3 Sports That Make Great Fun Workouts
By Genevieve Cunningham
One of the most important keys to making a workout stick is to make it fun. If you hate running, you're not going to keep up a running habit. If you can't stand aerobics, don't join an aerobics class. But what happens when you don’t particularly care for any traditional workouts? How do you improve your health when nothing is appealing? For those in this crowd, the answer may be in sports. Even as an adult, finding sports to play is both fun and relatively easy. But where should you start? If you need a super fun way to get fit, take a look at these three sports that make great options.
Soccer
The great thing about soccer is that all you need is a ball. You can use plain old tennis shoes, almost any surface area, and a little bit of open space. Grab a ball at your local store (usually $10 or less!) and get to kicking. If you have some friends, you can kick it with each other. If you’re all alone, find an open wall and kick it back to yourself. Soccer requires a lot of leg strength as well as a lot of stamina. It’s a great way to improve your cardio and potentially lose a little weight.
Basketball
Basketball requires slightly more equipment, but not much. In order to participate in basketball, you’ll need a ball (usually $20 or less) and a goal. If you have a goal at your house, you’re halfway there. If not, check out the local parks for a court and goal. If you have friends who want to play, you can engage in a friendly game that will make you sweat like crazy. If it’s just you, practice dribbling, layups, and random jump shots. Either way, you’ll get in enough exercise to break a sweat and burn some calories and probably leave you sore, too!
Golf
Golf is a more expensive option. If you don’t own clubs, you’ll have to rent some. You’ll also have to pay for some time on the course, unless you have an open field close by. While most people don’t think about golf as a workout, you’ll still burn some calories by engaging in the sport. You’ll also burn plenty if you skip the cart and walk from hole to hole instead.
Working out can certainly be fun. You may have to get creative and move slightly out of your comfort zone, but the results will definitely be worth it. Give these sports a try, and you may just find a workout you love and a brand new fit body to go with it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Ventura, Calif.