Motivated to take up a sport as you watch our elite athletes in Tokyo? Here’s how you can turn inspiration into action
As we reflect on the Olympics and cheer on our Deakin Paralympians in Tokyo this week, you may be feeling motivated to amp up your exercise or try a new sport – good for you! We asked a behaviour change expert from Deakin for practical advice on how you can start (and stick to!) your new routine.
Ready to begin?
Dr Helen Brown, from Deakin’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, says being inspired by watching elite athletes in action is one thing; acting on that inspiration is quite another matter.
‘Physical activity levels in Australia are declining from the age of 14 with young people already developing risk factors for heart disease, so anything that encourages people to move is a good thing,’ says Helen. ‘However, for many people there are a number of stumbling blocks to overcome before they lace up their runners and run a marathon.
‘This is because of the huge number of influences on our behaviour individually (e.g. ‘‘I’m not good enough, I don’t have the skills/fitness’’ or ‘‘I don’t have time’’), socially (‘‘I will look stupid if I can’t play’’ or ‘‘none of my friends play’’) or even broader than that (‘‘there is nowhere to play near me’’, ‘‘there are no teams that I know of to join’’).
‘We need support to change our behaviour, to help overcome the barriers that may be real or in our minds to being active and put in place an achievable and sustainable plan of action. Just seeing someone else doing it is not enough… we must also want to change.’
Get set, go!
Here are Helen’s tips to help make sure your first attempts to exercise are not your last! Just remember to observe the current restrictions in your area.
- Start small. Even a 10-minute walk with the dog is a good start. Go for a swim, play fun games, do beginner’s yoga or ride a bike to begin with. Get used to being active again and you will soon find out what you were missing.
- Plan for when life gets in the way. Elite athletes plan carefully and have strategies in place for when ‘life’ happens such as study or work commitments. Write in a weekly diary when you will go for a walk, go to the gym, or play sport, and include a plan for when life gets in the way. For example, if you can’t get a walk in before work, why not have a walking meeting at work.
- Build up slowly. Set an achievable goal, such as walking 10 minutes, then build up your amount and intensity. Once you begin to feel more comfortable about moving, you can build on the activity you have begun (as long as you enjoy it!) and/or look out for a new opportunity, whether it be a specific sport or a recreational activity, bushwalking, or swim in the ocean. Always chat with your GP and check that you are physically ready if you wish to progress to more vigorous activities.
- Don’t forget incidental activity. Another part of being active is to increase the incidental activity – park a block away from the shops and walk, get off the tram at an earlier stop and walk home, or have walking meetings at work. Simple activities can make a big difference to your overall physical activity.
- Enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy running, don’t decide to start running three times a week. You must do things you really enjoy as you are much more likely to continue. Love dancing? Dance! Love swimming? Go to the local pool for a dip!
- Mix it up. Don’t just decide to go to the gym five times per week – do a variety of activities you enjoy.
- Make it social. Being active with others is often more motivating and fun.
- Add a sport to the mix. Don’t stress too much about your body size or shape, your age or your fitness level. These days, nearly every sport provides a broad range of programs for a variety of people including social teams or ‘pay and play’ where you don’t need to sign up for a whole season, you can just come and try. Some also provide older age versions such as walking netball.
Keep MOVEing toward your goals from home
Are you feeling a little foggy in lockdown? We get it – it’s normal to feel a little deflated while we adapt to the ups and downs of COVID. That’s why DeakinACTIVE is continuing to run free meditation, pilates and yoga sessions online during August (and into September, with dates to be confirmed). Take some time out to stretch your body and relax your mind in between your study sessions – you could also try these simple office exercises any time you need to refocus your mind and boost your mood!
- Meditation: Thursday 26 and Tuesday 31 August, 10.15–10.30am. REGISTER NOW
- Pilates: September dates to be confirmed.
- Yoga: Monday 30 August, 12.15–1pm. REGISTER NOW
DeakinACTIVE also streams group fitness classes online – keep an eye on the DeakinMOVES app and our Facebook and Instagram channels for more info.
Cheer on our Paralympians this week!
See our Deakin elite-athlete students in action! The 2020 Summer Paralympic Games has begun in Tokyo and will run until Sunday 5 September.
Our Team Deakin Paralympians Alex Viney (rowing) and Nathan Pellissier (table tennis) will be competing in qualifying events this week – get ready to follow their Paralympic dreams as they go for gold! You can also read more Alex and Nathan in our recent Deakin Life article.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be televised live and free exclusively on Seven and 7TWO, and simulcast in HD on 7plus.
Edited version of a Deakin staff article by Mandi O’Garretty. Banner: Deakin Bachelor of Health and Physical Education student and Olympian Hana Basic (Getty Images).
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