Your parents were right when they told you to go outside and play in the sun, back in the days. It’s been proven that physical activity, especially sports, brings a wide array of impressive advantages. Sporting activities enhance physical attributes like endurance and strength and give the mind a confidence boost. More than that, the competitive aspect of sports demands personal discipline and social interaction, tools that we all use in our day to day lives.
There are a lot of wonderful reasons to get active and start a new sport – but just doing so out of the blue is quite daunting. That said, different sports have different starting difficulties, and some are especially non-demanding for newcomers.
This article lists the easiest, most beginner-friendly sports to join when you’re just starting.
Golf
Popularized in the media as being the social sport of the elites, golfing is great for meeting new people and connecting with old ones. It’s leisurely enough to afford you a lot of time to talk and socialize, while also being competitive enough to work out a good sweat.
Golf builds muscle and stimulates the core, and the exercise you get from walking to the next spot (if you’re not using a golf cart, that is) will have you shedding calories in no time. Although it is a competitive sport that requires stamina and technique, its leisurely atmosphere and relatively simple movements make it easy to slide into even if you’re just a beginner.
Tennis
Tennis fans always seem to go on and on about how the game is good for anybody, regardless of age – and would you believe it, they’re right. This is a game that a grandparent can play with a grandchild old enough to swing a racket, and any game is guaranteed to be heart-pounding – literally. Tennis enhances cardiovascular fitness and keeps your stamina up. It doesn’t require expensive equipment to enjoy, too!
Swimming
If you don’t want to bother with equipment and rules and whatnot, then swimming will probably hit your mark. It’s as unstructured as a sport can get, and because of this, there aren’t that many rules to learn when you’re a newbie still struggling to stay afloat. It doesn’t require fancy equipment, and you can train in the pool beside your house or the neighborhood’s swimming pool just a few minutes away.
For physical benefits, swimming is a great all-around exercise, enhancing core strength, building muscles, and building up cardiovascular endurance. You might be thinking ‘That sounds like a lot of sore muscles, and swimming is hard!’, and sure, you’d be mostly right. But then again, any sport is difficult, at first. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you.
Football
We’d be remiss not to mention football, one of the most celebrated sports worldwide. From football-themed vacations to football-themed birthday parties, the love for the sport is evident in today’s culture. And what’s not to love? It’s fast, it’s brainy, it’s flashy, and you can play it in the backyard with your friends!
In terms of benefits, football brings more to the table than the previous sports we mentioned. Aside from the obvious benefits of physical health, anyone getting into football will also need to improve their teamwork and cooperation – a skill that, once developed properly, goes far beyond the field.
Basketball
Another very popular game worldwide is basketball – and need we say more? The motor skills needed help to improve overall physical health, and the team nature of the game promotes cooperation and team play. It’s easy to learn, too, and the internet can easily teach you how to dribble and how to shoot.
But perhaps more than anything, the main benefit of basketball is that you can have a friendly game with anyone, anywhere, from your gym to your neighborhood.
Starting a new sport can be daunting, but if you choose the right ones with the gentlest learning curves, you will have an easier time adjusting. As a result, you can enjoy the sport more and focus on improving your play and your health instead, without getting discouraged by the things that you can’t do.
