40% of people we surveyed said they were bullied because of attitudes towards their hobbies and interests…
Anyone who is not so good at sports will understand the feeling of dread when you’re the last person to be picked for the team. Ability in sports is often seen as an important factor in school and can also be a common reason why someone is picked on. The thing is, some people just aren’t sporty!
However, this doesn’t mean that non-sporty people can’t play sports! Most sports have a competitive element but that doesn’t mean they have to be played competitively. There are, in fact, loads of sports you can play non-competitively and just for fun or fitness. It’s important to stay active for your physical and mental health but if football’s not your thing, basketball is a drag and track is tricky, try some of these alternatives:
Skating
Skating is a creative sport and one where you will never stop learning. There aren’t really any rules or structure, its all about just figuring things out for yourself. All you need is some protective headgear and a board or some skates, then hit the skatepark. Added bonus: you look like a badass (until you fall over).
Surfing
If you live near the coast, chances are there will be some kind of surf shop nearby where you can rent some surf gear, take a lesson and see what you think. Surfing is a sociable sport with a community who don’t tend to take things too seriously unless it’s a specific event so its easy to surf non-competitively. Not to mention that it’s a great way to spend time outdoors and in the sun – its the perfect summer sport! So, grab a board and jump in!
Yoga
Loads of people do Yoga. Yoga is good for core strength, balance, posture, muscles and even your mind! Yoga encourages you to focus on your breathing and you’ll probably find after a while that you feel relaxed after a session. You can do yoga at home, in the park, at the gym – even in your bedroom. All you need is a tiny bit of space and a matt. Before you say “but, yoga’s only for girls!?” check out what Anthony Joshua has to say about Yoga here – now, get stretching!
Bouldering
If you’re not bothered by heights and perhaps the occasional fall, bouldering could be your thing. You get to climb at your own pace and chances are, you’ll use pretty much every muscle in your body – so it’s a great workout to boot! The good thing is that bouldering is becoming an increasingly popular sport and it is reasonably inexpensive to take part. Google your nearest bouldering centre and get climbing!
Trampolining
Trampolining is a whole load of fun. You get to bounce around and you can have fun while doing it. You don’t have to be super sporty, you just have to be willing to give it a try and experiment a bit. Lots of sports centres have trampolining facilities and classes that you can attend – what are you waiting for?
WCMX
Who said extreme sports can’t be accessible? WCMX stands for WheelChair Motocross. It’s similar to skating or BMX, but in a wheelchair. If you have wheels, grab a helmet and get down to the skatepark! You can find out more about WCMX here when Ditch the Label met WCMX champion, Katherine Beattie.
Don’t let fear of being bullied or picked on hold you back from doing the things you enjoy. Too often, we hear about people who don’t take part because they’re not good at mainstream sports so they just give up altogether! We say, screw that!
How do you stay active?
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