Remember being a kid and running, jumping, and moving your body all day, being so immersed in play that you completely lost track of time? You weren’t thinking about how many calories you burned while you ran, or if you made sure you got enough plyometric jumping in for the day. Play is just as important for adults, and fitness is the perfect realm to incorporate some fun into your life.
Fitness is not a punishment
So many times people go to the gym and go to war with their bodies for poor food choices or to make up for lost time. Instead, consider ways to connect your physical activity to a broader sense of enjoyment or fulfillment. The sense of connection & playfulness is missing from our adult attitude about physical activity and exercise. Too often, exercise can be just another chore you need to fit into your day. It can be refreshing, and even joyful to bring back the playfulness and fun to physical activity.
In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, exercise participants reported better moods and energy when they enjoyed the chosen activity.
Giving yourself a fun, physical challenge while doing something you love, it can be a great way to find long term fitness success.
Try a Fitness Challenge
Sometimes it takes setting a goal to create a pattern of progressive work and a habit of consistency. Your goal could be to run an ultra marathon, do 50 pushups a day for a month, or be able to perform a specific fitness feat you haven’t been able to do. Try connecting with like-minded people to boost the sense of friendly competition.
In any case, by setting an end goal, you’ll have to create a plan on how you will meet your set challenge. Training and practicing for your goal can be just as can immersive as a kid playing outside all afternoon – if you have a good fitness fit.
Finding Your Fitness Fit
It is vital to find an activity that’s a good fit and connects you to the joy of moving. When you move beyond the results-oriented idea of “just getting it done,” you open the possibilities to enjoy the journey.
Take your personality into consideration. Running can be very reflective and solitary, while group training adds an element of being social. Add in the unexpected if it suits you: tree climbing, tug of war, or a “Simon Says” Bootcamp. Try surrounding yourself with equipment that sparks joy and engages you to play, like our colorful line of SMART products: medicine balls, stability balls, and body-weight straps, and core wheels.
Our SMART Medicine Ball Challenge
Challenge your balance as you work up to this fitness feat!
Remember, you must have strong legs and stable ankles to try this challenge. Work on squats, balance, and stability as part of your training.
Tips:
Place hands on the ground in front of you to stabilize. Move one foot on a medicine ball, and then the next. Shift your weight back as you lift your torso up.