For social butterflies, personal fitness can get trickier after you’ve graduated college. In school, there are sports teams you can try out for and recreational clubs when you don’t want to take athletics too seriously.
But once you’re an adult, it can be challenging to find fitness activities that aren’t just good for your health but also good for expanding your social circle. So how can you get more involved in recreational team sports as an adult?
Here are a few ways you can get out and get active with new people even after you’ve entered the adult world.
Traditional team sports
The top five largest sports in the U.S. include football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and soccer. Because these sports are so popular, you can usually find local teams in your area that either play competitively or recreationally.
Baseball is especially popular and can be a great way to bond with new people. As a competitive sport, you’ll want to make sure that you’re at the top of your game, with all of the right equipment so you don’t let your team down. Some essentials include a broken-in glove, a good baseball bat (if you grab a shaved one, be sure to not use it if it’s colder than 65 degrees outside), and a nice set of cleats.
Look up local team sports online or ask around. Odds are you’ll be able to find teams for different age groups whether you’re in your early 20s or your late 50s. Movement gets the brain going, so it’s good to stay involved in sports activities as you get older, too.
Non-traditional team sports
Up to 69% of millennials say they’re adventurous. If you’re among them, consider involving yourself in less traditional sports such as roller derby or quidditch.
Roller derby is a rough sport that’s largely available to women, but is also increasingly available to men. It’s a full-contact sport played on roller blades on a track. Roller derby is great if you’re interested in competitive sports, and teams are often tight-knit social groups.
Quidditch is a sport adapted from the world of Harry Potter. While there are no spells involved in the game and the snitch is played by a person dressed in gold, there are still a lot of community leagues that like to get involved with the game. Quidditch is similar to lacrosse, but the goals are off the ground just like in the books.
Solo sports
The cool thing about solo sports is that they let you be independent while still giving you a chance to be social with other people participating, too.
For example, indoor bouldering doesn’t require ropes or a partner, but you can still get involved with the folks in your climbing gym when you get started. When you’ve gotten the hang of indoor bouldering, you can consider taking on indoor rock climbing.
Social dancing is another type of solo sport. You don’t necessarily need to have a partner with you when you arrive for lessons, but it can be fun if you have a friend or family member who wants to get involved. Dance lessons and going out to dance is a great way to meet new people, especially dedicated dancers who pursue dancing as a sport or a hobby.
Whether you enjoy swing dancing, salsa, tango, or another type of dance, there are dozens of workshops available for you to take in your community.
Swimming is another solo sport that’s a little more solo than the others. Swimming is a low-impact sport you can partake in at any age, which is great considering the world’s population of people age 60 and older is expected to double by 2050.
If you’re interested in swimming, but want the social circle of the other team sports, you’ll need to branch out with other people in your area. Adult swim teams may also be available in your community. Just be sure to choose a pool with a glass finish — these pool tiles can last almost indefinitely compared to fiberglass or plaster finishes.
While finding team sports and sports activities as an adult isn’t as easy as when you were in college or High School, there are still plenty of fitness activities out there. Don’t be afraid to ask around or to dabble in different sports to see what works for you.
