Comradeship. A sense of self-worth. Trophies. All noble reasons to break a sweat. But as Cesc Fabregas’ selfies make clear, there are also more tangible benefits. Six of them.

We tend to gravitate to the sport that some whistle-toting PE teacher first yelled us into taking up. However, now that he’s dragged his net of footballs to the great kit room in the sky, you can make a more nuanced decision.

We tapped the country’s leading personal trainers for a breakdown on which sport you should take up to hit a specific fitness goal, and the gym move that’s going to turn you from Sunday league to superstar.

Football

Best For: Burning Fat

As you should know by now, while it is plenty of time to do a workout, 20 minutes on the treadmill does not a six-pack make. For optimum fat loss, you need high-intensity intervals: 20 seconds of sprinting, 10 seconds of rest. Like trying to get on the end of that through ball then wheeling away once you’ve chipped the keeper.

“Playing football burns fat and builds muscle by recruiting both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibres,” says Harkirat Garcha from MotivatePT. “The constant switch between fast sprints and light jogging utilises aerobic and anaerobic energy, helping to burn more calories.”

Calorie Burn: 612kcals per hour

Do This Move: “Speed ladder drills help balance, coordination and explosive power,” says Dylan Jones, founder of P4Body.

Swimming

Best For: Rehab

Time out of the gym is as bad for your morale as your waistline. But hitting the squat rack too early will only extend your time on the bench. Slip your trunks on instead.

(Related: How To Avoid Some Of The Most Common Sports Injuries)

“Swimming is good because it’s non-weight bearing,” says Jones. “If you are suffering with an injury, swimming is a great way of staying fit without the impact, as water supports up to 90 percent of our body weight.” It also works every muscle to help iron out any imbalances.