| Okay, we all know that we should exercise but what | | | | - Ask your local school |
| is it that gives us that extreme sense of lack of | | | | - Check the advertising outside your local hall |
| motivation? Interesting question this one isn't it. I guess | | | | - Ask at your local sports centre / youth club |
| we are all rather prone to prefer to kick off the shoes, | | | | - Check with your council |
| grab a cuppa and sit down in front of the TV / | | | | - Visit your local community centre |
| computer instead of grabbing out the joggers and | | | | 4. Decide where can you participate in your chosen |
| pounding the footpath or running around a tennis court. | | | | sport |
| However, if you start to get into sports you will realise | | | | - park |
| how much of a difference it can make to your whole | | | | - cycle track |
| well being. You will start to feel more enthusiastic and | | | | - running paths |
| alive and this will flow across into other areas of your | | | | - velodrome |
| life. Your overall attitude to a multitude of things will be | | | | - sports field |
| lifted up to new levels. | | | | - council pool |
| Being active also gives you additional benefits such as | | | | - gymnasium |
| keeping your body healthy (saves on medical bills and | | | | - bowls club |
| doctors visits) and giving you something to do (saves | | | | - local hall |
| you spending money on expensive forms of | | | | - sports centre |
| entertainment). Get into sports today by dusting off the | | | | - dance studio |
| joggers, digging out your swimming costume, grabbing | | | | - local school |
| a tennis racket or cleaning off your golf clubs. | | | | - ski fields |
| Participating in a sporting activity can not only keep you | | | | - skating rink |
| fit and healthy but provide you with hours of | | | | - bowling alley |
| entertainment for generally a small fee. | | | | - squash / tennis courts |
| Here are some clues to get you started: | | | | - home |
| 1. Choose what sorts of sports you might be | | | | - friends / neighbours home |
| interested in | | | | - work |
| - Jogging / Running / Aerobics | | | | 5. Establish the costs for your chosen sport |
| - Tennis / Squash / Badminton | | | | - Membership / club fees |
| - Football / Rugby / Soccer | | | | - Participation / entry fees |
| - Basketball / Netball / Softball | | | | - Sports equipment (purchase / hire) |
| - Cricket / Hockey / Croquet | | | | - Sports uniforms / shoes (purchase / hire) |
| - Lawn Bowling / Ten Pin Bowling | | | | - Travel costs |
| - Dancing | | | | - Food / drinks whilst undertaking chosen sport |
| - Cycling | | | | 6. Consider organising a group |
| - Swimming / Diving / Aqua aerobics | | | | - Get your work colleagues to accompany you on a |
| - Golf | | | | walk / jog around the block at lunch time |
| - Horse Riding / Polo | | | | - Tee up your neighbours to all go for a walk / jog two |
| - Canoeing / Kayaking / Rowing | | | | or three afternoons / mornings a week |
| - Yoga / Pilates / Tai Chi / Gymnastics | | | | - Advertise at your local gym / school / sports centre |
| - Track and Field | | | | to set up your own running / cycling / walking / |
| - Rock Climbing / Abseiling | | | | swimming group where you meet at a set location and |
| - Boxing / Martial Arts | | | | all head off together for 30 mins / 1 hr |
| - Fencing / Archery | | | | - Look at the groups you currently belong to and can |
| - Weight lifting / Wrestling | | | | you add value to any of these groups by setting up a |
| - Skateboarding / Rollerblading | | | | running / cycling / walking / swimming group as an |
| - Skiing / Snowboarding | | | | offshoot |
| 2. Think about who might be able to join you (often if | | | | - Talk to your local council / community centre / sports |
| you are committed to go somewhere with someone | | | | centre for assistance and promotion in kick starting a |
| else you are more likely to do this activity than if you | | | | new group off in your area |
| have to go alone) | | | | 7. Get out there and give it a go |
| - Family member | | | | - Don't procrastinate - start working on this today |
| - Work Colleague | | | | - Set up a routine for your sports activities |
| - Friend | | | | - Commit to your routine by marking time in your diary |
| - Neighbour | | | | calendar |
| - Business associate | | | | - Consider hiring equipment instead of buying the |
| - Member of a club / group / church you are in | | | | equipment at the start, just in case it doesn't work out |
| 3. Check out your local area to see what sports clubs | | | | for you |
| associations are located in your area that offer your | | | | - Set money aside in your budget to cover the costs |
| chosen sport? | | | | for your chosen sport |
| - Surf the internet | | | | - Set a goal around your sport as this can keep you |
| - Visit your gymnasium | | | | motivated to keep going e.g. |
| - Read the local paper | | | | |