If you are tempted to locate your sportiness once again, the chances are you need to look back to your youth for inspiration. When you were younger, you were probably more active, spent more time at the gym and joined all sorts of sports societies at university. Fast forward to today and you are more likely to be found sat in front of the TV watching the latest box set rather than pounding the treadmill at the gym.
Rather than succumbing to your newfound sedentary lifestyle, you need to be proactive and get up and do something. The easiest way to do this is to reintroduce yourself to the world of sport slowly. You don’t have to head to the advanced soccer course immediately. Instead, take a look at this guide to help you get sporty.
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Socialize With Sport
If you adore heading out with pals at the weekend and you are likely to be found at the movies watching the latest blockbuster or at a swanky restaurant trying the latest fusion cuisine, it’s time to change it up a bit. Think about heading to see your local sports teams play. Perhaps you have an ice hockey team, a soccer team or a football team that you can lend your support to. Consider purchasing a season ticket and becoming involved with the community aspect of the club. Volunteer your time to sell programmes, to attend training sessions or to ferry the older supporters to the ground every match.
If this sort of socializing is little too hardcore to begin with, get yourself to a sports bar. Yes, it might not be the most active way to get involved, but you will be able to view some sport on TV at least. Go on a match day, and the bar will be buzzing. Think about using this as your social time and enjoy getting to grips with sports once again. If you have lost touch with the football league, now is the time to brush up on the offside rule. If your mates are already into sport and you don’t want to look foolish, the bar is the best place to go to chat to supporters and to hear all of the latest transfer gossip.
Events
Often there are major sporting events going on. If you love American football, why not get yourself tickets for the Super Bowl and treat yourself to a trip to the USA? Alternatively, if you find yourself hankering after the American classic sport but you can’t get away from good old blighty, why not check out the NFL London Games. Last year, the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks had an awesome encounter at Wembley Stadium. If you want to introduce yourself to different sports, go to the show events.
Alternatively, you might fancy a trek to see the Grand National. Or maybe you want to check out the summer athletics events. This is ideal if you want to partake in the shot put, the hurdles or the long jump yourself.
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Have A Go
It doesn’t matter what sport you want to have a go at, just take the plunge. You might be nervous because your skills are appalling and you have might not have tried your chosen activity before. Don’t worry. Everyone was in the same boat once. Just don’t have too high expectations otherwise you could be left a little disappointed.
You need to consider the sport that you want to have a go at. If you fancy a spot of self defense, why not investigate martial arts classes. These sorts of sessions are always after new students. A martial art is a little different from a usual sporting activity because there aren’t teams to support. This is very much an individual sporting activity that takes on more of a learning aspect. You will hone your moves and self discipline in the dojo to move through the belts until you become an expert black belt. You won’t be looking at starting fights or being aggressive, and instead you will arm yourself with techniques to protect yourself should you find yourself in a threatening situation.
If martial arts don’t float your boat and you’d rather something that offers a little more camaraderie, why not consider setting up your own five a side footie team? There are plenty of pitches and clubs that hire out their venues to teams. You can even enter your newfound team into a league and enjoy weekly matches at the weekend. This means that you can train during the week and enjoy a spot of friendly competition at the same time. This is a great way of making new friends and extending your social circle while getting active at the same time.
If you like the thought of a team sport, but fancy something more unusual why not try your hand at curling, handball, volleyball or basketball. While not the traditional sports for good old blighty, there are sports clubs facilitating these activities all over the country. You might need to travel a little further but it could be worth it. If you have a small brood, you could even get the whole family involved. This means that your kids won’t grow up with their eyes glued to their smartphone or their Xbox. Instead, strive to be more active as a family.
Your kids can be a great way to get you into sport. If they belong to a school sports team and they request volunteers, get involved. You might be able to lend your previous experience to help out with coaching or you may have contacts to help get a cheaper price on a team kit. This also allows you to have a bit more quality time with your offspring and you can enjoy playing a more meaningful role in your little darlings lives.
Don’t worry about not being fit, not being happy with your body shape or not having the skills needed to be good at sport. It’s not about being proficient – it’s about being active and having fun. Follow this guide and enjoy getting sporty once again.