I'm 40 years old, and it's only been about five years since I've truly come to appreciate sport. I've written before about my relationship with running , but this goes a bit further.
I believe my life would have been much better in terms of health, energy, and mood if I had learned these five things about sports and exercise two or three decades ago. I hope they help you today.
1- Exercise is good for the body, but perhaps even more so for the mind. After a workout where I've sweated, pushed myself, and accomplished something I never thought possible, I realize that our minds are truly powerful, and that if I can spend five minutes in the Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) , I can do so much more that initially seemed impossible. And I haven't even described the feeling of euphoria followed by tranquility that I experience for hours after exercising for just one hour.
2- Exercise is also creativity. If you don't believe it, just look at the muscles of dancers. It's also enjoying music while you run, and how different rhythms affect you, combining yoga poses that you enjoy, or a fun African dance session.
3- Comparing yourself to veterans is pointless. I laugh at my teenage self, when I went skiing for the first time and felt like a complete idiot, struggling to make wedges while my friends—who had been skiing since they were little—had a blast going down the slopes again and again. Becoming good at a sport takes time, practice, and hard work. You can't just do it for a day and expect to be as good as someone who's been practicing for years. But if you practice, you can eventually become good at a sport and enjoy doing it.
4- If you don't like a sport, change it. I like running now, but it's still not my favorite. In recent years I've tried spinning, Pilates, Barre, yoga, dance, and circuit training, among other things, and I've discovered that no matter how much people tell me it's wonderful, I don't enjoy Pilates. I spend the 45-60 minute class wondering if it's time to leave, while a 90-minute hot vinyasa yoga class flies by. Try different things, and stick with the ones that truly make you feel good and that you want to do again.
5- The right clothes are essential. It's not about showing off your outfits at the gym, but about wearing clothes that actually help you exercise. When I was younger, I thought women with large breasts couldn't do intense sports because it would be uncomfortable—with the right clothes, obviously, nothing could be further from the truth. Warm clothing if you exercise outdoors during the fall and winter, a sports bra that suits your needs and the type of exercise you're doing, or running shoes that provide the necessary support for long distances will allow you to keep going, time and time again.
I'd love to know what your favorite sport is. What do you wish you had learned about the sport sooner?