Who said that leisure sports are not a workout? Well, staying in the golf cart might make that true. However, if you’ve ever walked a golf course carrying or pulling your bag, you know that it’s definitely a workout, but lots of fun. The United States Golf Association (USGA) is encouraging golfers to ditch their carts and take up their bags and walk! Studies have shown that the strong health benefits walking can also help protect golfers against heart disease. According to Golf Science International, four hours of playing golf by foot – walking the course – is comparable to a 45-minute fitness class! That’s good news, since golf is unique in the way it can motivate middle-age and elderly individuals to walk a fairly long distance on a regular basis.
A Hawaiian study showed that men who walk 1 ½ miles or more each day have less than half the rate of heart problems compared to those who walk less than a quarter mile. Most importantly, the results showed that it doesn’t matter what the walking speed is, as long as the distance is covered. One great positive that comes from the use of the motorized golf bag carriers that are becoming more popular is the benefit of walking. In fact, a group of golfers started using these carriers 30 years ago in their sixties; they are now still walking the course in their nineties! That’s great! So if golf is your game – get out there for health benefits and a great time with your friends and family and walk the course. Go to www.walkinggolf.com for more information and inspiration.
Leisure sports
Another favorite American leisure sport is tennis. Playing tennis on a regular basis is excellent exercise. Playing tennis at a moderate to vigorous intensity on a regular basis is a good way to get your aerobic exercise. Muscles are exercised and calories are burned. Studies have shown that singles tennis burns more calories than doubles, of course, but even doubles can give you the exercise benefits of light weight lifting or bowling.
To kick tennis up a notch, try Cardio Tennis, it’s a new, fun group activity featuring drills to give players of all abilities an ultimate, high energy workout. Taught by a teaching professional, Cardio Tennis includes a warm-up, cardio workout, and cool down phases. If you are looking for a great new way to get in shape and to burn calories, Cardio Tennis may be for you. There are local programs in most every state. To learn more, go to www.cardiotennis.com.
Other leisure sports that are great physical activities and family fun include volleyball, skating, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, surfing, winter sports and many more. Pass your passions to your family. Teach your children the fundamentals and include them in your sport. Some of my best memories are playing golf as a child with my patient mother. The best part was getting my peanut butter crackers and Mountain Dew (sorry) between the ninth and tenth holes! We had fun, no matter how many balls I lost in the woods and in the water! Pass on the fun!
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
