Seven Tips for Enjoying Sports for a Lifetime
Many of us spend our youth playing sports. A lucky few are able to continue our athletic career throughout college, but once full adulthood hits and we spend hours at work during the day and hours at home taking care of our families, it’s easy to stop playing the sports we once loved.
Don’t let your love of sports diminish as you age because you run out of time or you think you no longer have the stamina to participate! There are many little things you can do to make sure you can enjoy sports for a lifetime.
Make Adjustments When Necessary
Accidents happen, injuries happen, and we all get older and find that we can no longer do what once came easy to us. Don’t let it discourage you from continuing to play. You just have to make some adjustments.
Even those who experience very serious accidents can still find ways to participate in their favorite games. Some victims of spinal cord injuries are able to recover, enabling them to continue playing the sports they love, even if it means slowing down or playing with modifications.
You might have to jog fewer miles, play only eight holes of golf, or skip the butterfly stroke in the pool, but you can find accommodations that will enable you to keep doing the sport you love.
Play With Others
There are some sports, like swimming and golf, that can easily be played alone, but every sport is a little bit more fun when you find others to play with!
Join a club or a local team near you. You can play in local tournaments, get exercise, and play the sport you love. It’s a great way to get to know others in your community with the same interests as you, and it’s a great way to get back the competitive spirit you remember from high school or college.
Be Willing to Give New Sports a Try
Chances are, there’s one sport that you really love. Although it’s your favorite sport to play, it may not be sustainable throughout your lifetime. Some sports are harder than others, which means they can become nearly impossible to play if you have been injured or you get older.
For example, ice hockey can be really rough on the body. As you get older, you may have to stop playing in order to avoid getting injured.
Don’t let that stop you from playing sports! Be willing to give a new sport a try and you just may discover a new athletic love later in life.
Some of the easiest sports to try, especially as you age, include:
- Table tennis
- Kayaking
- Horseback riding
- Archery
- Bowling
- Swimming
- Cycling
Schedule Appointments With Your Doctor
No matter how old you are, annual checkups with your doctor are important. It gives you a chance to discuss concerns with your doctor, enabling you to pinpoint potential issues before they become huge problems. Your doctor can also help you maintain your physical health so you can enjoy the sports you love.
Talk with your doctor about your intention to continue playing sports throughout your lifetime. They can connect you with dieticians, give you referrals to physical therapists, and other services that will ensure you stay in good physical health to continue playing.
They can also give you specific tips regarding your unique physical challenges. They may be able to instruct you on a few stretches to deal with tight muscles, supplements that may help with fatigue, or techniques for getting a better night of sleep.
Never Skip Warm up and Cool Down Exercises
If you enjoy playing a particular sport, you probably want to get right into it. Although that may have been easy to do when you were younger, as your body ages, it needs more support before and after your workout.
Never skip warm up and cool down exercises. Warming up helps your body prepare for the activity ahead. Cooling down allows your body to gradually recover and establish your baseline heart rate and blood pressure.
Without warming up and cooling down, you can increase your chances of experiencing an injury. You might have to quit playing earlier than you would like, and it can make resting uncomfortable, which might make you think twice about playing again.
Make Sure You’re Having Fun
A lot of kids quit playing sports early because it isn’t fun anymore. The same can happen to adults! You may start playing a sport you used to love, but find that you’re comparing yourself to others. If you join a club or a team, you may discover that there’s a lot of pressure to win or excel. No matter what the reason, if you find that you aren’t having fun anymore, you should do something different.
Don’t be afraid to quit a team that isn’t serving you, skip the gym if you’re spending too much time comparing yourself to others, or simply take a break from playing for a while. Playing a sport can provide you with exercise, which is important, but if you want to do it for a lifetime, you have to make sure it’s fun too.
Be a Spectator
Enjoying sports means playing the sports you love for as long as you can, but it can also include being a spectator!
By all means, go to professional baseball and football games, but don’t forget about local games. It’s not just parents that can support high school athletes! Go to your local school’s football or basketball game. You’ll get the chance to watch the sport you love, and paying for a ticket helps the booster club fund the sports program so kids can continue playing.
Of course, you can always watch your favorite sports on TV! Invite friends over for important games and you can turn your love of sports into a social event.
Don’t let your love of sports fizzle out as you age! With these tips, you can find many ways to continue playing your favorite game, regardless of your age or your ability.
