Once and for all, how to fall in love with sports

Even those who hated physical education as a child can find the right motivation

According to opinion polls, the most common excuse for non-athletes is “I don’t have time.” Yet it fails to stand up to criticism: the busiest people on the planet still find time for regular exercise – from Elon Musk to Richard Branson.

What is the real reason for this? Emotions that we experienced in childhood. Researchers in the United States discovered a correlation: those who did not like physical education at school kept the same attitude about physical activity in adulthood. A survey asked 1,000 participants to share their worst memories of gym class in school, the majority of which were embarrassing. A variety of situations could cause emarrasement. The fact that you had to demonstrate your skills in front of the whole class, that you were chosen last in the team, or that you failed the standards, or, in the end, the ridicule of classmates in the locker room before class. Those who retain these memories tend to be more sedentary.

Physical activity is also associated with discomfort, including sweating and muscle pain. The reluctance to leave one’s comfort zone is perfectly natural, but as clinical psychologist Sherry Pagoto explained, the situation is exacerbated by a modern person’s incredibly high level of comfort. For example, we maintain the ideal temperature in the room, wear comfortable clothing, and even run the house without high energy expenses thanks to modern technology. It is in our best interest to learn to step outside comfort zone and rethink your bad school experience. Regular sports have many benefits that can’t be underestimated.

Where to begin

Sport starts with the right motivation. The most common – lose weight, “prepare the body for summer” – is completely ineffective. An extrinsic motivation is good for starting, but not for working on yourself long-term. Psychologist Glenn Livingston compares the motivation of people who exercise to lose weight to that of a slave on an ancient ship who works hard to avoid being whipped by his master. The intrinsic motivation sounds like this: sport helps me deal with stress, energizes me, prevents or alleviates a host of diseases, from diabetes to hypertension, and allows me to live longer. Instead of focusing on results, this approach focuses on progress.

Wendy Suzuki’s Healthy Brain, Happy Life is a book that cultivates intrinsic motivation. The research and her own experiences show that sports affect the brain, change one’s world view, and have a beneficial effect on intellectual development. Therefore, physical activity is a good tool for achieving any goal, not just body transformation.

The study also indicates that those who perceive exercise as pleasure are more attached to sports and perform better. You can find something that brings pleasure to everyone through the diversity of fitness. From here, you can start.  

Your fitness personality

While there is no clear way to find a suitable fitness level based on psychological characteristics, there are many studies showing that they should be considered in both professional and amateur sports. James Gavin, professor of sports psychology at Concordia University, notes that the more suitable and enjoyable physical activity is, the more likely it will benefit a person’s health and fit into their lifestyle.

Gavin offers seven characteristics to consider when selecting a sport:

• Societal. There are those who find it fundamentally important to be alone during classes, while others find it more comfortable in a group situation.
• Spontaneity. Some sports are monotonous (group aerobics, gym), while others are unpredictable (football, dancing).
• Intrinsic or extrinsic motivation. While the first allows you to focus on the pleasure of the process, the second requires fast results.
• Aggressivness (sporting assertiveness). In some activities, progress can only be seen by gradually increasing exertion and effort. As an example, weightlifting or crossfit. The opposite is yoga, which is less suitable for people who want to impress with their results.
• Competism. Running, tennis, and team sports are suitable for those who want to achieve the best results, if they have a goal to overtake or beat someone.
• Concentration. The best sports to distract you are those that don’t require constant focus, such as swimming or running. Instead, if you want to learn how to focus your attention, you should play tennis or team sports.
• Risk. To some, the most important thing is to ensure their own safety, while to others – to prove their fearlessness and courage. 

When selecting a sport, it is necessary to evaluate the severity of these characteristics on a 10-point scale (you may not choose all, but only the most important ones). Gavin offers to compare the results with a table which analyzes 19 sports. When you get bored quickly and you need to maintain a high degree of spontaneity, try skiing, biking, martial arts, or other activities that require quick decisions. For introverts, swimming is worth a try.

What else?

Here are some more tips to help you decide.

• Find someone who is interested in exercising and join them for at least a class or two, says physiologist Kat Spencer-Smith. Pay attention to how he builds his activity based on what he enjoys. What can you adopt, what would you change and how? Individual preferences can be determined by answering this question.
• Advice that is not obvious and appropriate for parents or former athletes who have quit sports. Assist your child or aspiring fitness enthusiast in building an optimal load and making sure he or she enjoys the sport. It will gradually inspire you as well.
• Don’t forget that sport can change not only your life for the better but also the lives of your family and friends. Sports lifestyles are easier to instill if there is an example of someone who enjoys physical activity in front of you. Become that person.
• The golden rule of introducing new habits is to start slowly and in small steps. Any amount of physical activity is better than none. Here are some 10-minute workouts that you can try to start your love of the sport.