Back to Sport
The global Coronavirus pandemic saw the closure of gyms, swimming pools, sports halls, tennis clubs, football pitches and more. As facilities begin to open up again, it’s time to think about new ways to get exercise into your routine.
The gym isn’t for everyone and can be quite intimidating for those who’ve never been before, but there are plenty of other types of exercise that you can do to keep engaged. Most sports offer taster sessions so that you and other people who want to see if it’s for them can try it out before committing. There’s a sport out there for everyone so don’t think that just because you can’t stomach hours on the treadmill, exercise isn’t for you.
Team sports
Team sports are a great way to exercise in a social environment that can often distract you from the exercise itself. In recent years, many adults have gone back to playing sports they enjoyed while growing up, like football or soccer, netball, cricket and volleyball, through local organisations who set up leagues that you can join either on your own or as a team. If you’re not too confident, team sports are a great way to try something out with a friend.
Exercise Classes
Class based exercise is a good option if you find it difficult to motivate yourself in the gym. Most gyms offer classes of some sort, from Spin, to Barre to strength and conditioning. The best part about classes is that if you’re nervous you can stay at the back until you’re more confident. Instructors are always welcoming and will check if there are any new people at the start of each class to make sure you’re comfortable and you’re happy that you know what you’re doing. If you don’t want to commit to one studio, ClassPass is a great pay as you go option, available in 2,500 cities across the globe.
US colleagues can sign up to GymPass which allows you to experience fitness and wellness with gyms, studios, live classes, virtual personal training, and holistic partner apps through one discounted membership. Sign up here.
Indoor Climbing
Climbing and bouldering are a great workout for your whole body and mind, and has garnered a particularly strong following amongst millennials, but don’t let that put you off and lead you to think it’s only for young, strong people. Indoor bouldering is a great activity to do if you’ve got children as you can get going on it without any training with the walls remaining quite low, surrounded by crash mats. You’ll quickly build strength but it’ll also challenge your brain to work out the best routes to get you to the top.
Swimming
If you’ve got a history of joint issues and want something really low impact that’s still going to get your heart pumping, swimming is a great choice. If you’re feeling really brave and want an extra circulation boost, you could try wild swimming!