One of the perks of keeping active through team sports such as ultimate Frisbee is that as you're running around the field with your competitive juices flowing, you're also burning calories. Sure, you might not play the sport with the intention of losing a few pounds of stubborn fat, but the physical benefits you receive by the end of your team's season can make you decide to scale back your gym visits.
Ultimate Frisbee
Also known simply as "ultimate," the sport of ultimate Frisbee provides more of a vigorous workout than just lazily tossing the Frisbee around at the beach. The sport shares many similarities with football and soccer. Players must pass the disc back and forth as they make their way down the field toward the opposition's end zone. When the team in possession of the disc is able to successfully complete a pass in the end zone, it receives a point.
Calories Burned
The calories you'll burn during a game of ultimate Frisbee, as is the case with any activity or exercise, depends on your weight and the length of the workout. "Glamour" magazine's calorie counter notes that a 155-pound person will burn about 591 calories during a 60-minute game of ultimate Frisbee, while a 185-pound person will burn about 705 calories in the same length of time.
Calorie Comparison
The rate at which you burn calories during a game of ultimate Frisbee puts the activity on par with several types of vigorous workouts. If you weigh 185 pounds and burn 705 calories during an hour-long game, you'll burn calories at a comparable rate to an hour-long run at 5 mph and a 60-minute bike ride between 12 and 14 mph, according to HealthStatus.
Recommended Aerobic Exercise Amount
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week, and ultimate Frisbee provides an aerobic workout when you're jogging around the field. Depending on how many games you play in a week, you can easily approach the department's guidelines. For example, a pair of 60-minute games puts you just 30 minutes short of the recommended 150 minutes, and you can make up the difference through any number of other aerobic exercises, such as walking, swimming or in-line skating.
References
Writer Bio
Toronto-based journalist William McCoy has been writing since 1997, specializing in topics such as sports, nutrition and health. He serves as the Studio's sports and recreation section expert. McCoy is a journalism graduate of Ryerson University.