Do you find yourself looking back at your playing days with great fondness? When we play sports, some of the best experiences we can have in life become possible, as we are constantly in the moment pulling together with friends to achieve the same goal.
When we get older, though, people stop participating, as they think that sport is something you do when you are a ‘kid’.
However, this unconscious assumption couldn’t be further from the truth; Peter Benedict St. Andrews plays basketball recreationally despite being out of college for many years, as he recognizes the countless benefits of staying involved in sport as an older adult.
Unsure about whether to get back into sports at your age? Here’s why you should.
1) It will get you fit
As you get older, your metabolism will start failing you, as it winds down from being the white hot furnace it was during your early 20’s.
As such, you won’t be able to put away a six-pack of beer and a 12” pizza on a Friday night and be able to get away with it anymore.
However, you can keep your trim figure, all while boosting your musculature and your cardiovascular endurance by signing up for an intense sport like hockey or soccer.
With intense bursts of speed necessary to be an effective player, your caloric requirements will shoot through the roof once you begin playing.
Any excess food that was going to your waistline will now get burnt up during and after the game, your VO2 max will improve considerably, and your desire to perform optimally will likely send you to the weight room.
2) You will make friends
One of the great tragedies of adult life is that we fall out of touch with friends the more established we get with intimate relationships and in our careers.
While it is definitely possible and advisable to re-establish contact with your peer group, it is much easier to start new friendships by joining a sports team in your area.
It is reported that the strongest male-male friendships are forged over a common activity, and playing sports is one of the most intense experiences they can have together.
The same can also be said for females as well, so if you are lonely, get active again in a sport that interests you.
3) It will reduce your stress
There is a lot of nonsense stress that is forced on us in our careers. After work, there are few healthy outlets available to many of us, so we often turn to smoking, alcohol and overeating.
Sports can help you channel your aggressive energy in a productive way, while producing enzymes that make you feel good and getting you into better shape. That’s a win-win-win situation!
4) It will teach transferable life lessons
In sports, those who put in the effort end up succeeding in the long run. Starting to play again will remind you of this lesson, and it will eventually bleed over into other areas in your life.
What’s more, those in corporate environments perform best when they behave as a team; playing a sport will help you embrace your role with an attitude that will help you and your company succeed.