We all get older and start to feel pains in places we didn’t realise could, and it might put us off exerting ourselves with physical activities. However, being active and exercising is important at any age, and you don’t have to be a pro or in your greenest years to start a new sport. Here are 3 things to bear in mind when starting a new sport!
Be Mindful Of (But Not Discouraged By) Your Age
Yes, it’s true that for some activities your age might put you at a disadvantage at best, or cause serious injury at worst. It’s absolutely fine to bear this in mind when you’re thinking of trying a new sport, but don’t let the life experience you have stop you from enjoying a sport you’re genuinely interested in! If you aren’t planning to go pro, pick a sport you think you’ll have fun with, and find other like-minded people to motivate you! However, it is always best to be cautious, so if you are a little older or suffer from an illness, you should definitely speak to a medical professional before you throw yourself into any sport. Furthermore, if you do end up with an injury, you’ll want to consult with an orthopaedic surgeon such as orthocentralcoast.com.au as soon as possible to talk about the best options for moving forward and keeping your body working at its best.
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Ease Yourself In
A lot of us like to throw ourselves into whatever passion we’ve become invested in, and it’s great that people have such spirit. However, with physical exercise, it’s best to ease your body into a new fitness routine or else you run the risk of serious injury, exhaustion, or ruining the motivation you’ve worked hard to build up. Starting light – stretches, yoga and some jogging – will allow your body to strengthen and adapt to the new physical fitness journey it’s about to embark on. It might be best to get yourself a yoga mat and try some downward dog posing every morning followed by a brisk jog or power walk to kickstart your body and prepare for whatever sport you’ve decided to take up.
Set Realistic Goals
In everything we do in life, we do it to achieve something greater. Goals give us something to work towards, and the feeling of pride and fulfilment when reached. Having small and realistic goals will help keep you motivated when you begin your new sport. For example, if you’ve taken up running, maybe aim to complete a 5k marathon, or if you’ve decided to try cycling, set your goal to completing a more difficult trail (and if you aren’t keen on cycling outdoors but want to keep fit, you should read Real Life: It’s a Peloton-ic! to see if an exercise bike could be the thing for you!). If you set yourself unrealistic goals you’ll end up frustrated by your ability, and end up overlooking all of the progress that you’ve made so far.
So, bear these tips in mind and most importantly – have fun!