Staying Active During Fall Sports Season

Fall sports season brings excitement, team spirit, and plenty of opportunities to cheer on your favorite team. Whether you’re passionate about football, soccer, volleyball or cross country, this season offers a perfect opportunity to boost your own physical activity while watching your favorite team play.

While it’s tempting to settle in for hours of game-watching or scrolling through highlight reels, sitting for long periods of time can be damaging to your health. 

Research consistently shows that a sedentary lifestyle is strongly associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature death. 

The good news? You don’t need to become a marathon runner. Moderate physical activity can be extremely helpful in preventing long-term disease, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends for adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. That breaks down to 20-30 minutes most days of the week. Exercise has many immediate benefits as well such as improved mood, reduced anxiety, and improved thinking skills. 

What is important is that you take small manageable steps to move your body. Taking 20-30 minutes a few times a week for a brisk walk, gardening, or walking your fur-baby can easily make a big impact on your overall health and wellbeing.

Game Day Activity Ideas to Try:

• To scratch that competitive itch, try gathering some friends to play your own tag football game
• If you are watching a live sports event, get there early to walk around the venue. Use it as an opportunity to walk up and down the sidelines or field as the plays move or climb the stadium stairs
• If your local school has a track, walk around the field or track while you watch the teams play or practice
• If you are hosting or attending a watch sports party, consider making the half-time or commercial breaks quick movement competitions like plank challenges, or plan stretching activities during commercial breaks. This can be a great way to do activities with kids.

If you prefer to watch your favorite team alone, no worries, we got a TV game day circuit for you! Transform your living room into a fitness zone. Try to circuit through these exercises and take a rest break on the commercials:

• Standing marches in place x 50
• Air squats x 10
• Side planks x 30 seconds on each side
• Shoulder blade squeezes x 20

The key to long-term success isn’t perfection; it is consistency. Start small with 5-15 mins of activity and gradually build up. Find activities that you thoroughly enjoy. Remember, physical activity doesn’t have to be grueling gym sessions. Any movement that gets your heart rate up and gets your body moving counts.

Need Guidance? 

If you have pain stopping you from doing any of the above, make an appointment with your One Medical healthcare provider to see if physical therapy is right for you. One Medical is committed to supporting your wellness journey and can guide you through your options to get you back where you want to be.