At first glance, football runs counter to a Peatarian view of healthy exercise. 90 minutes of constant movement , a lot of jogging, jumping, high intensity sprinting, it definitely is a stressor upon the body, and many professional footballers have serious heart conditions, with a couple having suffered heart attacks on the field.
However, I think it has a lot of positives also. The movements are almost all concentric. It requires skill and co-ordination, engaging the brain. It builds very strong leg muscles. It's a very social sport. It's also quite pro-sugar. In England, where I am from, it was always common to have a few slices of an orange at half-time (you sucked them dry so you didn't even get the fiber, very Peaty). Now it's more about energy drinks such as lucozade, which have high amounts of sugar and caffeine (probably some horrible highly carcinogenic chemicals also). It may also help to optimise hormonal balance, with testosterone increasing after a game - Soccer Proven To Be Natural Testosterone Booster
I know there are many negatives. With all the focus on the legs, it can build an unbalanced body. Being a long and addictive game, it can lead to overuse injuries. It is also quite physical and potentially dangerous with people sliding at high speeds near other people's legs, contesting the ball in the air can lead to head injuries from clashing with other people's heads. Being a competitive sport it can also lead to actual violence and fighting.
The goalkeeper position is a very different experience. Cardio-wise, they do so little that they are probably safe from the negative effects. But psychologically it's a more difficult position, goalies go through the game shifting through states of boredom and high stress, spending it in isolation. They are also blamed for any mistakes more than any other player, at an amateur level it's always difficult to find people that want to play this position.
My personal experience with the game is that I have been playing it since I was a child. As an un-coordinated kid, it helped me develop co-ordination and spatial awareness. I became quite good (within my peer groups) and gained satisfaction from representing my schools in competition. I developed very strong and muscular legs through the game. As a nerdy kid, football got my outside and playing on the grass. Peat has talked about how important play is for a child's development. Most importantly, I love the game and playing it was always a thrill. I did suffer the negatives also, my hamstrings are tight and weak as a result of all that running, I suffered a broken finger from someone stepping on it (by accident) as I lay sprawled on the ground, overuse injuries from weakened muscles in my foot, came close to getting in fights over disputes on the field. And my upperbody is far weaker relative to my lower body as a result of the game.
So there are many positives and negatives. It is probably too intense from a Peatarian perspective on exercise, yet I think it offers many benefits over things such as long-distance running etc. There is a reason it's the most popular sport in the world. Personally, I still play about once a week and enjoy it, but I can see myself pulling away as I age, mainly to protect my knees from all the impact.
However, I think it has a lot of positives also. The movements are almost all concentric. It requires skill and co-ordination, engaging the brain. It builds very strong leg muscles. It's a very social sport. It's also quite pro-sugar. In England, where I am from, it was always common to have a few slices of an orange at half-time (you sucked them dry so you didn't even get the fiber, very Peaty). Now it's more about energy drinks such as lucozade, which have high amounts of sugar and caffeine (probably some horrible highly carcinogenic chemicals also). It may also help to optimise hormonal balance, with testosterone increasing after a game - Soccer Proven To Be Natural Testosterone Booster
I know there are many negatives. With all the focus on the legs, it can build an unbalanced body. Being a long and addictive game, it can lead to overuse injuries. It is also quite physical and potentially dangerous with people sliding at high speeds near other people's legs, contesting the ball in the air can lead to head injuries from clashing with other people's heads. Being a competitive sport it can also lead to actual violence and fighting.
The goalkeeper position is a very different experience. Cardio-wise, they do so little that they are probably safe from the negative effects. But psychologically it's a more difficult position, goalies go through the game shifting through states of boredom and high stress, spending it in isolation. They are also blamed for any mistakes more than any other player, at an amateur level it's always difficult to find people that want to play this position.
My personal experience with the game is that I have been playing it since I was a child. As an un-coordinated kid, it helped me develop co-ordination and spatial awareness. I became quite good (within my peer groups) and gained satisfaction from representing my schools in competition. I developed very strong and muscular legs through the game. As a nerdy kid, football got my outside and playing on the grass. Peat has talked about how important play is for a child's development. Most importantly, I love the game and playing it was always a thrill. I did suffer the negatives also, my hamstrings are tight and weak as a result of all that running, I suffered a broken finger from someone stepping on it (by accident) as I lay sprawled on the ground, overuse injuries from weakened muscles in my foot, came close to getting in fights over disputes on the field. And my upperbody is far weaker relative to my lower body as a result of the game.
So there are many positives and negatives. It is probably too intense from a Peatarian perspective on exercise, yet I think it offers many benefits over things such as long-distance running etc. There is a reason it's the most popular sport in the world. Personally, I still play about once a week and enjoy it, but I can see myself pulling away as I age, mainly to protect my knees from all the impact.