With only a few months left of 2015, you may be beginning to think about your goals for next year. If you want to focus on your health and fitness but know you’re just not a gym person, you may want to think about taking up a new sport. One of the fun things about taking up a new sport is choosing new gear, head to www.onlysportsgear.com for fantastic gear at a great price.
Here are 5 sports which will improve your fitness and help you have fun in 2016:
Tae Kwon Do
If you’ve always wanted to take a martial art, now’s the time to begin. Tae Kwon Do is an Olympic sport and focuses on speed, flexibility, and some pretty amazing aerial moves. It’s also a surprisingly good choice for people who want to learn self-defense, and if you take tournament classes you’ll find yourself the fittest you’ve been in your life.
Tae Kwon Do is also a great sport for kids due to the large focus on discipline and goal setting. If you’ve been wanting to spend more time with your kids or simply have something in common to talk about around the dinner table, enroll your them in the kids class or take a family class together.
Running
Many people have a negative association with running. But the trick is to ensure that you’re starting slow. If you’ve never been a runner before, start with a brisk walk, running for 30 seconds every few minutes and increasing the amount of time you spend running each time.
It’s important that you invest in good running shoes, particularly if you have flat feet or high arches. Those with flat feet are at greater risk of shin splints so be sure to choose shoes which have a lot of support.
Focus on your breathing and begin with a slow jog instead of a full-on run. All those endorphins are seriously addictive and you’ll be running marathons in no time. Remember to stretch well, and use ice if you notice any pain.
Swimming
If you’re not looking for a contact sport or anything which will impact your bones and joints, swimming is the perfect choice.
Along with being a great cardiovascular workout, swimming is excellent exercise your shoulders, arms, legs and abs.
Basketball
If you’ve always dreamed of dribbling your way down the court and getting that goal, it’s not too late to take up basketball. There are plenty of teams which vary in skill and competitive level, so whether you’re a beginner or played in high school or university, you can meet people, improve your fitness levels and have fun.
Cycling
Cycling is the kind of sport which is great for people looking for some time away from it all and time alone, or those who like to team up with a friend and chat while exercising. Like swimming its low-impact, and you’ll find your cardio fitness improving by leaps and bounds.
Think you know your sports grounds? Be sure to check out this sports ground quiz and see how you stack up compared to family and friends.