Physiological and physical effects of football: a comparative analysis

Football Being Physiological and Physical

Often the line between physicality and physiology is blurred, as both relate the function on the human body. In the arena of organized team sports, the physical and the physiological can be distinguished by breaking down specific bodily talents, such as flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, speed, agility, coordination, timing and reaction time, and accuracy. Each of these relates more to physiology than physicality. For example, in football, throws and passes significantly impact the outcome of the game. The actions involved in throwing, passing, and catching the football demand physiological acumen, especially timing, coordination, and good reaction time. Some receivers must also display a great deal of flexibility in trying to reach for a poorly thrown ball or one that arrives amid a slew of defensive forces. Football of course also relies greatly on strength and endurance, especially when it comes to staving off the defense or running the football as far as possible into the zone. On the other hand, the physical nature of American football manifests itself mostly in the body type of the player as well as in the way the athlete uses his or her body in the sport. For example, many receivers tend to be lither and slimmer than teammates like tacklers. Football is an extremely physical sport, one that requires the employment of brute force in addition to stamina and strength. Defensive leaders must muster their strength to stave off advancements from the opposing team's offense, while the offense must coordinate their efforts to promote scoring for the team. The physical aspects of football relate more to the specific positions of the players and to their corresponding body types, whereas the physiology of football has to do more with the details of the players' movements as well as their particular talents.

Strength is both a physical and a physiological characteristic that plays in integral role in football. Strength is inherently physical, as it relates to the bulk and potential of the muscle of the athlete. Because of training and innate ability, certain athletes exhibit predilections for strength in various muscle groups: most football players have to show both upper and lower body strength, depending on their position. Moreover, certain football positions require a physical presence. For instance, guards and tackles have to stave off the opposing team, preventing them from retrieving the ball. The restrictions on their play demand that tackles and guards are physically large in stature, so as to effectively block members of the opposing team. Moreover, the strength these players use to do their job effectively involves basic brute force. Physiological strength is similar to physical strength; players in the position of tackle or guard must show good reaction times to the other team's strategies, which could change quickly. Moreover, strength is as much a physiological as a physical characteristic, as it relates to the optimal use of muscle groups and the players' ability to deal with considerable resistance. Another way that football is both physical and physiological is in the body type of the players. Players who must run long distances would be naturally better off being lithe, agile, and slimmer than players whose main job is to ward off the opposing team with their physical presence, strength, and size. Receivers must show extreme dexterity in catching balls soaring through the air, and when they catch the ball they must be aware at all times of the action going on around them. These traits are shared by both the physical and the physiological nature of football. Moreover, endurance is a physiological and physical measure: endurance has to do with the optimal functioning of the cardio-vascular, nervous, and skeletal-muscular systems.

However, football's physical and physiological nature can be distinguished easily from one another. When a receiver, for instance, runs and catches the ball, many physiological functions are involved including agility, dexterity, speed, and good reaction times. These are not purely physical traits; technically an athlete of any shape or size can develop the skills necessary to be a good receiver. The game of football is immediately a physical sport, as the men on the field compete with one another, tackle one another, and try to out run and out smart one another. The physiology of football has more to do with the individual players: their strengths and weaknesses. The reaction time of one player affects the outcome of the game and thus reflects on the team as a whole Physiology also affects the team as a whole as coordination reflects the ability of players to communicate with one another on the field in a matter of milliseconds. However, the functioning of the team as a unit creates a decidedly physical force. When organized on the line, teams become tangible, physical machines that depend on the optimal physical functioning of each individual player.