Playing paintball is fun and intense. But, most players are not aware of the physical and mental benefits you get just by playing it.
Paintball has been a popular extreme sport for as long as we can remember. Despite being an intense sport, it can be played with our family and friends.
By playing paintball, you don’t have to spend hours doing intense exercises at the gym.
Getting in shape can be as fun as playing paintball with your friends and family, so don’t underestimate the power of paintball to get you fit and healthy.
Have you ever wondered how many calories you burn and what other health benefits can you gain when playing paintball?
Let’s find out in this article!
Contents
How Many Calories Does Paintball Burn?
Calories burned while per paintball game varies from person to person. We also need to consider some contributing factors like your weight, age, body fat percentage, and how active you are in playing paintball. For instance, if you just stay in cover during the entire game, you’re not going to burn as much as someone who is actively running the entire game.
Now, let’s assume that each paintball game lasts for an hour, active players burn about 340-420 calories or more. While non-active players burn about 200 calories.
However, counting how many calories you burned during a paintball game is quite challenging. By tracking your heart rate, the distance you made during the game, and the speed of movement, you will be able to get a more accurate figure.
You can try using a calorie tracking app. It’s easy to download on any mobile smartphone. However, take note that the data obtained from tracking apps are not accurate, but it is a good way to get approximate data.
Is Paintball a Good Way to Lose Weight?
Let’s face it, most of us struggle with losing weight. What if losing weight can be entertaining after all?
Paintball is an intense game that helps you burn some extra calories. However, keep in mind that playing one session won’t help you lose weight. Instead, having a regular paintball session aids in weight loss.
Studies show that intense exercise releases endorphins which help lift your mood, boost metabolism, and improve sleep cycles.
Additionally, regular paintball sessions help reduce blood pressure, depression, and heart diseases.
Is Paintball a Good Workout?
Paintball is an excellent cardiovascular workout that requires a high demand for endurance and agility because the game is strategic and fast-paced. Most players don’t realize its physical benefits.
Have you heard the term HIIT? It involves doing high-intensity workouts with little rest time, thus it’s called “High-Intensity Interval Training.” Paintball is a quick and fun way to get HIIT just by playing.
Unlike working out on a treadmill, paintball does not include monotonous motions. Instead, multiple parts of your body are engaged in the workout. It involves physical exertion such as dodging, speeding, shooting, crawling and sprinting.
As the game becomes intense, your heart rate skyrockets. This helps maximise your lungs’ and hearts capacity—giving you the ability to exercise longer and harder.
Not only does it help you to be physically and mentally healthy. It’s also a good opportunity to hone your social skills.
Paintball vs Airsoft: Which Burns More Calories?
If you’re tired of having the same workout plan for a while, you might want to consider playing airsoft.
Just like paintball, airsoft is an intense exercise that helps you burn extra calories. It also improves your overall mental health, social skills, and makes you more fit!
Airsoft is also a great full-body exercise which is similar to military training exercises. It helps strengthen joints and muscles, as well as tendons and ligaments.
How Airsoft and Paintball Differs?
Paintball is an extreme game where players compete in teams. Participants hit each other by launching paintballs using a paintball gun or marker . Once the paintballs hit the opponent, they will leave a mark or colored dye. The marks mean that the player is eliminated.
On the other hand, Airsoft is a combat simulation sport wherein participants are eliminated by the opposing team by launching plastic pellets from airsoft guns that resemble real firearms .
The difference between the two sports can be observed in the equipment they use and the rules of each game.
In airsoft, the guns used are designed to look like real firearms. The plastic pellets of the size 6mm act like bullets and are inserted in the magazine just like with real guns.
Plastic pellets do not leave a mark on their target. Although the pellets can leave welts or bruises on exposed skin, that’s why protective gears are recommended.
Meanwhile, the guns used in paintball consist of a tank and a hopper. Paintball uses approximately 17-18mm balls that are filled with paint . Upon impact, the balls explode and leave a splash of paint on the target.
The similarities of paintball and airsoft are visible though. Just like paintball, you can also play the different kinds of airsoft games including team deathmatch, the last man standing, bomb assault, capture the flag, and more. The most popular style of airsoft is the team deathmatch because it’s perfect for big groups and doesn’t require bases.
Is Airsoft a Good Workout?
When playing airsoft, you’ll be carrying heavy guns, equipment, and some even carry an army-like backpack. Most professional players carry ammo pouches, first aid kits, extra magazines, and water bottles. This is a weight-lifting workout that helps you obtain your body’s fitness level.
Carrying heavy equipment during an airsoft game will make your body work harder and strengthen your muscles.
How Many Calories are Burned During an Airsoft Game?
The calories you burn during an airsoft game depends on you – on how active you are during the game. If you spend your time covering or hiding, you won’t burn many calories compared to those who are actively running around.
On an average airsoft game, active players can burn between 400-500 calories. If you’re playing full day on an airsoft field, you burn as much as 1800 calories.
As you can see, airsoft is an excellent way to burn off those extra calories. But, the issue would be frequency. Having airsoft on your daily routine and combined with a healthy and proper diet, airsoft will help you lose weight faster.
Health Benefits of Paintball and Airsoft
Most of us are trying to get back in shape by going to the gym and watching our diet. The downside of going to a gym is that it easily becomes a chore. That’s why outdoor activities like paintball and airsoft are easy ways to keep you engaged and help you improve your overall health and fitness.
Here are the reasons why these two sports are a perfect choice to improve your overall health and well-being:
Full-Body Workout
As we’ve mentioned earlier, paintball is an excellent cardiovascular workout. The various physical movements you make during a paintball session provide a full-body strength workout. If you’re trying to build more muscle, improve flexibility, and increase strength, paintball is perfect for you!
Airsoft usually takes place in an outdoor setting where there is rugged terrain and hills. Lots of moving around and hiking are involved when you’re playing airsoft. Carrying heavy equipment and attachments will give your body a full workout.
With an intense and energetic game like airsoft, you will develop muscles, keep your heart pounding, and improve your blood circulation.
Boosts Strength and Endurance
If you want to be a professional paintball or airsoft player, you need to develop excellent cardiovascular endurance.
During a paintball game, players need to move quickly while carrying their equipment. The areas that build strength during paintball are your arms, legs, and core.
The amount of time you spend playing on the field also increases your endurance levels.
Since you carry heavy equipment during an airsoft match, your strength will improve. After regularly playing airsoft, expect to have bigger muscles and improved strength and stamina.
Increases Self-Confidence and Social Skills
Paintball is a team sport that requires strategy and execution. Working together as a team despite the tense situation helps improve social and leadership skills. This also helps improve self-confidence.
More Fun Than the Gym
Some people are not motivated enough to go to the gym even though they are eager to lose weight or get fit. The gym environment is just not for everyone.
If you’re this type of person, then paintball and airsoft are good and exciting alternatives!
The combination of fast-paced action, full-body workout, and intense cardiovascular workout will be enough to burn the same calories, just like going to the gym.
Mental Health Benefits
Have you ever noticed that after exercising, your mood, creativity levels, and motivation improve?
The main goal of any fitness regime is to lose weight, improve cardio, or get back in shape. Another benefit of intense sports like paintball is it improves your mental health and helps prevent depression.
Fun Way to Lose Weight
Every year, people set aside money for gym memberships but never really get noticeable results after a year. The main reason why most people do not succeed in their weight loss journey is that gym exercises are not fun.
Whereas playing airsoft and paintball allows you to have a full-body workout while having fun. Most of the time, players forget about getting tired because of how intense and competitive the games are.
The intense workout you experience when playing paintball and airsoft is a great and fun way to lose weight.
Improves Hand-Eye Coordination and Dexterity
Muscular strength and endurance are not enough if your goal is to be successful in your chosen sport. You need to learn how to use that strength and endurance effectively and quickly.
Both airsoft and paintball promote excellent hand-eye coordination because you have to be accurate and quick during the game.
Get Your Heart Pumping
As your heart keeps on pounding when playing paintball and airsoft, your adrenaline also keeps pumping. Each time you exercise and keep your heart pumping, your stamina improves. Better stamina means you will need less rest time and allows you to do work longer and easier.
Stimulates Your Mind
Playing airsoft and paintball is not only for physical fitness, it also improves your analytical skills and stimulates your mind. In every move you make, you need to have a strategy. This means you need a sharp mind.
Stress Relief
Stress is part of life. Most of the time, a high amount of stress levels can affect a person’s mental state.
Playing sports is one of many ways to keep your mind calm by venting out your anger and frustration without hurting anyone. In some cases, venting your frustration can even help improve your paintball skills.
The endorphins released while playing paintball and airsoft helps remove stress and maintain a calm attitude.
Additionally, airsoft and paintball are a great way to improve your patience and focus!
Conclusion
There you have it, paintball is an amazing way to get fit and burn calories while having fun! If you’re not a gym person and you’re looking for alternative ways to lose weight, maybe paintball is a good start.
Based on our article, airsoft burns more calories compared to paintball. On an average airsoft game, active players burn up to 500 calories, while paintball players burn up to 420 calories.
However, take note that the calories burned vary from person to person. How active you are during the entire game is the biggest contributing factor. Your age, weight, and body fat also contribute to how many calories you can burn per game.