According to Wikipedia there are more than 8,000 types of sports worldwide. 8,000!! I can hardly believe that but I do believe there might be ONE thing in that list that you might like, no? When I ask most of my patients what comes to mind when they think of exercise they say running and weights. Running?! Who actually likes running?! Okay, there are some people out there who really enjoy running and are built for it. But for many people running is tough on their joints and requires a great deal of coordination and stamina which most people lacknearly on in their exercise journey. Lucky for you, there are 7,999 choices out there that may fulfill your exercise requirement in some way. To get an idea of what's out there, you can link to the List of Sport Wikipedia article here. If you can't find something that sparks your interest, then we can focus on healthful eating, sleep, and emotional health for now. Come back to exercise later.
Many things play into what sports or exercise activities you choose and ultimately enjoy. Personality. Physical limitations. Time restrictions. Access. Fears. And the list goes on.
Personality. You might like a challenge. You might thrive on alone time. You might be a creature of habit or you might like variety. You might like speed and gravity. Here's a fun quiz to see what types of sports you might enjoy! You can narrow down the list from here. Please note that not all sports may be listed on this site and you should keep researching if you don't find something that sparks your interest.
Physical limitations. Have knee arthritis? Have hip arthritis? Have you had a heart attack or stroke? These factors play a real role in limiting the exercise you choose. We have designed a few fun exercise programs for my patient with hip and knee arthritis. Click here.
Hip Arthritis Aerobic Exercise Program
Knee Arthritis Aerobic Exercise Program
Time restrictions. Make a calendar. Set realistic goals. At the beginning of the week decide what days you will exercise and what that will look like. This is where your S.M.A.R.T goals come in. Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Measurable. Time-based. My #1 rule is never to sacrifice sleep for exercise. Just don't do it.
Access. You can't surf if you live in Utah. You can't swim if you don't have access to a pool. You can't lift weights if your gym is closed due to COVID-19. You can't afford a gym membership. These are real problems, especially right now. If you find a sport or type of exercise you like, it may take some sacrifices to get you active in that sport. Decide what's important to you and make some decisions about where you might save on time or spend your money to have access to the types of exercise you enjoy. We made a big move from the midwest to Utah to get back to skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and raising our children outdoors. It has already paid off a thousand times over.
Fear. You might be nervous to try a new sport due to fear of failing or possibly even fear of injury. Don't be afraid to fail in a sport. Remember, there are 7,999 other ones to try if one isn't right for you. Just like your mom use to tell you, if you don't try it you won't know if you like it! Fear of injury is a real thing - especially for higher risk sports such as mountain biking, skiing, climbing, pole-vaulting. If you want to pursue these sports look into the safety equipment necessary to participate and look into some type of lesson from a professional.
A few of my favorite (free) work-outs:
Pamela Reif - 15 Minute Full Body High Intensity Interval Training Work-out
Pamela Reif - 20 Minute Full Body Workout
Yoga with Adriene - 20 minute Yoga for Complete Beginners
Yoga with Adriene - Yoga for Back Pain
Afrifitness - African Dance Workout 30 Day Booty Challenge (Level 1)
Body Project - 30 Minute Fat Burning Home Workout (Beginner to Intermediate)
Sports Videos that just might blow your mind:
Danny Macaskill - The Ridge - Mountain biking
4 Greatest Free Solo Climbs of All Time - Climbing
Any other suggestions? - Send me a message!
Find a sport that suits you...