Sports and Other Ways to Get Moving and Get in Shape

Want to feel old? Watch kids play outside. Want to feel young? Go play with the kids outside. It's that simple. I watch my kids play all the time, but it is truly a treat to get myself off the couch and go play with them. For instance, my four year old developed the game "Robot Race" and he somehow coerced me into playing with him. The intricate nuances of Robot Race seemed to be beyond me since Robot Race seemed to have nothing to do with robots or racing. I soon found myself walking around my front yard, my eyes closed and my hands out protecting myself from trees and whatever other objects happened to be about to kill me. The object of Robot Race was for me to walk around the yard trying to find a long screw-driver that had been stuck in the ground by my four year old. Of course, I wasn't allowed to open my eyes and I was only allowed to move the direction that my four year old told me to go. So, as I walked around the yard vision less hearing him yell out, "GO FORWARD! NO, NO…GO RIGHT!" it dawned on me that he didn't know directions very well yet. Even though Robot Race was terrifying and oddly life threatening, it still gave me an excuse to get up and move around, and have fun doing it.

Remember, any activity counts. Do you like sports? Go give them a try. Don't start out playing like you did "back in the day," but try to do some activity that you enjoy. Like basketball? Great, go out and shoot some hoops. Like volleyball? Go pepper the ball against the wall or play with a friend or on a team. Any activity counts.

Don't like sports? Are you sure? I'm sure you haven't tried every sport in the world. Ever tried disc golf, or Cricket, or Ultimate Frisbee, badminton, or martial arts? Martial arts alone gives you the option of trying a wide list of styles, any number of which you might enjoy. If you like flexible kicks and strikes try Tae Kwon Do. If you like to grapple, try Brazilian Jujitsu. I have enjoyed doing martial arts for the last six years or so. It gives me the opportunity as a trainer to continually push my body and have fun in the process, not to mention teaching me self defense. Or perhaps you want to stick to the classic sports, like golf, baseball, soccer, hockey or tennis. There are many different ways to get started, simply by trying it out on your own, going to a class or asking a knowledgeable friend. Pick something that you might like, something that you might want to do on a regular basis or something that you have always wanted to try. Make a life change and be adventurous.

There are other cheap ways to be active besides sports. Try cycling, running (both arguably could be called sports), jump rope, hiking, rowing, kayaking, triathlons, etc. Contact your local wildlife organization and find out when there is the next backpacking seminar and go try it out. Go down to the local pool and swim laps. Go take your dog(s) for a walk. Don't have a dog? Get one and take it out for a walk. If you are in a snowy climate, go skiing, snowshoeing, mountain climbing, ice skating, or curling. Like the water? Try water skiing, snorkeling, water polo, diving or water running. There are many different options to pick from if you keep an open mind.

The point is to get out and get active doing something that you enjoy. Anything that burns extra calories can be a vessel to improvement. Keep an open mind and try something new. You may just surprise yourself and be really talented in an activity that you had never thought of before.