As someone who avoided doing actual sports for years and preferred to replace them with other forms of movement, I totally relate to how you might be reluctant to do sports. Yet I managed to overcome my lack of fitness enthusiasm, finally started to exercise consistently, and enjoy it a lot.
Here are some of the tips that changed my perspective – backed by personal experience and research.
Stop overthinking it
If you’re not doing any sports at the moment, your main goal shouldn’t be figuring out the perfect, most efficient routine that will make your muscles grow in as little time as possible. Right now, you simply need to take the first step. It may be imperfect, but it will create momentum, and that’s big.
Say, if you catch yourself thinking: “I’d like to try tennis. But isn’t it too complicated? Is it more cardio or strength training? Shouldn’t I learn the rules first?”, that already falls into the overthinking range. Instead, just go for it! Sign up for one class. It won’t make you obligated to anything. It’s ok to just give it a try without having it all figured out.
Reduce the effort it takes
A trick that may help you with taking up any habit, including sports, is to make it as easy to start as possible. Try to reduce the friction wherever you can: keep comfortable workout clothes or light weights in plain sight, block off time in your schedule, or get a protein snack to enjoy after exercising in advance. We deal with enough mental load all the time as it is, so minimize it where possible before trying to introduce a change in your lifestyle.
Research in habit formation confirms this idea. For example, psychologist Wendy Wood concluded that routines and context influence our actions more than our conscious intention. So designing the right environment is a very important part of building a new lifestyle.
Create a reward system
This doesn’t have to mean a huge dessert after your very first workout (though if that motivates you and you don’t care about the calories, why not?). Rewards can also align with a healthier lifestyle you’re trying to create: like treating yourself to something small after signing up for a gym membership, or booking a massage once every several workouts.
At the very start, workouts might not feel as fulfilling as you might’ve hoped. But with a reward system, you’ll always have something to look forward to. This is likely to motivate you to show up again.
Remember: you don’t have to do it alone
Going to the gym for the first time alone and trying to figure out what’s going on might be an overwhelming and confusing experience. The good news is, no one said you have to do it by yourself.
If your friends aren’t sports enthusiasts either, there are other options to consider:
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Group classes
From gentle stretching to intense strength training, there’s a lot to choose from. People join at all levels, and in most cases, you shouldn’t worry that you’ll be the only beginner there.
All that, plus the lack of mental load (since the trainer will guide you), makes group classes a great place to start.
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ITMO sports clubs
ITMO is all about the community, sports clubs included. You can sign up for one of the dozens classes offered by the student sports club KronBars. Bachelor’s students can even get PE credits for attendance.
Credit: ITMO.NEWS
Many classes don’t require any prior experience, and the familiar university environment can make trying something new less intimidating.
See some of our stories that might inspire you to get started:
