• 9 Physical Benefits of Paintball

    It’s important to take good care of your body. Doing so will help you feel better, be happier, and live longer. Part of taking care of your body means being active. There are many ways to accomplish this. You can play a sport, go to the gym, or just take a walk with your dog. No matter what you do, it is important to stick with it. Otherwise, you will lose the benefits. Therefore, it is important to choose activities you enjoy.

    If you are a thrill-seeker who wants a highly active and exciting hobby, playing paintball at AC Paintball near Atlantic City may be for you! There are a variety of physical benefits you can receive from playing paintball on a regular basis. Playing paintball involves a lot of exercise, especially if you play on one of AC Paintball’s wooded fields. All of this exercise offers a variety of overall health benefits.

    Strengthens Your Heart

    Exercise causes your heart to work harder. When your heart works harder on a regular basis, it will become stronger. Strengthening your heart can also help prevent heart disease.

    Strengthens Your Lungs

    When you run, you breathe more heavily. Working your lungs helps increase their capacity and efficiency. If you aren’t used to exercising, you may find that paintball makes you lose your breath easily, but if you keep practicing at AC Paintball, you will eventually find it easier to breathe.  

    Strengthens Your Bones

    Increased bone density also comes along with frequent exercise. When your bones are stronger, they won’t break as easily if you fall or get hit hard. Dense bones also mean you are less likely to develop osteoporosis.  

    Clears Your Arteries

    Plenty of exercise also helps clear your arteries. It reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol and fats in your blood, which leads to the body working more efficiently. When your arteries are clogged, you can experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, weakness, dizziness, nausea, or sweating. Playing paintball at AC Paintball on a regular basis can help make sure you avoid these issues.

    Reduces Your Blood Sugar Levels

    If diabetes runs in your family, playing paintball at AC Paintball may help decrease your chances of developing it too. Exercise triggers your muscles to take up more glucose to use as energy leaving less in your bloodstream. It is important not to let your blood sugar levels get too high or too low as it can lead to a variety of dangerous issues.

    Regulates Your Blood Pressure

    Exercise improves the flexibility of your blood vessel walls and therefore helps regulate blood pressure. Like blood sugar levels, it is important to make sure your blood pressure doesn’t go too high or too low. You may not always experience symptoms if your blood pressure is off, yet it can lead to serious problems. Therefore, exercise through paintball or other activities is important.

    Build Muscle

    Almost everyone wants muscles. Muscles allow you to do more and make you look good. Paintball is one of the best muscle building sports as it gives you a full body workout. During an AC Paintball game, you will use almost every part of your body. If you play often over enough time, you will begin to see yourself getting stronger and more toned.

    Improve Flexibility

    In many instances, playing paintball will involve more than just running. You may also have to jump, crouch, crawl, etc. With this in mind, you should always stretch before your AC Paintball game begins. If you stretch before every game, eventually your overall flexibility will improve as well.

    Lose Weight

    All this activity is sure to burn plenty of calories. Therefore, playing paintball regularly may help you lose some weight. Going to the gym or walking can get boring after a while because it is the same experience over and over. With paintball, however, every game is different. You will have so much fun, you may not even think of playing paintball as a weight loss program. It will just become your hobby.

    September 3, 2018

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  • Arm Strengthening Exercises For Paintball

    Paintball is an active sport. When you play a game at AC Paintball, you can expect to do a lot of running, diving, and other movements, all while carrying a marker. You may notice that after a while, your arm gets tired of holding your gun up. This can affect your ability to aim and do other activities that paintball requires.

    The best way to make sure you can play the game to the best of your ability is to make sure you are prepared. One way to prepare yourself is to strengthen your arms so they don’t get tired so quickly. To help you do so,  AC Paintball is here to help with these great arm-strengthening exercises!

    Remember to Stretch Before Any Workout

    Before you start any exercise, it is important to remember to stretch. In this case, you will want to pay extra attention to stretching your upper back, shoulders, and wrists. Don’t forget to stretch other main muscle groups, though. Also, make sure you are properly hydrated.

    Push-Ups and Planks

    Many paintball players like to incorporate planks and push-ups into their workout because they strengthen many areas at once. In one movement a push-up engages your chest, shoulders, triceps, hips, and abdominals. Strengthening all of these parts can greatly help you do a variety of movements that paintball includes. It can help with holding different positions while trying to aim as well as running across the AC Paintball field.

    Pull-Ups

    Pull-ups help strengthen your upper back, shoulders, forearms, and biceps. Strengthening these areas will aid you in carrying and holding up your marker for long periods of time. If your AC Paintball game requires you to crawl, you may also find crawling easier if you use pull-ups in your regular workout.

    Weightlifting

    Weightlifting is a classic way that many athletes use to strengthen their back, shoulder, and arm muscles. There are a variety of movements you can use to strengthen all of the muscles in your arms. Even if you don’t own dumbbells, you can likely find some objects around your home that you can lift instead.  

    Medicine Balls and Resistance Bands

    Like weights, there are many different exercises you can do with medicine balls or resistance bands. These tools will help you strengthen more than just your arms; they will help you strengthen your legs and core as well.

    Some exercise you can do with the medicine ball is throwing it, lifting it in various ways, or moving it back and forth across your body while you sit on the floor with your legs raised. With the resistance band, you can attach it to something and pull, or try doing some yoga poses with it.

    Create an Exercise Plan To Motivate You

    Finally, create an exercise plan that you can use on a regular basis. Doing so will help you maintain focus so you can keep yourself motivated. If you want to, you can focus on different areas of your body on each different day of the week.

    Another technique that will help you stay motivated is finding a way to track your progress. For instance, you can keep a mark for how far you can throw a medicine ball. Over time you will find that your arms don’t get tired as quickly and will help you perform better during your AC Paintball game. This will keep you motivated to keep improving so you can become a better paintball player.

    Test Your Skills

    Ready to test your arm strength and other paintball skills? Schedule a game at AC Paintball near Atlantic City, New Jersey today! You can do so here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/. You can also call us at 609-561-3883.

    March 19, 2018

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  • 5 Tips to Improve Your Focus

    meditate-1851165_960_720AC Paintball games can get pretty overwhelming at times. There are many aspects to think about as well as plenty of distractions. There are always markers firing loudly, people yelling, weather elements making things difficult, and more. It can be easy to lose your focus. Unfortunately, losing focus can negatively affect your game. If you aren’t paying attention for just a minute, an opponent can sneak up on you and hit you. Before you know it you’re out of the game.

    Fortunately, there are ways to improve your focus so that you don’t get sidetracked in the heat of the moment. All it takes is some practice and determination. To help you practice focus for your next AC Paintball tips, we have compiled this list of popular techniques you can use to help zone in on what is important.

    Take Care of Outside Problems Beforehand

    AC Paintball is a place where you can escape the stresses of the outside world and just focus on having fun for a while. If possible, you should take care of any potential stressors before coming to AC Paintball so you can just relax and have some fun. You don’t want to be thinking about homework you have to do or bills you have to pay while you also trying to focus on winning the game. When you’re at AC Paintball, you are off the clock.

    Visualize The Game

    The unknown is a common source of anxiety for many people. When you don’t know what to expect, you may think of various things that can go wrong. Instead, you should have confidence and think of what can go right. One way to accomplish this is trying to visualize the game beforehand. Walk around the AC Paintball field and picture yourself being away and reacting in a flash so you can create the outcome you want. Solve any problems before they even occur.

    If you are new to the game, do some research or ask more experienced players what to expect. They will likely give you some good advice. Once you have a plan, you can go into your AC Paintball game confident and focused.

    paintball-1278901_960_720Don’t Overthink

    Overthinking is one of the easiest ways to lose focus and start making mistakes. For instance, you may be trying to decide if you should shoot or not, but by the time you decide it is too late. Most times, the best strategy is to just go with your gut and not second guess yourself. Your first instincts are usually right. 

    One way to avoid overthinking is to know what to focus on. Think about what aspects you can control and focus on them. If you have no control over something, it isn’t worth worrying about. If you happen to make a mistake, put it behind you and just focus on what you have to do to get back on track.

    Find a Way To Relax

    If you do start overthinking or get too scatterbrained, try to relax. When you are relaxed, you can think more clearly about how to solve problems and accomplish your goals. If possible, find a safe bunker or a corner of the AC Paintball field where you can take a minute to calm down. Once you find have a few seconds, you can try taking some deep breaths and go to a place in your mind where you can refocus. Once you settle down a little go back out and achieve victory.

    Use a Song or Mantra

    Songs or mantras can also be useful at helping you stay focused throughout the entire game. A repetitive beat will help you focus on aspects you want to focus on. For instance, if you are playing capture-the-flag at AC Paintball and you keep saying “get the flag” over and over again in your head to the beat, you will likely stay more focused on getting the flag. You won’t waste time and energy thinking about other things and you will just do what you have to do.

    When choosing a song or beat, make sure it is upbeat, powerful, and inspires you. This will help give you the extra drive to accomplish your goals.

    September 14, 2017

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  • AC Paintball’s Between Game Checklist

    female paintball playerAt AC Paintball in southern New Jersey, you can choose a 4-hour morning session or a 4-hour evening session. This gives you plenty of time to get multiple games in. You likely won’t want to play for four hours straight, though. You will want to take decent breaks in between to rest and prepare for the next game.

    We want our players to stay healthy, be happy, and have fun. To accomplish this, there are a variety of different tasks to complete between games. By following the checklist below, you can make sure you have a great experience at AC Paintball!

    Congratulate

    While it is not necessary to congratulate the other team, telling the other players “good game” shows good sportsmanship. You can compliment both your teammates and your opponents on great plays they made during the game. This is a great way to make friends at AC Paintball. The more friends you make, the more fun and success you will have. You can learn something from everyone, whether they are a beginner or a pro.

    Stretch

    The best way to transition from exercise to resting is by taking some time to cool down. Stretching after an AC Paintball game is the best way to stay loose. You don’t want to just sit down right away. You will likely get stiff or dizzy. Start with some dynamic stretches that allow you to slowly return your heart rate to a normal pace. If you feel stiff, add in some static stretches as well.

    Care for Any Scratches of Bruises

    While paintball is a fairly safe sport that sees fewer injuries than soccer, hockey, and football, you may get some scratches. If you dive behind a bunker or don’t pay attention, you may end up with some bruises. These are minor injuries that don’t call for leaving the game if they are not bothering you. Between games is the time to wash them off and apply bandages. If you need help, talk to AC Paintball’s staff.

    Rehydrate and Refuel

    When you play paintball, you lose a lot of water through sweat. Our bodies are made up of about 60% so it is important to replenish any water you lose often. Be sure to drink plenty of water between games, but don’t drink so much that you upset your stomach.

    apple-15687_960_720You will also need to re-energize. When preparing for your trip to AC Paintball, be sure to pack some healthy snacks to refuel. Some good options include fruits, veggies, and nuts. Try to keep it light and don’t eat too fast. You don’t want to weigh yourself down and be sluggish during your next game.

    Dry Off

    It’s always a smart idea to bring a towel to AC Paintball. Whether you are drenched in sweat or rain, drying off will make you feel better. If it is raining you can use the towel to cover your ammo and equipment. You don’t want to go into your next game with wet equipment. Wet hands make you lose your grip. A wet mask makes it difficult to see. Waterlogged paintballs do not work properly. To help ensure success, be sure to keep everything as dry as possible.

    Apply Sunscreen

    If you visit AC Paintball on a hot and sunny day, you will not want to forget the sunscreen. All of our fields are outside so you will be exposed to the sun for a few hours. Getting burnt will NOT make your paintball experience more fun. Make sure you apply often to protect yourself from the sun.

    Check Your Equipment

    If you want to be extra safe, you should also check your equipment. Make sure your marker is functioning properly and that no parts are loose. Make sure you have enough ammo to last a full game. If you need any help, one of AC Paintball’s staff will be happy to assist you.

    Take Pictures

    While not necessary, taking pictures allows you to capture the day as a memory. You can share the photos with your friends and family to show them all the fun you had at AC Paintball. Between games is the best time to gather your party together to get a group photo.

    April 17, 2017

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  • AC Paintball Health Tips

    apple-2391_960_720While playing paintball is a great way to build your muscles and stay healthy, you need to back it up with other healthy habits. You need to take care of yourself before, during, and after a game, so that you don’t get hurt. At AC Paintball in southern New Jersey, we want our players to be happy and healthy. We support safe paintball and offer these tips to keep you and team energized.

    Drink Plenty of Water

    Summers in Williamstown, New Jersey can get hot. While you’re running around AC Paintball’s field, you will continually lose water through sweat. Losing even a small percentage of your body’s weight in fluid can significantly affect your game. Proper hydration will keep you running longer and feeling better.

    You need to hydrate before, during, and after each game. One to two hours before playing, you should drink a bottle of water. Right before the game, you should drink another half bottle of water. During your AC Paintball game, you should drink a half bottle of water every 15 minutes or so. After the game, be sure replenish any additional water you lost throughout the day.

    Eat Healthy Foods

    Along with drinking enough, you need to make sure to eat the right foods. Foods with protein will give you the energy you need to play multiple AC Paintball games. Whole grains will keep you feeling full longer so you can concentrate on the game rather than your stomach growling. Fruits and vegetables will give your body the nutrients it needs to function properly. Yogurt is a good source of calcium that helps your muscles. Fish or sushi will keep your eyes and brain functioning to the best of their ability.

    Wear Appropriate Clothing and Footwear

    Before you leave your New Jersey home, you will want to make sure you have proper clothing and footwear. The best clothing to wear is something that is easy to move in. You don’t want your outfit to be so tight you can’t move or so loose that you get your sleeve caught on something. Something light weight will make it easier to perform to the best of your ability.

    feet-1840619_960_720Be sure to check the weather before coming to AC Paintball and prepare appropriately. In summer, wear breathable clothing and be sure to bring sunscreen. In cooler temperature wear a few layers. You may also want to consider some padding to avoid injuries. Sneakers are the best and most appropriate choice for footwear.

    Have a Proper Warm Up and Cool Down

    The average AC Paintball game gives you a full body workout. Between running, crouching, squatting and more, you work more muscles than the average sport. With this in mind, you need to make sure your muscles are warmed up so you don’t get hurt. Before your game jog a few laps and do some dynamic stretches. This includes knee-highs, butt kicks, grapevines, etc. If you still feel stiff, try adding some static stretches.

    Just as important as a warm-up is a cool down. A cool down allows your body to gradually return to a resting state. After an intense game, your blood and heart will be racing. If you sit down and do nothing too fast, you may get dizzy and feel sick. A proper cool down includes jogging, dynamic stretching, and static stretching.

    Follow Safety Rules

    Paintball can be dangerous if you don’t follow safety rules. You should keep your helmet/safety gear on at all times and always keep your gun pointed low. Don’t be too reckless during play. Dangerous moves are not worth the injury.

    At AC Paintball, your safety is our priority. To view our official rules and regulations, please follow this link: https://acpaintball.com/ac-paintball-rules-and-regulations/. If you would like to schedule a game, you can do so here: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/.

    February 14, 2017

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  • How to Effectively Cool Down After an AC Paintball Game

    silhouette-1788908_960_720What is your routine after playing an intense game at AC Paintball? How do you return your body to a restful state? A cool down is an important part of any paintball game that is sometimes overlooked by players. After playing a tiring game of paintball, it is tempting to just sit down on a bench and try to catch your breath. Yet, taking a few extra minutes to gradually return your body to a restful state is healthier.

    If you don’t know how to effectively calm down after a game, it is time to learn. AC Paintball is here to help.

    Importance of a Cool-Down

    Heart

    A proper cool down benefits your body in a variety of ways. It gives your heart a chance to adjust to the level of exercise. When playing at AC Paintball your heart rate rises. Between the excitement and exercise, it may beat anywhere from 75-200 bpm (beats per minute). The number will vary depending on your health and age. The average resting heart rate is 60-100 bpm. If you go from a high rate to a low rate too quickly, you may experience dizziness due to the reduced level of work.

    Blood Circulation

    A gradual cool down also helps keep your blood circulating. As you play, your muscles use nutrients and oxygen. These nutrients will need to be replenished so you can continue to play more AC Paintball games. Your body transports more nutrients to your muscles through your blood stream. Therefore, it is important to keep your blood circulating after exercise.

    Flexibility

    When you use your muscles to exercise, they become warm. This is the ideal time to stretch them because it is easier for the muscles to be moved around. Stretching your muscles regularly will improve your range of motion. The more flexible you are, the better you can move during your next AC Paintball game.

    Easy Exercise

    Start your cool down routine with some easy exercise. Make sure that the level of activity is somewhere between intense and resting. Jogging in place or taking a few laps around an AC Paintball field is one of the best options. You can also try some dynamic stretches that gently move your body. Gradually slow down your pace and don’t forget to breathe.

    jog-1005897_960_720Static Stretching

    Once you lower your heart rate, you will want to do some static stretches. This will keep your muscles from getting stiff. Unlike dynamic stretches, your body stays in one place while you hold a certain position. Stretch everything! Paintball uses your whole body, so make sure your stretching routine is through. You may want to put some extra focus on your legs, back, and shoulders as they are usually worked the most.

    Try to hold each stretch for 20 – 30 seconds, but don’t strain yourself too much. Pushing yourself too hard risks injury. Again, don’t forget to breathe.

    Rehydrating

    As you breathe and sweat, your body loses water. When you are finished playing, you will need to replenish your fluid and electrolyte deficit. You don’t want to get dehydrated. Water is your best option, but some athletes also use sports drinks or even chocolate milk. Don’t drink too much all at once. Be sure to consistently drink enough over the next two days after your AC Paintball visit, though.

    Snacking

    Finally, you need to recover the energy and nutrients your body used to help you play. After the game, find your favorite southern New Jersey restaurant and order something healthy. Something packed with protein will help replenish your energy and keep your muscles strong. This includes beef, chicken, and fish/sushi. Other healthy options include whole-grains, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and nuts/seeds.

    With proper care and attention, your body will be ready to go again, so you can play another game at AC Paintball!

    January 10, 2017

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  • What to Eat Before and After a Paintball Game

    girl-126162_960_720Paintball is an active sport where you are constantly on the move. It requires running, jumping, crouching, crawling, and squatting. With so much movement, you need the right fuel to keep you playing at your best. Without proper energy, you will likely hit a wall and struggle to compete to your full potential. So, what should you eat before and after a paintball game at AC Paintball? Below you will find a list of foods you can eat to give you the nutrients your body needs.

    Whole-Grain Foods

    When you’re hungry, it’s difficult to concentrate. If you’re hungry, you will likely focus on your stomach growling rather than the game. Whole grains contain fiber and help you feel fuller longer. When playing for hours at AC Paintball in southern New Jersey, you will want to feel full and energized. Additionally, whole grains can also lower your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol. Certain whole grains offer extra benefits of beneficial vitamins and minerals.

    Vegetables

    Vegetables provide you with a variety of nutrients. This includes potassium, fiber, folate (folic acid) and vitamins. While playing paintball at AC Paintball, your systolic blood pressure increases. Your diastolic blood pressure either remains the same or drops a by a few points. The potassium in vegetables helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure. The fibers in vegetables also lower cholesterol and help your heart.

    apples-634572_960_720Fruits

    AC Paintball’s packages include four hours of play time.  When you are playing this long, you need plenty of energy to keep you going. Fruit can help provide that energy. They are packed with a variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Like vegetables they provide fiber and potassium.

    Each fruit can provide you with a different benefit. Bananas are packed with potassium which aid in nerve and muscle function. This can help prevent cramps while playing paintball in Williamstown, New Jersey. They will keep your muscles working and help you feel good.

    Yogurt

    Yogurt is loaded with vitamins. Dome brands also contain probiotics that aid in digestion and boost your immune system. Yogurt is a great snack to eat after playing at AC Paintball because it helps you recover. The carbohydrates in yogurt replace the muscles stored energy. Its proteins also help build and repair muscles.

    Yogurt also contains calcium, potassium, protein, and other vital nutrients that keep you healthy. Some yogurt brands contain more healthy ingredients than others. Be sure to read the label and choose the right brands.

    Fish or Sushi

    Just like many of the other items on our list, fish contain a variety of nutrients that help in a variety of others. One of the main benefits of fish is that it helps maintain good brain function and eyesight. When you’re in an intense battle at AC Paintball, your brain needs to be quick and accurate.  You also need your eyesight to scope out your targets from across the field. Nutrients in fish can also help you avoid heart problems, depression, and poor sleep.

    Drinks

    When playing in AC Paintball’s fields in southern New Jersey, you need to stay hydrated. Exercising causes your body temperature to rise quickly. This will happen even faster if you are wearing many layers of clothing for padding. Water helps regulate your body temperature and cool you off. Water also helps lubricate your joints and avoid cramps.

    water-830374_960_720Drinking some Gatorade can also help you replace electrolytes. Milk is a good drink choice after playing at AC Paintball. Milk is slowly released into your small intestine. It gradually absorbs into your blood stream. This keeps you hydrated longer. It also contains plenty of nutrients to replace those lost during exercise.

     

    September 27, 2016

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