Researchers from a university in the UK say that training in a sports team is the best way to improve all-round fitness. They said team sport players have the endurance and stamina of long-distance runners, and the strength of bodybuilders. This is because of the different types of exercise that team players do. The researchers said the key to all-round fitness is to combine strength with endurance and stamina. Cycling, running or swimming was best for all-round fitness. In addition, energetically doing housework and climbing stairs was a good alternative to the gym.
The study looked at 228 athletes aged 17 to 37. There were endurance athletes, such as cyclists, skiers and long-distance runners; power athletes, such as sprinters and bodybuilders; and team athletes who played basketball, football and volleyball. The researchers tested the athletes' muscle power, their ability to jump, and the athletes' oxygen use during hard exercise. A professor said his study showed that "endurance training for power athletes and power training for endurance athletes" was beneficial. He said team players were lucky to do both.