Now that the Olympics are in full swing, many of us may be considering taking up a sport; perhaps one we used to be good at in school, or one we’ve only just considered playing as a result of seeing it at the Olympics. Whatever your reasons, the fact that you’ve been inspired to play sports because of the Olympics is a fantastic thing. But how do you go about taking up your chosen sport?

If you go to your local council’s leisure centre, there will be lots of details about the facilities and sports clubs in your area, and other initiatives. You could also try your local library, and of course the internet will be a great source of information about what’s available to you.

It’s a good idea to think about your reasons for taking up your chosen sport. If it’s purely to get fit, you might want to stick with activities that are less strenuous. For example, swimming is certainly easier because you can go at your own pace. The water supports your weight, meaning that there is no stress on your joints that you might experience with other sports. You can do aerobics in the water as well as usual swimming – ask the leisure centre for the pool timetable, and you’ll probably find a water aerobics club you can join.

Once you’re fit or if you are already fit, racket sports like tennis or badminton are brilliant to get involved in to really tone up your body. There are usually local tennis courts available to play on in and around towns and cities – just Google ‘local tennis courts’ to find one closest to you. Some things are often closer than you think and will only be a short walk away.

There are always things like local cricket clubs and football clubs for you to get involved in; it’s all a case of researching what’s available and asking around for information. Cycling is another sport that’s very easy to get into. All these things are low-cost and readily available to you. If you’re making a short journey in car, why not exchange that for a quick trip on the bike? It will be much better for both you and the environment.

Sport is wonderful not just for getting fit, but also for getting you out of the house to do something different – improving your general well-being. Interaction with new people, and learning something together will make you feel happier and of course, you’ll be learning a new skill to take with you for the rest of your life.

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