserunning.

Benefits of Playing Softball

Since baseball and softball share a lot of similarities, the benefits of both these sports are also similar. Softball can help in the overall conditioning of your body. Let alone the rest. Did you know what the health benefits of throwing are?

When you aim and throw the ball in a particular direction, it requires both your eye and body to work in a certain way. This improves your eyesight; additionally, you use your arm and shoulder muscles, and it strengthens your core.

Qualities of a Softball Player

Just like baseball, softball players possess certain qualities. Generally, they show signs of excellence from a very young age.

Softball players have excellent balancing and leadership skills. Additionally, they are quick on their feet, have remarkable hand-eye coordination, have higher patience and endurance levels, and they can adapt to their situation almost immediately.

To excel in softball, a player also needs to have determination towards the sport, stamina, and the attitude to never back off. As one of the greatest former players and coaches, Sue Enquist, once stated, “Anything worthy of your passion should be worthy of your preparation.”

Reasons to Play Baseball

If you think closely, baseball is not a high-maintenance game. All you need to play baseball is a bat, a ball, and people. Anyone, anywhere, any time, can play baseball and have a great time.

As discussed above, apart from being a mood-lifter, baseball has some amazing health benefits as well. It gives you quality time to spend with your family and friends, and on top of that, you are staying fit and active.

Baseball is a classic game that all generations can relate to. Your father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and even prior to that generation have played the same baseball as you are teaching your son today.

Baseball can diminish the generational gap between families and give your dad the chance to mingle with your son. The fun facts, cool rules, and enjoyable game can lighten up a summer afternoon regardless of your age, race, size, or gender.

Learn how to become a better softball hitter.

FAQ

Q. What is the Purpose of Playing Softball?

A: For me, the purpose of playing softball is to have fun. However, in the process, the players hit the ball, run bases, and score runs. Want to know why girls play softball and boys play baseball? Here is an article to help-Why Do Girls Play Softball And Boys Play Baseball?

Q. Is Baseball a Good Sport?

A: Baseball is an excellent sport to stay fit, spend time with your family and friends, and improve your physical and mental health.

Final Word

You will only get to know the benefits of playing baseball once you start playing it. If you haven’t started already, as a former baseball player and now a coach, I suggest you play the game with your loved ones to experience its magic.

There is a reason why baseball is considered one of the oldest sports in American history. It has given birth to many legendary players and motivational quotes and has done its share of a job of keeping people active generation after generation.