Sports in the “third age”

Even as you are already in the “third age”, you should still live an active lifestyle and enjoy your favorite sports as much as you can.  Regularly playing sports helps people at a more advanced age to maintain their good health.  It also helps improve confidence and increase energy.  It does not really matter how old you are, you are sure to benefit from continuously engaging in your favorite sports. 

Most people in the “third age” feel discouraged about playing sports and staying active in their lives.  Some might not feel up to much physical activity because of chronic illnesses or other health problems.  Some might have well placed concerns regarding the chances of suffering some sort of injury.  Others might not even consider playing sports at their advanced age because they didn’t play sports even during their younger days. These are barriers that prevent people from enjoying sports in the “third age”.  However, these are barriers that can be brought down and conquered.

The truth of the situation is, the older you get, the more important it is to stay active and keeps your body moving.  Playing sports is one of the best ways to do this.  As you get older, the less you can afford to stay immobile and inactive.  Keeping your body on the go is very important in helping yourself age well, stay healthy, and remain strong and energetic.  It can even help you manage many of the symptoms of aging such as painful joints and pale and wrinkly skin.  Furthermore, staying active and playing sports is not only good for your physical health it is good for your mental and emotional health too.  Playing sports can help you keep your mind and competitiveness sharp and keep you in a more positive mood.

Whatever your current condition is, exercising and playing sports can benefit you in a number of ways.  Reaping these benefits does not require you to spend strenuous hours at the gym and working yourself to exhaustion. At your advanced age, it is more about including more activity and movement in your life, even if it was only in small ways.  You do not have to engage in sports with the reckless abandon that younger players do, you can simply play at your own pace with your friends.  What matters most is that you have a good time and that you are active.

But before you get started on sports in the “third age”, you should still keep in mind some very important reminders.  First of all, check with your doctor to see which sports would be best for your condition.  Make sure to find out if there are any specific activities that you should stay away from.  Second, start slowly, especially if you have not played any sports for some time.  Playing sports can end up hurting you rather than helping you if you go “all out” at it from the get go.  Build up your stamina and your strength slowly with short games spaced out over the course of a week.  Always remember to warm up before every game and to cool down after, and keep your water with you all the time.