Saturday 24 May 2014

IT TAKES ALL SPORTS....

Are you a sporty type? Is there one particular sport or exercise that really has you hooked? Readers tell us all about their favourite get-fit activities!

Amy says:
I've done gymnastics since I was three, and I have always loved it. In many ways it's an outlet - I can lose myself in the sport and it has definitely encouraged me to be self-sufficient and creative. I've met some amazing people through the sport! It's scary to compete but also pretty thrilling - the adrenaline keeps you going! I usually listen to music beforehand to help me get into the zone and calm my nerves. Sometimes I feel like I spend too much time in the gym and not enough with my friends, and I hate it if I have to skip a sleepover, but I've made a commitment. It keeps me really toned and healthy - I love having a six-pack! - and has had a really positive impact on my life. I wouldn't change one minute of it!

Caitlin says:
I have been rowing for three years now, for a rowing club. It's really inspirational, as many Olympians row at the club and we get to see them on a daily basis - that's quite something! I am one of those people who have tried just about every sport, from squash to hockey to badminton and dance, but once I started rowing in 2011 I knew right away that this was the one for me! This is me with my crew - I'm the one second from left! It's very much a team sport - think of the phrase 'we're in the same boat!' You have to have rhythm and be able to support each other through hard training or losing a difficult race. It's a very demanding sport, but the fitness, friendships and training far outweigh the tough winter training!


Beth says:
I got into trampolining when my friend Charlotte told me about it. She had been going for years, so I went with her one time and that was it! I love trampolining because it is so much fun - I feel like I'm in the sky when I bounce! When i do my routines I feel determined to get better at each thing I do, and when I accomplish a new move I try to add new things to it because I like to keep pushing myself. Learning to perfect a move is great as a confidence builder and encourages me to aim higher and try for things I might not have gone for before.

Megan says:
I love tennis - I wish I could play all the time. I mean, sometimes I can't get myself out of bed for early practices, but that happens sometimes with every sport, right? I've been playing since I was eight years old - it was my grandad who first introduced me to the game. I saw some adults playing at the local courts and I thought, yeah, I wanna be like them. So i went for it. You know you love something when you start changing song lyrics to be able to sing about it. Frozen's 'Love is an open door' has become 'Tennis is my favourite sport,' as of this morning. I wish I could get to Wimbledon, that would be amazing - but right now I'm looking forward to my first tournament of the summer!


Amy, Caitlin, Beth and Megan clearly love their sports... and that enthusiasm is catching! COMMENT BELOW if you've been inspired to try a new activity - or if you'd like to tell us about YOUR favourite sport!


9 comments:

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    1. Caitlin do email/ message if you'd like to write about cycling or climbing for us! Sounds great! xxx

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  2. I think my favourite sport is dancing even if it is Just Dance. It's one of the only sports I don't feels so forced to learn and I love getting lost in a song!

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  3. I'm not sure why but I have a passion for Badminton- There is currently no teams at school for this sport but we get to play it sometimes during the school year. However I think lacrosse looks pretty interesting and fun! xxx

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  4. I have two sports that I really love to do: boxing and sword fighting. I have been doing both of these now for almost a year.
    Boxing keeps me fit and healthy as it is a very energetic sport. It involves training and sparring, both of which I enjoy. The warm up we do though is horrible, as it involves half an hour of press ups, sit ups, punching, burpies and running around, but it is worth the effort. The sparring, although very fun and it gets your adrenaline pumping, can get vicious, especially as I am one of two girls and I regularly spar against boys, and I always end up with a lot of bruises all over my body.
    Sword fighting is as equally as vicious and it contributes to my accumulating amount of bruises on my body (once I had one that was the size of my foot on my arm), but again it is an enjoyable sport. We train for a couple of hours each week and tend to go to different events throughout the county and do re enactments from different eras (from Vikings to War of the Roses). The swords and shields that we use tend to be really heavy and hard to hold upright, but after a couple of months you get used to the weight as your muscles grow and get used to heavy equipment.
    Both of these sports help me keep fit and healthy, as well as keeping my muscles toned, and I plan to carry both of these on in the future.

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  5. My favourite sport is track. I've been running ever since grade 5 and it's really fun for me. It is really competitive but also great fun. It's a good excersise for the whole body and helps me stay fit and healthy. Everyone says the 400m is hardest because it's a long distance sprint, but the 400m is my favourite. I hope I'll stay running and maybe even compete in a marathon when I'm older

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  6. I love horse riding. I only started having regular lessons a few years ago, and I don't have a horse, but I love it and always try my best to improve. I also like walking, and last summer my mum and I walked the Coast to Coast together for her birthday. It took 2 weeks and was in the middle of a heat wave, but I am so glad I did it.

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  7. I like sports! My favourite sports are swimming and dancing I go swimming twice a week and dance on a Saturday morning for 2 hours. I enjoy other sports such as tennis, cycling, running and canoeing.

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  8. I love sports! But of course us girls 'DON'T SWEAT, WE SPARKLE!' My favourite sports are tennis, football and my all-time favourite: netball! Although, I'd like to try lacrosse....

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