Picking up a sport or physical activity does much more for your body than improve your reflexes and stamina. Any exercise that gets your heart pumping in a healthy way can improve your physical and emotional well-being. These tips for getting started with a new physical activity will set you up for more long-term success and help you stay motivated as you tackle this new challenge!
Be Patient With Yourself
If it’s been a while since you were active, picking up a new sport or activity is difficult. You will have to retrain your body to adapt to new movements and meet new expectations, both of which will take time. By taking it slow and understanding that achieving your physical goals is a timely process, you set yourself up for real growth and success.
Do Something You Love
If you struggle to stay motivated to be active, try to pick an activity you look forward to starting. Many people find calm and clarity in an early morning run. Give a variety of physical activities a chance and see what suits you. Even consider sports you’ve never heard of, like pickleball, which is easy on the body and incredibly fun to play!
You can translate whatever motivates you to keep improving into your new workout as well. If you find yourself counting the minutes until you finish your exercise, look for ways to make it more interesting, such as playing your favorite music, setting daily challenges, or competing with friends.
Seriously, Hydrate!
Staying hydrated is a serious matter when you first start a new physical activity. Your body needs water to recover from the muscle damage that occurs during a workout. However, if you don’t replace what you’ve lost in sweat, you substantially slow down the recovery process. You need to keep an eye out for the subtle thirst cues your body gives you. If you ignore them and fail to drink enough water, you’re setting yourself up for a miserable day tomorrow.
Whether you’ve been sedentary for some time or not, getting started with a new physical activity requires real dedication. Try to find that middle ground between not setting your expectations too high and not setting your goals too low. While you want to avoid any personal injury, picking up something new and challenging yourself to do better will undoubtedly have a rewarding outcome.
