January is a time for new beginnings, and although New Year’s resolutions may often be broken by the time the end of the month rolls around, the intentions are good.
Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions involve a declaration to get fitter or lose weight. For the gym-phobics among us, this sounds more like a nightmare than a new beginning. Whoever thought that sweating in a room full of lycra-clad fitness junkies was a ‘fun’ experience probably wasn’t playing with a full deck.
But fear not – fitness and gyms don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Now is the perfect time to take up a hobby that doesn’t involve baring your less-than-perfect bits to a room full of skinny people. Taking up a sport can help you tone up without even setting foot within a mile of a gym – although it will involve leaving the TV remote control at home.
No matter what your tastes are, there are plenty of sports out there that could pique your interest, whether you prefer non-contact sports or getting up close and personal with your opponents.
Martial arts
Taking up a martial art not only helps you get fit, it also gives you some self defence skills. There are plenty of styles to choose from, from Taekwon-Do to kickboxing.
The Republic of Ireland Taekwon-Do Association (www.rita-itf.org) has a list of upcoming events, and a school directory.
The All Ireland Taekwon-Do Association (www.taekwondo.ie) has a list of its accredited clubs in Ireland located on its website. Some have links to class times, but these are in the minority. You can also take a look at the benefits of Taekwon-Do, or read up on the martial arts’ history.
The Allstyles KickBoxing Association of Ireland (AKAI) is the national governing body for kickboxing in Ireland (www.kickboxing.ie) and is a member of the Irish Martial Arts Commission (www.martialarts.ie). The website offers information on kickboxing and AKAI itself, upcoming events and the latest news. Training venues are also listed on the site.
Competitive
If you’d prefer something with a little less contact, but just as competitive, squash could be just the sport you are looking for.
WorldSquash (www.squash.org) has a list of rules and regulations – divided into a full list, an abbreviated list, and the ‘idiot’s guide’ to some of the changes. Information on the equipment and courts can also be found here.
For a more localised look, Irish Squash (www.irishsquash.com) has a list of events, results and rankings. If you’re a complete beginner, it even tells you how to play.
Those with a better head for heights might consider rock climbing as their hobby of choice. You can find information on climbing and rock climbing facilities in Ireland at Irish Climbing On-Line (www.climbing.ie) where climbing walls are located, crag guides and upcoming events.
Dancefloor divas
If you’ve always pictured yourself as a diva on the dancefloor or a John Travolta wannabe, but haven’t got the moves – or the co-ordination – to go with it, salsa dancing could be an option. Dancing is great for building up stamina and leg strength, and is also a good aerobic workout. Salsa dancing can also improve your flexibility. Check out Salsa.ie (www.salsa.ie) for details of Dublin-based classes, while Salsa Ireland (www.salsaireland.com) has details of classes in Cork along with a list of salsa events in the area.
Relaxation
If all this is still too strenuous for you, yoga could be a more relaxing hobby. According to MyPotential.ie, yoga is an ancient discipline that goes back over 5,000 years. There are many different types of yoga, including Hatha Yoga, Astanga and Kriplau.
However, although yoga has an image of being relaxing, there has been much written about ‘Power Yoga’ and Astanga yoga, which offers more strenuous workouts. Followers of celebrity trends may remember hearing about these forms of yoga – Madonna and Geri Halliwell are fans.
The Yoga Therapy and Training Centre, located in Co Down, offers classes for all levels. Information on yoga classes around the country can also be found on Yoga Ireland’s Website (www.yogaireland.com), and it also includes some guidelines on choosing a yoga class before you enrol and commit yourself. The Yoga Directory (www.yogadirectory.com) is an international directory of yoga websites, but with a bit of searching, you can find the Irish sites.
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