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Watching sport on TV is something of a uniting factor. Even if you dislike someone in everyday life, discover that you share a passion for the same team and suddenly there’s a uniting factor. Even the country manages to unite long enough to cheer on Team GB every time the Olympics roll around.

There’s a lot to be said for being a fan of a sports team or individual outside of the potential social aspects. It gives you something to shape your interests around, take a fascination with. Many of us take it a step further and become almost nerdy about our sport, able to reel off facts and figures at an alarming rate of knots.

Despite all of the above, there is one major downside to all this watching, reading and obsessing: it’s sedentary. And sedentary activities are not the most beneficial to your health or your fitness levels. Just because your heart pounds in your chest when it’s nearing the end of extra time, the end of the race, or the final jump, doesn’t mean that it counts as cardiovascular exercise.

No matter what your chosen sport is, there is a way of keeping yourself active while indulging it. The first and most obvious is attending events. While they may be expensive, at least they’re not costing your health – not to mention the fact it’ll probably be a better experience than sitting in front of the TV. Travelling to London for Wimbledon, trying out luxury with Monaco Grand Prix packages, or even heading to Russia for the 2018 football World Cup – it’s all far more attractive than just sitting and watching.

Not only do you get a better experience, but it’s a workout too: walking to the stadium or track, often having to push through crowds so you’re forced to linger. So long as you stay away from the fast food on offer, then it’s going to be a massive improvement.

 

You could also try and fit in a workout while watching. A football match is 90 minutes; rugby is 80; a Grand Prix race can be upwards of an hour and a half. Do something during the quiet moments; even if it’s just a handful of short-burst situps, it’s better than nothing. Don’t forget half-time either; rather than using it as a snack run, benefit your health with a quick workout. Think that’s too short a time to make a difference? Not the case – short bursts of activity can be hugely beneficial.

 

Your final option is to give the sport in question a go for yourself. While you might not be of an age where you’re going to be able to make a career of it, indulging it as a hobby is harmless. Five-a-side football exists up and down the country, so track down your nearest team and see what happens. At the very least, you can then sit down in front of the TV to watch the latest match, complete with a new admiration for what the players are going through.

 

Chiino
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