Need some exercise - maybe a sport would help?

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I know I needed some exercise, so a few years ago I joined a gym. I eventually gave up, not because I never went, but because when I went there I got so bored! It just struck me as a clinical, fun-free, soulless form of taking exercise, like swallowing a pill that took 40 minutes to go down. Eventually I couldn't make it through the procedure, the heart really wasn't in it and I left.

Anyway, the weight is piling on and I'm going to need to do something about it. I'd love to take up swimming but there's no pool near me. Running just gives me stiches (even after a year at the gym I couldn't run for more than a minute - can't master the breathing).

Of course, I might get more enthusiastic if I tried something competitive (might make me feel less of an outcast in the process). My co-ordination isn't great, but maybe there's a sport out there for me. Any ideas?

(Note: I'm UK-based, so it needs to be a sport actually played in this part of the world. No gridiron or baseball fields round here).

Mountain biking is a blast and it's the best cardio exercise. I've been able to keep it up for 15 years.

Practice a racquet sport against a wall at the gym. Eventually someone will want to train or compete with you.

How about soccer/futbol or lacrosse? I know that my sister doesn't like running hardly at all because she doesn't feel as if there is a point. But when she plays futbol, she feels as if there is a point to her running, so she would end up running more than 5 miles (or around 8 kilometers) a game. That would get you in super shape. I'm pretty sure that there are soccer/futbol clubs in the UK, or almost anywhere in the world really. I also hear that lacrosse could be fun, but I've never played it. The same with Rugby. Mountain biking or cycling (which was already mentioned) is also awesome. Not only is it a nice method of transportation, it's a great mode of exercise. You could probably find some sort of cycling club that meets up during the week, and possibly race. Racing is a great way for you to set goals for yourself and to actually have a point of your exercising (even if you have to exercise inside for a little bit of time for a bit of bad weather). You could also appreciate the scenery while exercising. I know that when I'm running, I love being outside way better than inside. I figure, what's the point of running if you aren't going anywhere? Of course, sometimes I do have to run inside to keep my legs up. It would also give you a chance to get some stress off your chest with playing a sport. Once you find a sport, it's great to be able to let some steam off, especially for us aspies, who tend to bottle things up for awhile. It may also become another special interest, which could also open new social possibilities. I think that sports are awesome for aspies, despite if they're the least coordinated or the best. They can provide so many opportunities besides just keeping yourself in shape. Hope this helps.

Cycling is where it's at.
Yes I know (good, rideable, and enjoyable) bikes are expensive, but it's a one time fee. You can do it almost anytime, and it's a limitless thing. you can do it alone, serious groups, fun groups, competitively, or you can go just to enjoy your space. I lost 50 pounds in fat last summer on my bike, where I don't know. I'll never look back.

Some good I deas so far. Adding music into the mix has always helped me.

..SV..

Buy a dog, walk, run and roughhouse with it to build agility, strength and pain tolerance. I'm not sure of the benefits of quadrupedal motion as a bipedal human, but it's fun in short bursts. Add in some improvised exercise, push ups, pull ups, cinder block curls. Run to the local playground and swing on the monkey bars, jump up and onto the platforms. Playgrounds are the safest way way to train for parkour. Easiest way to cardiovascular shape is by bike commuting to work or school, it's better than walking and more efficient than jogging.

Exercise has been my "Kryptonite" as well. I have a fairly physical occupation involving standing and lifiting 50-60 lb buckets of quarry rock and reclaimed asphalt, though, so it helps. I have a fitness center included in my duplex community, but haven't build up the nerve to post in there to look for a workout partner. I think that would help me, as exercising alone just doesn't seem enjoyable (plus a partner would be helpful in the event of injury)

Have you considered martial arts? It would be great exercise and would likely help with coordination issues as well over time. I know have had a fascination with them for as long as I can remember, although I never had more than a few lessons. Now that I am older (and somewhat wiser) than I was in my youth I think I would take it up again. My main problem is choosing a style - and not having the money for lessons.

Also, if you into gaming and are somewhat "crafty", possibly some form of "fight club" with padded weapons?

Just my .$02

I do martial arts. Before 3 years ago I never took a single lesson (actually it was a shrink that suggested I needed to get out pent up frustration )

Feel free to ask me any questions.

It is definitely is good exercise and it is fun too. If I compare it to standard gym workout it is so much better. I am fitter than I was when to the gym. Going to the gym is so fruitless. Some people will drive tot he gym and then run on a treadmill. How about just run outside and save your money?

It has changed over the years, but before we start training/sparing there is a warm up, with joint rotation, stretching, cardio, etc. There is only one particular exercise that wrecks me, it does to everyone but because I got quite a flexible spine it is near on impossible to do it properly. I guess my back with strengthen slowly. I did notice it is getting a bit easier.

But it is the sparing and routines themselves that get you the most fit.

Many people do not stick it out around after a few sessions so make sure you make you stick around for a couple of months at least. In the beginning you aren't going to do anything spectacular. It might take a year or so

I was so uncoordinated. I still am to an extent but no where near as much as I was.

On the flipside for a long time just before going I always had a strong apprehension. I don't know why I guess it, like anything social I am not to sure about. But when I was there I was mostly fine. Now I am fairly confident I can just go and there is no expectation to be more than training buddies, with them. There were some people now fortunately left that were dicks. Like some guy who tried to get me free programming work for him.

Now it is a good atmosphere. I am also getting quite a bit of 1-1 tuition, which would cost an arm and a leg (no pun) in normal circumstances. As there are a lot of new people, and many of the advanced student that were there can make it so often the he two teachers are taking it turn teaching the beginners.

Sometimes you leave on a serious adrenalin buzz. Endorphin can do that for you, and that is a great feel good drug. The only problem is I have a hard enough time getting to stop ordinarily, but after martial art it is even harder. Although I gather that for many exercise make it easer to go to sleep.

there's always rowing, and there are a lot of clubs around the UK.

if you don't mind waking up early there's really nothing like water sports, with rowing obviously being the best (:P that was a joke for you paddlers out there). if you're doing it competitively most of your workouts will either be intense or you'll be focusing too hard on improving your technique to really absorb the scenery around you, but for the first week or so when the workouts are easier since everyone's trying to kick of months of rust there really is no comparable feeling. you get to see some amazing sunrises, great scenery, and it just feels amazing when you take a stroke and the boat just glides through the water effortlessly, and it's even better in a single. there are also a lot of really fit girls in rowing, surprisingly, and most of them wear spandex during practise . there are more girls than guys at our rowing club here and apparently a lot of clubs in canada have more girls than guys, but i don't know about the UK. it also gives you an amazing workout, it works just about every muscle in your body, especially the legs and lats, so you get a great physique, complete with an amazing rower's back. it's also low impact so it's easy on your body, i see plenty of 60 and 70 year olds at the club every morning, and really the only injuries you can get, other than blisters on your hands, are repetitive strain injuries (tendinitis, tennis elbow, intercoastal strain, etc.) but those are usually a result of overtraining or poor technique.

if rowing isn't really your thing i'd suggest cycling. as mentioned previously you can do it just about any time of day, you can go anywhere, it's fun, it's a good workout, etc. the startup cost doesn't even have to be that big, i've seen plenty of decent used road bikes for pretty cheap. now i don't know much about road bikes so they might not be very competitive bikes, but they're still fun to ride and at low level competition the quality of your equipment doesn't matter as much as in elite competition.

I completely agree with the suggestions of martial arts. There are so many to choose from I really believe there can be one for everybody. The class environment is a great motivator but the training is also way more subjective so you can progress at your own pace (as long as you don't end up at a McDojo/McDojang!). It definitely does help with coordination as well.

Good luck, and if you (or anybody else) has any questions about martial arts, feel free to ask me!