There are many activities that you can jump into after 20. Cycling, swimming, yoga, and golf are easy to pick up and can be great health boosters. All these sports help you maintain your cardiovascular health, flexibility, and balance without killing your knees or having to spend an hour on the elliptical.
Instead of getting bored at the gym, try one of these fun—and social—activities. You’ll stay fit, meet new people, and have a great excuse to go to Spain for a cycling trip, or head to the U.S. Open to get some pointers from Serena.
Swimming
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Swimming is a great way to build muscle mass, while still being a relatively low impact sport. You can do a variety of activities in the pool: laps, Aquafit, or a water aerobics class, and lots of community centres and pools offer swimming lessons tailored to adults. Swimming has also been shown to improve balance, lowering the risk of falls.
Cycling
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Cycling is not going to be too hard on your knees—they aren’t responsible for bearing all the weight when you’re on the bike—and provides a good cardiovascular workout. Cycling is great for couples, and can be a very social activity if you join a club or cycling group. There are amazing cycling routes all over the world—a great thing to build a vacation around.
Yoga
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Yoga is great for maintaining flexibility and muscle strength. It’s a very adaptable form of exercise and classes can be as challenging or relaxing as you want. It’s proven to reduce stress, improve mental wellbeing, and can help prevent “middle-age spread.” It’s also a great social activity—you can go with some friends or your partner.
Tennis
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The United States Tennis Authority has said that tennis can increase longevity, aerobic fitness, and burn calories. It’s also a great way to improve coordination and balance. You can spend time with friends, you can play doubles with your partner, and tennis clubs are great social hubs. You can also play in your neighbourhood—many communities and parks have tennis courts.
Golf
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Golf is good for your circulation, strengthening your knees, and increasing bone density. You’re going to be walking not running, which is good exercise without being too high impact. It’s a great way to spend the day outside getting lots of vitamin D, and playing a game of golf has been proven to reduce stress—and will ensure you have a good night’
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