People enjoy playing airsoft for various reasons and often do not think about all advantages of airsoft they benefit from. I decided to go deeper into the analysis of the awesome benefits that airsoft offers to anyone who decides to join it. This is a great sport and it deserves attention because it can not only bring many health benefits to a player but also connect people and thus increase the social connection.
Airsoft is also an extremely flexible and creative sport so there is room for improvement and I see it as one of those sports that will stay in the future continuing to connect people and perhaps challenge them to unleash creativity. Airsoft is a big thing that brings so much joy, fun, and happiness to players around the globe.
I have categorized the following benefits in four sections and they are the following:
- Physical benefits
- Mental benefits
- Social benefits
- Firearms training
So, in case that someone still questions whether you should join airsoft or not (perhaps your wife, husband, mother, father, or grandma) you can show them this post and they might join you on the field.
Physical Benefits of Airsoft
Some of the physical benefits of playing airsoft include weight loss, increased stamina, increased energy levels, respiratory health, increased lung capacity, increased cardio condition, and promotion of blood circulation which is directly connected with cardiovascular health.
If you wonder how airsoft may impact your fitness level and how many calories you burn during a match you should be excited!
In some cases airsoft may even contribute to muscle growth and healthier joints and ligaments.
Now let me explain why these mentioned benefits exist in airsoft.
Weight loss
It is not a secret that running helps maintenance of the calorie deficit that is required for losing fat. Most beginners are quite surprised by how much this can actually help them get the desired bodies.
This can also be a good introduction to the world of fitness because you control how much you run and if you want you can start by simple walking and with time start running more and more and change your game style to the aggressive one from for the passive one with time.
I am also working on some airsoft workouts that I will be sharing with you that you can do from home, soon.
Increased stamina and energy levels
Do you feel tired all day long and only perform with full energy levels at certain hours a day? Not mentioning that sometimes you may feel that your energy levels are low for the entire week or so?
Well, this is due to the inactivity and your endocrine system may be at an imbalance, through airsoft you do not only work your body which helps you raise the energy levels but when you also combine it with all other benefits of airsoft you end up having a great solution for this problem.
Sometimes all you need to get in the mood is to have some fun through physical engagement with other people who also share the positivity in their surroundings.
Respiratory health
Airsoft is played in big fields often found in nature, the fresh air that comes from the trees is known for its health properties and it is a doctor’s recommendation that people who live in cities should try to occasionally spend free time in nature in order to relax and catch a breath of fresh air.
The fresh nature air helps with respiratory problems and sometimes solves problems for people with certain conditions.
When a person spends time walking and running in such an environment the person greatly prospects from it, and nature has other mental benefits that will be mentioned in this post later.
Increased lung capacity, cardio condition and blood circulation
Airsoft can be played in the mentioned big fields across the forests but can also be played in buildings or different types of terrains, no matter where it is played a player must move a lot.
Walking, running, jumping, and crawling promotes circulation in the body and the health of the heart, this is also one of the facts confirmed by the doctors.
Also running will force a person to breathe more and therefore increase the lung capacity especially when changing covers or running to the objectives in order to catch the opposing team off guard.
This all helps the cardio conditioning and after only a few games a person can notice the improvement whenever they have to go upstairs or catch a bus, play airsoft for few months and the difference will be more than obvious.
If you have problems with veins in your legs this can also be a good reason to join airsoft, because moving is also beneficial for many medical conditions.
Muscle growth
I am not telling you that airsoft can replace gym but it may spark that bubble and make you interested in serious training that includes body weights and weights.
If you get that interest with time and I am not suggesting you force yourself and immediately start training like a spartan or a military guy, you may want to put yourself in great shape because you will see that it also helps you play airsoft better. With such change, you may also want to see where the limits of your body are and motivate yourself towards the real gains.
Although there are many people who do not care about muscles, they can not hurt and can only make you be a better version of yourself.
Joints/ligaments health
Even the moderate pace of running strengthens the ligaments and ligaments support joints thus make them stronger. Running and other exercises help you also strengthen the muscles, stronger muscles in combination with stronger ligaments mean more health to the joints.
If you are young this may not be a big advantage to you (although training at a young age of 20 or such has been scientifically proven to have an impact on a person’s health later in life), but if you are a few years older than this, this is a great and important fact for you. As we grow older our bodies become worn but exercise helps your body to stay in shape and to reduce the effects of aging.
Social Benefits of Airsoft
Humans are known for their social dependency because we are social creatures. If you need friends you may find them in one of your local airsoft fields or somewhere on the internet airsoft groups.
Airsoft allows you to not only connect with those people who may share similar goals with you but also allows you to experience the fun that those people produce and you do the same by playing, respecting the rules, and challenging them backwards.
Airsoft is known for its community that may be formed of only a small group of local people to the bigger groups where you can find thousands of players on certain events, thanks to this you feel easily find the group of people who will gladly play with you and have a beer with you.
I am sure that every man or woman who plays airsoft would like to see more people who share the same interest in the field with them.
Some people need this more than others, my friend likes being alone all day long and rarely goes out to see or meet people, but then there is me. I can see a significant difference when I stay home and do not socialize for more than a week.
Perhaps some people also share the business interests of yours. I believe that being connected with the right people is always the way to go unless you are a big introvert and must find a way to approach people.
For all introverts, fear not, you do not have to talk to anyone if you do not want but I am sure that if you bring another introvert friend with you that you both will have a great time and may also find another introvert on the field.
Mental Benefits of Airsoft
When you combine all mentioned physical and social benefits, you realize that there must be many mental benefits as well.
Increased stamina, energy levels, circulation, and similar physical health benefits result in better mental health. The body follows the mind but the mind is found in a healthy body.
If you feel anxious it may be a direct result of physical inactivity, if you feel depressed and down it may be because you need socializing or some entertainment that you have not experienced for a long time.
Walking and running alone have shown great improvement for people with mental health issues, the reason behind this is that the chemicals in the body tend to get imbalanced for any reason.
Sport helps you overcome this problem, combine airsoft with some additional physical training at home or at the gym and you may have even better results, but airsoft alone can be enough!
Now, this all makes sense if you like the idea of airsoft and think it may help you find that joy you need.
Do not force yourself into anything unless you feel it helps, and be sure to understand that you are more than your thoughts and chemicals in your body, even if you feel down you can tell yourself to get up and make a change in your life, your body and endocrine system will follow.
Firearms Training Benefits
We shall not forget that military and police officers train with airsoft equipment. Airsoft guns are a great way to train the mind-muscle- connection and eye-target tracking when it comes to shooting.
Real guns depend on real bullets which are very expensive, airsoft replica guns imitate real guns quite realistically but use cheap plastic balls instead. If you like shooting and want to save some money you can choose between various great gun replicas that airsoft offers.
This is not only cheap but also a safe way to practice and the fact is that once you move to the real guns the only big difference that you have to get adapted to is the recoil, airsoft guns have non or very weak recoil.
Even the tactics of professional teams are thought by guys who understand a thing or two about real battles, a difference between an amateur team and a professional one that has military training behind is simply tremendous.
You can watch this documentary if you find it interesting and see how well this man who has training in airsoft, performed when he was introduced to the real guns.
Conclusion on Airsoft Benefits
Now you may be saying that I am getting too much into fitness when I talk about airsoft, but the truth is that it is a kind of fitness when you realize how much you move and how it affects your body and mind. The social aspect and firearms training is another big plus and when you sum it all up, you have one great hobby that also helps you with other important stuff in your life.
I like to also train and condition myself physically and mentally on a large scale, but I have found out that airsoft supports that idea and you may find yourself falling more and more into an active lifestyle which may improve your life in many fields.
I shall also mention that airsoft would be worth it only for its sheer fun it brings without any of the benefits on health mentioned above.
So, find out whether you like it, go there and try it out. You can easily quit if you think it does not fit you but it may be exactly the thing you need, also bring your family members or friends with you and have fun!