On my Google Calendar, my workouts are organized into neatly-defined 40-minute blue blocks. I track my active minutes and mileage, and I derive satisfaction from unlocking new fitness awards on my Apple Watch. With each new award, however, I earn less and less value from an additional rep or weight added. I hyper-focus on numerical goals at the expense of enjoyment and silo myself into a solitary bubble.
This summer, I started playing pickleball. I realized that the spontaneity of group sports, from the hits that test my hand-eye coordination to the conversations between plays, makes them far preferable to workouts at the gym. While I almost always miss the ball or hit it into the net, I enjoy scraping together a group of four, running across the court and watching the ball bounce against the setting sun. For the first time in a while, I have begun to find exercise fun.
Whether we plateau with our workout goals or aspire for more spontaneity or social connection in our exercise routines, we should consider participating in more diverse forms of fitness. Especially given the loneliness epidemic and decline in physical activity among adults, we should strive for more community-oriented activities.
Nationwide, less than one-third of adults achieve the CDC-recommended amount of physical activity: at least 20 minutes of daily moderate-intensity aerobic movement and two muscle-strengthening sessions each week. One reason for this low percentage is that sports participation among adults declines from 40% from ages 18 to 21 to 20% by ages 50 to 64. Community-oriented exercise can counteract the declining physical activity among adults while providing players with opportunities for social connection.
The rise in group fitness classes demonstrates the growing demand for social fitness. In fact, almost 40% of Americans who exercise regularly attend group fitness classes. From pilates to water aerobics, many participants enjoy working out with others since it encourages them to remain consistent with their fitness goals and even push themselves harder.
However, group fitness classes are often expensive and inaccessible for adults who cannot spend hundreds of dollars a month on these activities. Fortunately, social exercise is not limited to people with financial means. The University of Michigan offers free Group-X fitness classes during the first couple of weeks of every semester. Fitness classes offer an opportunity to meet new people with similar interests, and we can strengthen existing friendships in these classes by bonding over shared physical experiences. Basketball hoops and tennis courts can also be found in most public parks.
Beyond classes, team sports encourage strong social bonds in addition to physical benefits from regularly scheduled practices. On campus, we can pay $20 for a pass to participate in intramural sports or start a pick-up game on a random weekday evening. Last year, I remember taking one of the free frisbees from Welcome Week and throwing it around with a few friends who I had just met. Even the most casual sports activities are opportunities to get some steps and “repot” our friendships.
As busy college students, finding time to exercise is challenging, and coordinating with others’ schedules for a game or intramural practice is even more challenging. Therefore, we can use Google Calendar to schedule recurring events and save the difficulty of deciding activities and times. Furthermore, the community aspect of fitness becomes even more important to encourage personal accountability. By exercising with friends, we build social bonds and our own fitness consistency.
Despite the benefits of community-oriented fitness, picking up a racket for the first time in years or finding a team are all intimidating tasks. Feeling overwhelmed by new rules or nervous about joining a group of competitive players are completely normal experiences.
However, many people want to play sports more than they currently do. Therefore, we can initiate group activities and loop in friends who are nervous to exercise alone. Approaching an activity with friends who share similar goals is more empowering than stepping onto the court alone.
Whether we throw around a basketball or roll down a hill on a sunny day, we should not let our fear of trying new activities stop us from investing in our social and physical wellness. Although we can engage in community-oriented fitness year-round, we should savor our last month of outdoor activities and open schedules.
As I practice my pickleball footwork and paddle technique, I take a moment to bask in the evening sunshine and the company of my high school friends. Grateful for a summer of impromptu games, I hope to integrate this flexibility in routine to my year-round fitness schedules. But, for now, I call the score, ready to serve the ball and hit.
Sarah Zhang is an Opinion Columnist who writes about gender, race and campus culture. She can be reached at sarzhang@umich.edu.
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