Play Sport When You Travel
One way to keep fit when you travel is to play your favorite sport while on holiday. Also, as a bonus, meeting fellow players of your sport is a great way to meet some locals, and they may even take the time to show you around their hometown.
Depending on what sport you love to play, finding a game to join in with may or may not be difficult. Many sports are played around the world, and with a bit of research, an email or two, a little politeness and some luck, you can find a team that is happy for you to join, even if it is just to join in their practice.
You're in luck if you play basketball, as you can always find a pickup game by just going to almost any park around the USA, and in many places elsewhere in the world. The same goes for football / soccer in most parts of the world.
If it is the holiday season, some of the teams may also be short of players, so you can give them a hand by filling in. Many league teams practice in the evenings, which is a convenient time if you are a business traveler, and it is also a time when would have finished exploring the city during the day.
You'll find a basketball game anywherePlan ahead to join a group
Researching sporting teams online is the best place to start. You can do an Internet search for the sport and city you are traveling to, specific to the sport you play. Also, you can look into that city’s parks and recreation department to find useful contact information. The YMCA and YWCA are also great resources.
Map out where you are working and staying before contacting groups, so they can help you figure out if their practice location is convenient to your location. Be prepared to go with the flow as they will most likely not do things exactly as you are used to doing them, and may even use some different rules than you are accustomed to. However, if you have an open mind, you can probably learn something new to take back to your own team.
So, get out there and take part. By finding a group and joining in you will get a great workout in, keep up your fitness plus some game practice while you are away, meet some interesting new people and have a much better trip all around.
Related Pages
- More about travel fitness
- Summertime Fitness — exercises on the go when away from home in the Summer
- Workouts that travel — how to stick with a workout program when away from home
- Sports Nutrition while traveling
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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