Developing Physical Fitness in Children through Ultimate Frisbee

Why is it necessary to develop physical fitness in children and how can ultimate frisbee help in doing so?

Let’s begin with…

1. Cardiovascular Health:

Ultimate frisbee involves continuous movement that raises the heart rate and increases cardiovascular endurance. Regular participation helps improve heart and lung function, enhancing overall cardiovascular health. Activities like running and dynamic movements while playing, increases the efficiency of oxygen delivery to the muscles.

That takes me to….

2. Muscle Strength & Endurance:

Through various activities and use of skills while playing ultimate frisbee engages various muscle groups that help develop muscular strength and endurance which improves the overall stamina of the muscles. Regular participation in sports in general, helps children develop stronger muscles and the ability to perform physical tasks for longer durations without fatigue.

3. Motor Skills & Coordination:

Ultimate frisbee involves complex movements that require coordination and the integration of different motor skills. Running, jumping, throwing, catching and balancing are just a few examples of the movements practiced in ultimate.

Engaging in these activities helps children develop and refine their motor skills, enhancing their overall physical coordination and control.

I have spoken in detail about all the various motor-skills in this blog post:
Developing Motor-Skills in Children Through Ultimate Frisbee

4. Flexibility:

Many sports involve stretching and movements that promote flexibility. Sports like gymnastics, yoga, and dance emphasise flexibility as a fundamental component. While playing ultimate, you develop flexibility too – you’re needed to throw low, and manoeuver with variation, which is why regular participation in ultimate helps children improve their range of motion, joint flexibility, and muscle elasticity, reducing the risk of injuries and enhancing overall physical performance.

Read Here for our Series on the benefits of Ultimate for Children:

5. Bone Health:

Certain sports, where running and jumping are involved, such as ultimate frisbee – contributes to the development of strong bones. Engaging in sports helps enhance bone density and strength, reducing the risk of conditions like osteoporosis later in life. Sports that involve impact or resistance, like ultimate, provide beneficial stimuli for bone growth and development.

6. Body Composition:

Regular participation can help children achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and composition. Sports activities burn calories, promote fat loss and build lean muscle mass. Combined with a balanced diet (as shared in my previous blog post – Developing Health Awareness in Children Through Ultimate Frisbee), sports can help children maintain a healthy body composition, reduce the risk of obesity and improve overall body image.

7. Energy Expenditure:

Like most sports, ultimate frisbee too involves physical exertion, which leads to increased energy expenditure. This helps children meet the recommended levels of physical activity, which is important for maintaining overall fitness and preventing sedentary behaviour. It actually helps create sustainable habits.

As explained in this post, ultimate frisbee works positively in a child’s and a young adult’s life. It’s wholesome fitness and well-being, that improves strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and cardiovascular health.

We have to remember to always encourage a balanced approach by ensuring adequate rest and recovery time is given based on the child’s age and physical abilities.

By participating in ultimate, children experience the cumulative benefits of these various fitness components, leading to a sense of physical happiness.

We, School of Ultimate wish to work closely with parents to help children and young adults lead healthy lives through coaching the game in our sessions in Mumbai. We’ve begun sessions for kids and young adults aged 7-10 and 11-16 years old.

To know more, check out our About Us page or FAQs on our Coaching