Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the essentials in life. But when it comes to choosing a physical activity, people usually debate whether they should pick a sport or go to the gym. However, you can always choose to do both.
Going to the gym and playing a sport have benefits, such as staying healthy, being flexible, and improving muscle coordination.
In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of both options to help you decide.
Benefits of Going to the Gym
Improve flexibility and more convenient
One of the most popular benefits of going to the gym is convenience. Nowadays, you can find a gym wherever you are, and the membership fees aren’t as expensive as before. Once you register as a gym member, you can access all the equipment.
In addition, more gyms nowadays are open at extended hours, and some are open 24 hours. So if you’re busy at work or have a hectic schedule, going to the gym is the best option since you rely heavily on your schedule.
Easy to create a personalised approach
At first, if you don’t know the exercises, you can hire a gym coach. Your coach will give you a routine that fits your fitness goal. Moving forward, you can adjust your exercises and focus on the parts you want to improve.
For instance, if you aim to focus more on your cardiovascular health, you can increase the workout that can help you. You can either add more cardio days or improve your reps when you exercise. And since you’re in a gym, try to maximise the use of various machines.
Focusing more on the individual progress
When you go to a gym, there are times when many people are working out. However, the good thing about this is that people are focused on individual goals. Instead of looking at someone else’s progress, they reflex on self-growth and the challenges that adhere to their fitness.
Sure, you can always find a gym buddy. However, at the end of the day, you should focus more on your goals and the progress you have made instead of relying on others’ productivity.
Benefits of Playing a Sport
Interact and create a team dynamic
When you choose to play a sport, you have the benefits of having social interactions and not just physical fitness. You can participate in group activities, foster unity, and have people you share with the same goals. For instance, if you like collecting classic football shirts, it’s easier to talk with your football teammates about the same hobby.
Regarding fitness goals, you and your teammates might share the same mindset.
Increase the motivation to stay fit
When playing sports, it’s a common thing to be competitive. Whether you’re working on a team or not, there’s always competition among the players. With that, it’s easier to get motivated to continue and fight for the win, and not just to be healthy.
Most of the time, when you choose to play a sport, you won’t even realise that you need to achieve a certain weight or body type. Instead, your main goal is usually to have a positive game.
Develop skills
Sports usually come with the opportunity to learn and master a new skill. In addition, you can gain strategic thinking, agility, and coordination. Whether playing football or tennis, your body moves most of the time.
Although you’re doing the same things, technically, it’s less likely that you’ll get bored doing them over again.
Which is Better for You?
Ultimately, the choice should be based on your preferences, needs, and goals. Below are some of the factors you can check before making the decision.
Personal preferences
Which do you prefer, interacting with people or doing things independently? While some people need others to fulfil their goals, some prefer to focus on themselves without the competitive environment.
In addition, if you think one can motivate you more than the other, don’t hesitate to go with it.
Create your fitness goals
When you have set your fitness goals, all you have to do is follow them. If you feel like you can achieve your goals when playing sports or going to the gym, it’s the decision you have to take.
Usually, people who go to gyms aim for more specific goals, such as improving cardio or building muscles.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for overall fitness and flexibility, you should choose a sport to play.
Schedule
Are you available most of the time? People usually lack the time to do both, that’s why they have to choose one. However, if you have ample time to do both, why not?
Meanwhile, if you’re schedule is packed, the best option for you is to go to the gym. When you work out in a gym, you’ll just have to worry about your schedule. But when you need to practise as a team, there might be commitment issues and time concerns.
At the end of the day, it’s your decision whether you’re going to enjoy one more than the other. But we hope this can help you get started deciding on the best way to help you achieve your fitness goals. Want to share your journey? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aliana Baraquio is a web content writer working for Retro Football Kits, an international shop that offers a huge selection of retro football shirts and match-worn classic football shirts from the 70s to the 00s. As a writer, she is passionate about providing good quality articles that will help readers in making the right choice.
