Written by Menswear Style in Sports on the 14th July 2020

There are some unexpected effects that come with working out, especially if you have been dormant for a while. And I don’t just mean a leaner frame, or an improved ability to do 5 burpees in a row. Have you ever worked out so hard that lifting your phone suddenly feels like the biggest challenge that you will ever endure in life? I’ve been there and I know exactly how you feel. For years, I was what you call a yo-yo dieter, bouncing from one diet to the next hoping that my weight would finally drop. I’d always succeed for the first few weeks but as you can expect, life would get in the way; deadlines, meetings, meet-ups and I’d find myself right back where I started. Months later, I would resume my workouts only to quit upon realising that both my mind and body had to acclimatise to the process each time I quit. After years of going back and forth, I finally decided to commit and after about 4 months of consistency, I finally began noticing a change in my physique, as well as attitude. I will never forget how great I felt the first time I walked out of a spinning class thinking, hmm, not so bad.

Working out took a lot of getting used to and it was a while before I settled on a workout that I liked. That said, the process would have been so much easier if I had found easy sports that I liked. Not only would it have been a whole lot easier to maintain my consistency, but doing an activity I liked would have altered my perspective towards sports and exercise considerably. I know plenty of individuals that exercise and participate in sports regularly but they don’t like it. The good news is that it is entirely possible to exercise and have fun while doing it. Looking for some motivation to get fit? Interested in getting involved in some fun new activities? Here are some simple, easy sports that can have a great impact on your health:

Ping pong 

As a beginner, you can expect to burn between 200-350 calories per hour of active play while advanced players can burn up to 500 calories for every hour, depending on how intense the match gets. Ping pong may look easy at first. However, you will soon find out that it is a competitive sport that demands players to have a series of quick, calculated steps to keep the ball in control. You have to work on building explosive power in your legs and work on your agility, which will consequently make you fitter and healthier. Ping pong has now become a bona fide trend. So much so, that if you want to get in a bit of sweat and still be social, there are plenty of ping pong bars all over the world that allow patrons to compete against each other in a nightclub-like atmosphere. This way, you still get to exercise while having fun at the ping pong table. Another great thing about ping pong is that although it burns some serious calories, it is still a low impact sport that can be done by people of all ages.

Cycling 

Need a workout that you can easily incorporate into your day-to-day life? Cycling may just be what you have been looking for. The benefits of cycling for your health are well known and well researched. If you are considering taking up biking and are weighing it up against other potential sports, cycling is easily one of the best options. If you have kids, cycling and traversing the country lanes with them as you explore is something that you can easily add to your routine. The best thing about cycling is that it combines the benefits of physical exercise as well as being outdoors, which all point to improved mental health and wellbeing. Cycling can potentially burn between 350 and 1000 calories per hour depending on the intensity of the rider. Of course, other factors such as your diet, and the quality of your sleep will also affect how much weight you lose.

Rowing 

If you are in the market for an intense yet fun workout, then you should know that rowing burns almost 4 times the number of calories burned when cycling or spinning. A sport like rowing might be exactly what you need to re-ignite your fire and get you into the habit of working out. Although it is a lot more fun than anything else you will ever do, rowing is by no means an easy sport to master. However, if you are deliberate in your actions and plan, it is entirely possible to get healthy, tone up and lose weight purely on consistent rowing exercises. If you are used to sitting dormant all day at your desk, rowing will help to counteract the effects of being stagnant for too long. The row machine stands out from other pieces of fitness gear because it ensures that you use all your muscles, which means that you get to roll your cardio and strength workouts all into one.

How nice would it be if we could all stay fit and healthy without putting in all the effort required? That’s why health and wellness brands are always marketing their products as quick fixes. But having been around the block a few times, I can tell you with no doubt that there are no quick fixes or cure-alls to improving your health. You just have to make an effort to get fit and stay healthy, which requires a lot of hard work, patience (oh, the patience!) and commitment- there’s just no way around it. Lucky for you, these easy sports should make the process that much easier and more enjoyable. These sports are new, exciting and they will produce the results that you want so badly without making you feel like a slave to the gym. Enjoy!

We feature Ping pong, Cycling, and Rowing in this guide to Easy Sports that have a Great Impact on your Health.