National Fitness Day 2021
22 September 2021 • By - Harry Thompson
Since 2011, National Fitness Day has run annually in September and represents an increasingly popular day for physical activity. The initiative sees people of all ages and abilities join together to support the needs for an active lifestyle. Throughout the country there are a number of sports centres, gyms and anything fitness related which encourages people to get more active, ultimately leading to a healthier and happier way of life.
The Benefits of National Fitness Day 2021
Keeping fit and healthy
It goes without saying, National Fitness Day is there to keep/improve your fitness. But what are the health benefits associated with doing so? There are both physical and mental improvements, with sport becoming increasingly recognised as one of the biggest influences in helping to achieve these. Adults aged between 19-64 are recommended by the NHS to complete at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. In turn, this has numerous health benefits such as reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, strokes and cancer. Mental fitness is a word that has become more prominent than ever. With the stigma surrounding mental health rapidly diminishing, sport is widely seen as one of the best mediums to combat any potential issues, so get active this National Fitness Day for an all-round boost!
Enjoying the social benefits
With many people leading such busy and hectic lifestyles, it can sometimes be difficult to arrange a game of sport with family or friends. ‘Not having the time’ is the leading reason given by people for not increasing the physical activity load. However, even if it just for one hour a week, time can always be made. The social aspect of playing is hugely important. Getting out of the office or house and socialising is another contributing factor towards the state of your mental fitness. In the digital age we live in, it has become increasingly to fill your free time on social media/online. Combating this with some exercise, all the while getting to see friends in the process, will serve as a natural mood booster. Get out and see that person you’ve been meaning to see for a while this #NationalFitnessDay.
Learning life skills
On top of the health and social benefits, sport has the power to introduce valuable skills which can be transferred into everyday life, whether that be at work or general day to day activities. Team sport would point to the more obvious life skills such as the need for teamwork and camaraderie. Respecting and understanding other individuals in your team is also a valuable lesson to be learned. However, playing individual sports can also help you learn some key life skills. When you’re on your own, in tennis for example, skills such as desire, motivation and resilience are taught and ingrained into your everyday life.
Sport has a multitude of all-round benefits, so if you’re looking for a new challenge, or want to get back into an active lifestyle, search and book 19 different sports throughout the UK using Playfinder.
