Thousands of US adults participate in teams and leagues, with sports ranging from classic games like soccer and baseball to Ultimate Frisbee alternatives.
On the other hand, countless adults create their own fitness schedules and keep fit recreationally with running, cycling, yoga, or swimming. But if you want to get in better shape, which one should you choose?
In terms of toning and strengthening your body and improving physical fitness, it is impossible to define whether joining a league or working out recreationally is better.
It is an undeniable truth, though, that your commitment to an activity and how often you actually do it will get results. Let's take a look at some of the main differences between these two types of activity and how they could affect your success.
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Fitting Exercise into Your Day
Joining an adult sports league does involve a high level of commitment in terms of time. Keeping your place on a team will involve turning up to training and getting to games, which can be tricky for those with a busy family and work life.
While some people happily juggle their schedules, for others, this can become unnecessary stress. Keeping fit recreationally can be done at almost any time and anywhere, which means that you can be more flexible and versatile about keeping fit.
If getting to league sessions will be a problem, recreational workouts could be right for you.
Money Matters
In comparing sports leagues and recreational exercise in terms of costs, recreational activity appears to be the most economical option. You will have to factor in transport costs to the training location and games, possible joining fees, and contributions to uniforms on a team.
Your costs can be as little or as much as you choose and are dependent on your activity for recreational activity. In most cases, you will need to invest in the right clothing or equipment to do your activity, but ongoing costs can be minimal if you opt for free local facilities or exercise outdoors.
It is worth looking at the expenses for each type of activity to decide which is most sustainable for you.
Social Workouts & Motivation
One of the main benefits of playing in an adult league is the social element, the companionship, which comes from being highly motivational. If other people counting on you to play and win will get you fired up, then a league is a great option.
Some people simply don’t enjoy working out in a group or find the competitive side of being in a league to be oppressive. In this case, rather than not exercising, daily workouts are the right solution.
The motivational factor can, of course, be an issue – some will find that getting a workout buddy will keep them on track, while others keep their focus by making achievable goals to work towards.
When it comes down to deciding whether to join a league or stick to a regular exercise schedule, the final answer can only come through consideration of your own lifestyle and preferences.
Playing soccer for a team will work for one person, while another will get the same results daily. The most important thing is that you are enjoying your workouts because you are more likely to keep up the habit and see the real benefits of long term exercise.
