SOCCER > JOGGING

By Katie Thisdell, staff writer
Posted on October 8, 2007

Juniors James Armold and Philip Pierce already know the benefits of playing soccer. As members of the men’s club soccer team, they both agree with the results of a new study, which concludes that playing soccer provides more physical benefits than jogging.

The University of Copenhagen’s Dr. Peter Krustrup conducted a 12-week study comparing the fitness and health levels of untrained soccer players and joggers. Both groups were active for one hour, two to three times each week.

He found that soccer players lost a greater body fat percentage and gained more muscle mass. Also, their blood pressure fell and improved their athletic ability.

Pierce believes one factor that may contribute to soccer’s advantage is the constant change in speed and skills.

“For joggers, they’re running constantly and all of a sudden they come to a quick stop,” he said. “For soccer, there’s a lot of standing but when the ball comes to your area you have to sprint suddenly.”

Armold agreed that the change of pace is harder on a player’s body.

“Different positions involve running differently,” Armold said. “I don’t really jog voluntarily. Soccer is a more competitive sport.”

Krustrup said in soccer, players use their bodies more effectively.

“Soccer is an all-’round form of practice because it both keeps the pulse up and has many high-intensity actions,” Krustrup said in a news release about his study. “When you sprint, jump and tackle your opponents, you use all the fibers in your muscles. When you jog at a moderate pace, you only use the slow fibers.”

However, many joggers believe that their preferred form of exercise involves a convenience and ease factor.

Though sophomore Gabriella Romaniello used to play soccer and run cross-country, she now prefers running.

“It’s easier to run on a track or outside than to play soccer,” Romaniello said. 

Holly Bailey, fitness and nutrition coordinator at UREC, believes that people should just exercise based on their own interests. 

“I feel that both can provide similar benefits,” Bailey said. “The biggest thing I feel that matters is that a person exercises. If one prefers soccer, that is what they should do. Others do not feel comfortable with team sports and jogging may be the preferred choice of exercise.  The key is to do something you enjoy and just be active. The motto with physical activity should be ‘move more, sit less.’”

Freshman Kathy Olmstead, another jogger, said she will not change her workout based on the study’s results. One of her goals is to increase her personal endurance, which she doesn’t think would happen by playing soccer.

“I’m horrible at soccer, so I wouldn’t play it,” Olmstead said. “I’ve always approached running that the more you do it, the more endurance you build up. But in soccer, you’re not always continuously running.”

Another factor that Krustrup explored within his study was how participants felt after their exercise. Joggers usually felt tired, while the soccer players did not think their workout was too hard.

“When you jog, you focus on yourself,” he said in the press release. “You notice the efforts and the breathlessness. When you play soccer, you push those thoughts aside. It’s fun, the players are caught up in the game and they don’t notice that their hearts are pounding. That is also happens to be very good exercise is an additional bonus.”

Senior Matt Patterson agreed.

“I would much rather have fun and play a sport than just go jogging,” Patterson said. “Your adrenaline is going when you play soccer, and you’re not thinking about [exercising] and you just want to win.”

Holly Bailey, fitness and nutrition coordinator at UREC, believes that people should just exercise based on their own interests. 

“I feel that both can provide similar benefits,” Bailey said. “The biggest thing I feel that matters is that a person exercises. If one prefers soccer, that is what they should do. Others do not feel comfortable with team sports and jogging may be the preferred choice of exercise.  The key is to do something you enjoy and just be active. The motto with physical activity should be ‘move more, sit less.’”

Freshman Kathy Olmstead, another jogger, said she will not change her workout based on the study’s results. One of her goals is to increase her personal endurance, which she doesn’t think would happen by playing soccer.

“I’m horrible at soccer, so I wouldn’t play it,” Olmstead said. “I’ve always approached running that the more you do it, the more endurance you build up. But in soccer, you’re not always continuously running.”

Another factor that Krustrup explored within his study was how participants felt after their exercise. Joggers usually felt tired, while the soccer players did not think their workout was too hard.

“When you jog, you focus on yourself,” he said in the press release. “You notice the efforts and the breathlessness. When you play soccer, you push those thoughts aside. It’s fun, the players are caught up in the game and they don’t notice that their hearts are pounding. That is also happens to be very good exercise is an additional bonus.”

Senior Matt Patterson agreed.

“I would much rather have fun and play a sport than just go jogging,” he said. “Your adrenaline is going when you play soccer, and you’re not thinking about [exercising].  You just want to win.”