HarryPotter.com
Quidditch is a game unlike any sports we play in the real world. The fictional game, made popular by the Harry Potter book and movie collections, is fast-paced and players have different tasks such as: catching an enchanted ball called snitch, protecting the team from attacks, scoring by getting the ball into one of three rings, and defending their hoops from opposing scores. Even though Daniel Radcliffe isn’t known for his bulging biceps and killer abs, one would guess that he would have to have a pretty decent level of fitness to play. This wizardly contest would be equivalent to playing an underwater bingo game, rugby and dodgeball on horseback while trying to score on a soccer goalie! Tough stuff! Now, it is noteworthy to mention that there are rapidly expanding intramural Quidditch leagues, but we will leave those for another segment as gravity is a huge player and the rules have changed a bit without the wizardly wonders of Hogwarts.
All of your major muscle groups would be utilized in Quidditch because there are so many aspects to the game. Your legs and core muscles would be needed to stabilize and keep you secured to your broomstick while your arms would be used to help steer and stabilize while hitting, throwing, or catching one of the four balls being launched around. Even your hand eye coordination would be tested; the enchanted balls seem to have a mind of their own and often prove to be hard to catch. There is no real way to quantify exactly how hard this game would be, but obviously, it is a game that would need practice and physical fitness.
Circuit training and plyometrics to prepare for a game like Quidditch, because you would need to build strength while keeping your body agile. Plyometrics improve muscle and joint reaction speed and can contribute to the ability to “explode” into action. Examples include box jumps; squat throws with a medicine ball, and push-ups where both hands leave the ground. Take it from someone who knows, like USA women’s soccer goalie Hope Solo. When asked about the workout she uses to prepare for games she says, “I focus more on plyometrics, footwork, speed, agility, and endurance.” While you may not need fancy footwork while riding your Nimbus2000 broomstick, it is still important because doing plyometrics increases your strength and creates better balance.
Also, combination exercises are a great way to strengthen your body and increase coordination. Exercises like burpees, squat push presses, and medicine ball crunches with one leg lifted will get your muscles screaming, calories burning, and give you results.
Speaking of burning calories, factoring in the muscles needed to stabilize yourself on horseback (280), getting physical similarly to rugby (250), and dodging (25), throwing (25), catching (20) and hitting a ball (30), it goes to figure that this magically extreme sport will burn around 600-650 calories per hour of play. Not a bad way to exercise in a world where magic can make every life task easier. Certainly, Emma Watson wouldn’t mind trying her hand at Quidditch, she once said in an interview “For some reason, girls seem to think it [being athletic] is unfeminine and they worry about being ‘pretty’…Sport really makes me feel good about myself.”
Information Comprised from:
http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/features/athletes-and-celebrities/2008-olympics-hope-solo
http://www.healthdiscovery.net/links/calculators/calorie_calculator.htm
http://www.livestrong.com/article/315354-how-many-calories-are-burned-while-playing-dodgeball/
http://caloriecount.about.com/activities-sports-ac15
