You know that feeling when your team score a cracker of a goal? Or when your fave player steals a win in the very last minute? Well, imagine if you could be apart of that feeling rather than watching from the side lines? If the last time you donned a sports kit was in your teens and the thought of joining a sports club brings back daunting memories of the dreaded school sports day (three-legged race, anyone?), then we get why joining your local sports team may not be at the top of your to-do list. But, hear us out. There are so many reasons why getting involved in a sport could be beneficial to you. Here’s four of them!
You'll make new friends
So, who remembers rounders at school? Hands up if you always chose to be a fielder so you could have a good gossip at the back? Well, joining a sports team can be a little bit like that, except you probably should take it a bit more seriously – you’re a grown up now, after all. But, what we’re trying to say is, joining your local sports team is a great way to make friends and get social. You’ll meet like-minded people with similar interests and the buzz of playing as part of the same team will create a bond like no other.
You'll get fit without really noticing
Exercise has the bad rep of being boring. All those mindless repetitions and doing the same routines day in, day out is enough to put you to sleep. If you're looking for ways to make things more interesting, your local sports club might be just the place to find them. When you’re running around a football pitch or shooting hoops during a netball match, you’re not thinking about how long you’ve been moving or how many calories you’re burning - who has time for that when there's all that fun to be had?! Joining a sports team is a great alternative to spending hours pacing it on the treadmill – you’ll increase your fitness, burn fat and have fun while you’re at it! Win!
You'll become a great team player
Make that appealing attribute you half-heartedly type onto your CV or LinkedIn profile a reality. Joining a sports team is guaranteed to improve your communication skills and how you interact with people. You may think that pulling off a really cool pass on the pitch won’t benefit you in other aspects of your life but, believe it or not, playing as part of a sports team will make you a great team player and will benefits how well you work with people in other areas of your life.
You'll learn something new
Just cos you’ve outgrown your school uniform doesn’t mean you stop learning. As an adult, it’s so important that we keep expanding our skill set and what better way to do this than picking up a new sport?! Learning helps build confidence and, well, we all know confidence benefits pretty much every area of life, from building a career to maintaining relationships. Get out of your comfort zone and see how positively it impacts you.
So, which sport takes your fancy? Whether it’s a quick kick-about in the evenings or dedicating your weekends to touring with your team, taking on a sport is sure to benefit you both physically and mentally.
Looking for more on sports and activities. Well, we’ve rounded up the benefits of kickboxing over on our blog. Or perhaps cycling is more your kind of thing? Head over to our blog for more training tips and advice.