Are you looking for a change from jogging and working out in the gym? While both of these are excellent exercise, the problem is that they are both solitary activities, and don't give you the excitement of team sports. On the other hand, many team sports need larger areas to play or specialized equipment.
Basketball, on the other hand, is a team sport that needs very little equipment other than a ball and a couple of hoops, so it's the perfect way to get together with friends for some friendly competition without too much upfront effort. Not only that, but you will find a number of basketball courts in most neighborhoods, and it's even easy to set up a hoop on your driveway if you just want to fool around. On the other hand, if you get serious about the game, you might be able to build a basketball court in your back garden - you can even get high performance court surfaces from companies such as versacourt.com.
Of course, basketball isn't a heavily aerobic exercise, but it does bring a number of other health benefits. To start with, even though it isn't giving you that constant exertion that you get with running, it can still burn a fair number of calories. Depending on how hard you play and how much you weigh, you can expect to use between 240 and 355 calories every 30 minutes during a game.
Basketball is also a good way of building endurance, especially since there is constant stress on your body as you start and stop. This also helps to build muscles in your legs - it tends to exercise different ones than you would use in running, so it's a good complement to this. In addition, because of the constant turning, it helps you to improve your balance and flexibility. Aside from developing muscles, basketball also helps you to improve your hand/eye coordination. It also needs a lot of concentration, so it helps you to build self-discipline and control.
The other advantage of basketball is that it is a sport that you can play all year round. You will find both indoor and outdoor basketball courts, so if the weather is not good outside you can still get a game. In fact, even if there is no one else available, you can always go out on the court and practice by yourself.
The only thing to be aware of is that basketball can be a fast and rough sport, so you need to take care to avoid injuries. If you are in poor shape, you may want to think about getting yourself fit before you start to play - and if you haven't done any vigorous sports for a long time, it's always a good idea to get a checkup at the doctor before taking up the sport. Even if you are in shape, you need to warm up and do stretching exercises before you go out on the court.
