How To Get Into Sports?

Read on to get inspired, to follow your passions and to get interested in something new.

1. So, why pursue a new sport or hobby?
2. Think of sports or hobbies you enjoyed as a child.
3. Read up on it.
4. Write down your genuine interests.
5. Go to a real game.
6. Join local groups or teams.
7. Join social media groups.

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Is it too late to start watching sports?

It’s never too late to start a sport. – Greg Bach, Sr. Director of Communications & Content for the National Alliance for Youth Sports and author of 10 books on coaching kids, including Secrets of Successful Coaching, confirmed that gut instinct. In an email to SheKnows, he wrote, “Youth and teens should always be encouraged to try new sports that interest them at any age.” He noted, “There are countless examples of well-known athletes who didn’t discover a sport that they now excel in until their high school years, or even collegiate years.” In fact, starting a sport later could even be beneficial to kids.

For one, the risk of overuse injuries is decreased, thanks to fewer years of doing the same repetitive movements. For two, the risk of burnout is minimized. Michael Pfahl, executive director of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, estimates that by the time young athletes turn 13, 70% of them quit team sports,

Children who start later are less likely to be “sabotaged by issues,” notes Bach.

How do you join a sports team?

WHERE CAN YOU FIND TEAMS? – One of the easiest ways to find a team is to ask your friends if any of them are on a recreational sports team. If they are, see if their team has an opening, and if they do ask to join. It’ll make the transition onto the team a lot smoother and less nerve-racking since you already know someone there on your first day.

The next quickest way to find a team is to search for recreational sports leagues near you on the web. There are usually two types of leagues you can join – leagues organized by your city or county recreation department, or leagues organized by a standalone business, according to The Denver Post, Just make sure not to get discouraged if you come up with a lot of potential options.

“There are so many options for rec league sports that it can be overwhelming at first,” according to The Denver Post, “The best advice? Just do it. You’re likely to have a good time, no matter which league or sport you choose. At the very least, you’ll get outside of your comfort zone and stretch yourself, which is something worth celebrating all on its own.” A lot of the leagues usually have free agent or solo player options in which you’ll be able to join a team without knowing anyone if you’re new to town, or it’s your first time playing rec league sports.

Sometimes leagues even create teams with all the new players who sign up, which works out really well for everyone involved since you don’t have to worry about being the only new person on an already established team. You can also look into whether your job has a workplace sponsored team that you can become a part of, or even consider posting on social media and asking whether anyone has recommendations for leagues you should join, or knows of any openings on a team.

Who knows, maybe you’ll find out that you have a lot of friends who are interested in playing a rec league sport with you, which will allow you to start a team of your own.

What is the easiest sport to start?

4. Spikeball – You may have seen people play a game where they catch a small yellow ball that’s bounced off a mini-trampoline. That’s Spikeball. Spikeball is a very easy game to learn and play. All you need is to buy a Spikeball kit, 3 other friends, a soft play area (ideally on grass or sand) and you’re all set.

The rules are simple. Teams are split into 2v2’s and start on each half. The goal is to bounce the ball onto the net by hitting it with one hand. Each team can touch the ball up to 3 times, but these touches must alternate between teammates (similar to volleyball). Players are not allowed to catch or hold the ball and can only use one hand, but can use any individual body part to hit the ball.

To serve, simply toss the ball up and hit it against the net. After the serve, players can move anywhere on the field, as so long as they don’t intentionally disrupt the opposing team. To win, you have to score more points than your opponent (typically up to 11, 15, or 21).

If the opposing team’s ball hits the rimIf the opposing team’s ball hits the groundIf the opposing team’s ball hits the net more than onceIf the opposing team doesn’t alternate touches

Want to see if there’s a local Spikeball community in your area? Check out the the Javelin App today on the App Store or Google Play ‍

Does age really matter in sports?

How does age change sport performance? Master athletes have the answer We all grow older, but the affects us differently. Many master, or veteran, athletes are examples of “successful ageing”. Their is often recorded in sport performance records over a long period of time, making them ideal for studying the effects of,

1. Professor Emeritus, of Lakehead University, Ontario, Canada, used a statistical method called mixed linear modelling to analyse age-linked changes in master marathon runners.
2. Although rarely used in this kind of study, this method provides the most accurate representation of such age trends.
3. The results show that performances by faster runners decline more slowly, and that those with younger ages at entry better maintain their pace into older age.

Ageing does not always bring inevitable physical decline. Although, for most people, their peak physical years will come in young adulthood, for one group of people this is not necessarily the case. Organised sporting events for older adults – now known as master athletes, or veterans – were first established in the 1960s.

• By the 1970s, sport science researchers had begun to question the widespread belief that physical abilities inevitably decline dramatically after young adulthood.
• Master athletes were held up as prime examples of “successful ageing”, due to their ability to maintain high levels of physical performance well into older adulthood.

“Master” athlete categories begin at the age of 35 for track and field events, and 40 for road races like the marathon – but many veterans compete well into old age. For a number of reasons, master athletes offer excellent opportunities for the study of human physical performance. Jeysent/Shutterstock.com A new way to approach the statistics of sport Professor Michael Stones of Lakehead University has a long-standing interest in the effects of ageing on physical performance. In particular, Professor Stones is interested in the different statistical methods that can be applied to analyse the performance of the unique group of people who are master athletes.

1. There are several different possible approaches to measuring changes in performance over time.
2. Longitudinal studies follow a group of people of similar age over a period of time, with measurements taken at least twice during that time.
3. Historical research looks backwards to assess differences at particular points in time.

Finally, cross-sectional research, sometimes called cross-sectional trend, compares the performance of people of different ages at the same time, in a single measurement.

Master athletes allow the effects of ageing to be studied independently of factors that might affect their peers, such as obesity.

In earlier research, Professor Stones found that the approach that was taken affected the outcomes of the research. For example, performance decline with age appeared to be greater with cross-sectional than with longitudinal data. For this reason, Professor Stones decided to pioneer a statistical technique, rarely used in this type of study: mixed linear modelling (MLM).

1. Marathon runners and mixed linear modelling Until recently, there were some limitations to the statistical tools available for measuring performance over time.
2. For example, these tools could not recognise that the same athletes often appeared more than once in observations; the same person might hold records in more than one category, or in more than one sport.

This can lead to a degree of error in the results. MLM, on the other hand, can take this into account as part of the analysis, which means that it produces more reliable results. MLM also has the ability to separate and analyse both cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Master athletes offer excellent opportunities for the study of human physical performance. In a recent study, Professor Stones used MLM to analyse marathon running by master athletes. Marathon running is popular among master athletes. A 2015 article reported that the 1,100 annual marathons in the US attracted around half a million runners in total; of these, the mean age for women was 36.7 years and for men, 40.4, meaning that many of the runners would have been of master athlete age.

• To investigate the effect of age on performance, Professor Stones used a type of “virtual” cross-sectional approach, by looking at the world’s top 100 marathon times by age class.
• However, MLM enabled him to differentiate cross-sectional and longitudinal trends.
• In total, the data included 937 performances (or race times) by 387 men and 856 performances by 301 women (a maximum of 100 times are recorded for each age class; at the oldest ages, 100 times were not available).

The average ages of the athletes were 62 years for the men and 60.5 years for the women. The marathon race times were recorded between 1963 and 2016. Based on previous research, Professor Stones was able to make a number of predictions, including that race times would increase more rapidly in older age groups, particularly for women, and that faster runners would better maintain their performance as they aged, when compared to slower runners. Prof Stones’ “laboratory” during winter in Ontario. Faster runners keep their pace for longer The statistical models generated during the study demonstrated that Professor Stones’ predictions were accurate. The results showed that, as expected, women had longer race times than men, race times increased more rapidly in older age groups, and that older women experienced a greater increase in race time than older men.

1. Also, as predicted, slower runners showed a greater increase in race time as they got older, while faster runners were able to better maintain their race times.
2. The predictions made by the statistical model indicate that continued, consistent participation is an effective way to maintain performance.

For the first time, this study looked at the age at which athletes entered the records (termed the “Entry Cohort model”). Previously, researchers have tended to group athletes based on either age at the time a performance was recorded, or by date of birth.

Professor Stones’ work showed that the Entry Cohort model may be a better predictor of age-related changes in performance. Using the Entry Cohort model supports the finding that performance declines more quickly in older athletes, and that the decline is greater in women than in men. A deeper analysis of the data revealed the reasons behind the slower change in race times in faster runners.

The fastest runners are likely to start recording race times at a younger age than the slowest runners. They are also more likely to have multiple times logged in the records of the 100 best times for each age group. This might suggest that these runners have a high level of commitment to their sport, leading to more effective, longer-term training. Prof Stones’ Entry Cohort model supports the finding that performance declines more quickly in older athletes, and that the decline is greater in women than in men. Lessons for master athletes The results of Professor Stones’ research suggest some potentially useful tips for master athletes and their coaches.

1. The predictions made by the statistical model indicate that continued, consistent participation is an effective way to maintain performance.
2. Ideally, master athletes would increase their commitment as they move up in age classes, as well as seeking out competition against high performers and participating in races on faster courses.

Master athletes and coaches might themselves benefit from observing the practices of the most successful runners in each age group. Statistics and ageing Professor Stones has applied his knowledge of statistics to other areas within the field of gerontology, or the study of ageing and old age.

In one study, Professor Stones and his colleagues used statistics to investigate the links between psychotropic medications (any medication that affects the mind; such as depression treatments, for example) and mortality in care home residents. The research revealed the important finding that daily treatment with these medications brings a significantly lower risk of death than an intermittent or “as needed” treatment regime.

In other work, Professor Stones and other researchers at Lakehead University carried out a wide-ranging review into studies of sexuality, sensuality and intimacy in older people. This research examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal trends to give an overview of the changes in this area of life that have occurred in the last half century. Could the methods used in the study of marathon runners potentially be applied to other sports? Yes, the methods could certainly be applied to other sports. The second and third publications listed above respectively illustrate applications to performance by master athletes in track and field activities and half-ironman world championships.

What age is most watched sports?

During a 2019 survey, it was found that 28 percent of respondents who watched sports more often than any other content were aged between 36 and 49 years old.

Do athletes workout everyday?

How Athletes Workout and Why it’s different – Athletes primarily train to get better at their sport. Each sport has a specific set of rules, positions, either on a team or as an individual, requirements to perform well at that position and schedule. A volleyball player trains completely different than a basketball player.

Want nice calves? shoulders? arms? Well if you happen to get those as an athlete as a result of your training, that’s great! If not it might interfere. Have you seen a baseball player with really beefy arms? No way. Athlete’s may workout 4-6 times per week for 1.5-3 hours on top of training for their sport and conditioning.

The average personal training client may workout 2-4 times per week and may or may not do additional conditioning. If it does not get you better at playing your sport, you can not afford to spend time on it. : Why You Should Not Workout like an Athlete

Do athletes go to the gym?

No matter the sport, every professional athletes has to spend time in the gym working on their muscles and strength – LAST PUBLISHED 28.11.2022 | 08:00 AM IST Given the skills on display at the ongoing football World Cup in Qatar, you might think all these professional players ever do is practice football skills every waking minute.

• But football skills and tactics training is just half the story.
• No professional athlete’s day is complete without a session of strength training.
• No matter the sport, the professional athletes, playing at the highest level or in the lowest league, every player has to spend time in the gym working on their muscles and strength.

Also read: Why you should include HIIT in your training schedule FC Goa and India midfielder Glan Martins spend a lot of time in the gym during the pre-season. “My muscles have to be ready first. Only after that does the football part of the training kick in.

1. Even during the season, most of us spend 45 minutes in the gym doing strength training as per the plan given by our strength and conditioning coach before going to the training ground for our football training,” says Martins.
2. Both fitness coaches and medical professionals would tell you that strength training is the first step to ensuring success in a sports career.

“Strength training should be an essential part of any athlete’s workout because it strengthens joints and muscles of the body, which in the long term reduces your injury risk. In addition, strength training targets areas of fitness which normally athletes often don’t pay attention to, such as flexibility, balance, mobility and strength,” says Dr Subhash Jangid of Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.

Strength training develops the basic capacities of humans, says Joel Dones, FC Goa’s strength and conditioning coach. “All our movements require strength. Strength is the most basic thing, and it’s the centre of all conditioning in sports. The stronger the player is, the quicker they can move their muscles and are more ready to get better quality movements.

Strength is required in all the situations, movements and actions a player will find themselves in during a game. There is also a different kind of strength in football there is a fight so they require strength for the fight. Strength is also applicability in placement, to kick the ball, to pass the ball, to change directions, to jump so strength is the basic in football,” Dones says.

1. Strength training is not just limited to footballers; cricketers, tennis players, runners, F1 drivers, gymnasts, you name it, they do it, says AK Abhinav, strength and conditioning coach of the Tripura cricket team and founder of Bengaluru’s Namma X-Fit.
2. Cricketer Virat Kohli’s fitness routine has been the talk of the town, for instance, while Olympic silver medallist badminton player PV Sindhu spends as many hours in the gym as she spends on the court “The stronger and more prepared a muscle is, it is available to perform more actions, do the actions quicker, it has more power and more strength to move in different ways.

So, strength training is very important for movement demands of athletes playing at any level of the game,” adds Dones, who got his strength and conditioning certification from Barcelona football club. A 2017 paper published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal contended that the role of the strength and conditioning coach can extend beyond observing exercise techniques and prescribing training to develop a robust and resilient athlete.

1. That role is in injury prevention.
2. Strength training doesn’t only help players and athletes improve performance in those chosen sports, but it also plays a huge role in injury prevention, say both Dones and Jangid.
3. Strength training helps the players prevent injuries while in action,” says Dones.
4. There is plenty of scientific evidence to back up Dones’ statement.

A paper published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance in January 2021 found that “training strategies involving multiple components (e.g., a combination of strength, balance, plyometrics) that include strength exercises are effective at reducing noncontact injuries in female soccer players.” The authors of the paper found that the Nordic hamstring exercise, in particular, is a viable option for reducing hamstring injuries in soccer players.

Also read: World Diabetes Day: How exercising helps combat diabetes There is also evidence that strength training can reduce injury risk by 68% among early specialisers in sports, physically inactive youth, and young girls found the authors of a 2017 paper published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

Resistance training, in addition to free play and other structured physical activity training, can serve as a protective means against injury to offset the impact of early sport specialisation in today’s youth. Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness

How do people get good at sports?

4. Practice, practice, practice – Practice makes perfect. It’s as finer sporting cliché as you’ll find, but it’s as true now as it’s ever been. Skills, drills and techniques can take months of solid repetition before you feel comfortable taking them out on the pitch.