Athletic backgrounds

[PetraVIII]

I'm just curious as to how many of the women here came from athletic backgrounds before they started getting seriously into lifting? I ask because a lot of the times when I hear competitors discussing how they started their story usually begins with them being involved in athletics from a young age. I always hear stuff from them like: 'Well my parents put me in gymnastics when I was six and I did that all throughout school, then in college I started doing track and field...." So when you're someone like me who does not come from an athletic background at all and was literally a complete couch potato for twenty years it can be a little disheartening to hear!! Do you think it's harder to develop an athletic inclination on your own later on in life? Do you think it matters?

[bethanyboo]

I was always the last kid picked in gym class. lol. I didn't stick with any sports and I basically couldn't run, catch, throw, or lift heavy things until a few years ago.

I started to get into working out after putting on 25 lbs in college. Then, I joined a social football team. A couple of years later, I really got into lifting. Now I have a pretty athletic build and I'm much more coordinated and strong.

It's never too late to start!

[SophieM]

I wasn't interested in organized sports when I was younger. I did do some "sports" when I was younger:

Cheerleading - Grades 3-6
Baton - Grades 3-12
Bastketball - Grade 8
Dance - Grades 11-12

I was big into bike riding though and would bike just about everywhere. I also loved climbing trees, going through the woods, etc. I was more of an outdoor kid.

[heidi1990]

I'm just curious as to how many of the women here came from athletic backgrounds before they started getting seriously into lifting? I ask because a lot of the times when I hear competitors discussing how they started their story usually begins with them being involved in athletics from a young age. I always hear stuff from them like: 'Well my parents put me in gymnastics when I was six and I did that all throughout school, then in college I started doing track and field...." So when you're someone like me who does not come from an athletic background at all and was literally a complete couch potato for twenty years it can be a little disheartening to hear!! Do you think it's harder to develop an athletic inclination on your own later on in life? Do you think it matters?

I don't come from an athletic background at all, I did the compulsory exercise at school but wasn't very good at much, and I hated the traditional team sports they did, prefering to just do something I can by myself or with 1 other person. I also had swimming lessons each week until I was about 11/12, got quite into that, but that was it really.
I first got into working out and lifting when I was 17/18 but really started getting serious about it a year ago, I don't think it's to late at all to start anything. There are always articles out there about people turning their lives around, getting fit right into old age and acheiving loads. I heard about the oldest female bodybuilder a few months ago, she's 74 but only started in her 50's I think.

[discdoggie]

I was that she-jock you're talking about, so maybe you don't wanna hear from me?

gymnastics and acrobatics since age 5

soccer since age 7

surfing since age 11

rockcliming (REAL rockclimbing, not gym walls) since age 17.





But I would hate to think that I had no business getting involved with new interests and activities simply because I haven't done them my whole life.

[freebirdmac]

Growing up, big tomboy! Swimmer and cheerleader but played anything available. After college it was tennis. Then a 15 year exercise hiatus while raising a kid.

[heidismommy]

I was the kid in school who used to run away from the ball instead of going towards it to hit it/catch it/kick it, lol. I hated sports and wasn't athletically inclined at all. I was therefore always last picked in P.E.

I have always loved walking, started walking regularly at age 14. I have tried running and was doing that for a while in high school, but not competitively, it was just a way for me to burn calories at the time. I hated running, it bored me and I kept getting injured so I went back to walking.

Fast forward many years later and I'm hooked on weight lifting. I'm 32 years old and only started a couple years ago. Now I can't imagine not doing it. I've also found more intense forms of cardio (kickboxing and HIIT) that I actually like. It's never too late!

[rockangel]

I was never into sports growing up. I come from a small town (less than 2k people) and I was the smallest kid in school, so yeah, i was always picked last for pe class. In fact I failed 7th grade pe on purpose in order to avoid being put on the girls basketball team (where i just would have sat on the bench ne ways).

But what i did have was that my family lived on a ranch and i was expected to do the work no matter how small i was. I hauled hay, toted feed sacks (which are 50 lbs a piece), mucked stalls, wresteled steers, sheep pigs, loaded trailers etc. My parents were real good about never telling me i could not do anything simply because i was too short. They expected me to do everything that the others did and to not let my size keep me back.

I also had a coach when i was 14 who introduced me to weights, but when he left the school i stopped lifting. I lifted on and off once i got to college but never had any consistency in it until Jan 2010. Now i hit my 30's in the best shape ever and plan to continue, so i am with the others when they say its never too late. And I am a firm believer that you can have a great body if you work for it, no matter what your past history has been.

[jmccarthey]

I played fastpitch softball all growing up. It also paid my way through college. I started lifting weights and running with my Dad when I was 12, and have been hooked ever since. I guess doing something athletic or pushing myself has always been a part of my life.

[tasnana]

I was the couch potato kid, and it followed through my adult life. NOW I will never go back!!!!!!

[DaniGrrl]

I was the most unathletic person you could ever meet. Like someone else posted, I used to get scared of the ball in high school gym volleyball!

I started to work out regularly when I was 25 and noticed unwanted(and ugly) changes in my body. I was taking a TRX class last summer at my husband's jiu-jitsu gym and the guy who taught it couldn't believe I'd never played sports because of how athletic I look and how coordinated I am now.

To answer your question, no, I don't think it's ever too late to get into new activities, whether it's sports or weightlifting, or whatever. I say, no matter what your age, good fo you if you work out!

[PetraVIII]

Yay these are pretty encouraging!! It's nice to know that not everyone who is serious about fitness today didn't grow up that way....there's hope for me.

I was that she-jock you're talking about, so maybe you don't wanna hear from me?

LOL @ 'she-jock' !

[wolfpack7483]

I was that she-jock you're talking about, so maybe you don't wanna hear from me?
But I would hate to think that I had no business getting involved with new interests and activities simply because I haven't done them my whole life.

This ^^^
I was the biggest tomboy I knew. Wanted to play everything when I was young, but zeroed in tennis, basketball and cross-country in high school/college. Now I have the achy knees to prove it !!!

But I truly believe it's never too late. There are gals here that I'll probably never catch up to who weren't "athletic" early on, and that's OK. The point is to be healthy and strong, however you can get there!

[karoline8]

I was into everything growing up from track to chess club, if there was a sport or any activity I could be involved in I was there...until 8th grade when I moved, hated my new school and most all the kids got depressed and fat, then stopped eating for a bit until I lost the weight... thankfully I never have to go back to the horrid school,... now I'm fit and happy .

[450grl]

Nope....i was a tomboy, and was always the first girl picked when it was time for PE, but I was never in organized sports. I started working out when I gained 20 lbs in boarding school.....did it all wrong, of course, but I learned through the years. I really got into fitness when I started racing motocross in 2001 - that requires a lot of stamina and strength. Going to the gym has been a part of my life since I was about 16.....and now my whole family goes - I love it!

[Ashlei]

I did figure skating from 11-18y.o.

[mmater]

This ^^^
I was the biggest tomboy I knew. Wanted to play everything when I was young, but zeroed in tennis, basketball and cross-country in high school/college. Now I have the achy knees to prove it !!!

But I truly believe it's never too late. There are gals here that I'll probably never catch up to who weren't "athletic" early on, and that's OK. The point is to be healthy and strong, however you can get there!

^^^This. I still consider myself very athletic and play competitively in soccer, softball, volleyball, and just about anything else I can get into. However, you wouldn't be able to tell any of this by looking at me right now (gained a crap ton of weight, working on losing it). I have always admired those who picked up sports or athletic endeavors "later" in life. For example, I have played soccer since I was 6. In high school, there was a girl on our team, who by all account did not have an athletic bone in her body. But I always admired her because of her tenaciousness and her work ethic. She came into the sport very late, but she made up for it by running her arse off and going after every ball, even if she didn't have the technical skills.

I think it's never too late to start. In fact, in some cases, it may be better than if you had started from an athletic background. In my example, I sometimes feel that my gym workouts or mobility exercises should come a lot easier to me because I'm athletic. But that is not the case. I can honestly say that I have never worked as hard, sweated as much, or cursed at the difficulty of the work as often as I am doing now, and I have played sports my whole life.

Be a sponge for knowledge. Stick with it! You will do great!

[thepowerwithin]

I am the biggest tom boy EVER. I was raised with 4 older brothers. Never wore a dress until I was in my twenties.....and still don't very often, but can definitely pull the look off when I have/want to. Always got picked first in PE. Won the Presidential Fitness Award each year. Played softball.....pitcher.

Now as an adult, as you can see by my avi, I am still not much of a girly-girl . I have 3 boys of my own, and I can keep up with them very well. I am not involved in organized sports of any kind, but I have always been into fitness in one way or the other. Outside the gym, I enjoy lifting, of course, stand-up paddling (a blast and a great workout), bike riding, 4-wheeling, and trail riding in my jeep.

[ilovethe80s]

nada. I used to stand there with the tennis racket in gym class, watch the ball sail by me, then take like 10 minutes to walk over, bend and pick it up and throw it limply in the air and miss my hit then stand there for another while. lol! I did play rugby in college though.

[heronhr]

Although I do think it will be more difficult to reach the athletic ability as those who have been doing all types of sports for years, it is never too late and should not effect your mindset when you want to go for something! It may take you a little longer, you may struggle a little more, you may feel tired/sore/weak more but you have to get over that mental barrier to a point where you understand that it's all just part of the process until you reach your ultimate goal......which you will.

I have participated in sports pretty much all my life, but not all of them. So when I decided to add another hobby, beach volleyball, to my list which I had never done before you know what? I sucked! I certainly didn't let that stop me from playing, especially since I enjoyed it SO much. Fast forward 1 1/2yrs and I've improved so much my team is now in the competitive league instead of social. Starting something late never matters.....it's starting that's important.

[erinlee01]

I was one of the athletic ones.

Started dance when I was 4 (tap, jazz, ballet) and only gave it up at 16 when I had to make choice between this and basketball.

Started playing basketball when I was 10. Played Jr. High, JV and Varsity. Switched to intramural in college.

Earned 3 varsity letters my Soph, Jr and Sr years (track, volleyball, basketball).

Skied starting at 19.

But, once I left college and went out into the real world, it went downhill. Didn't do much of anything for 15 years. Started lifting 3 years ago and have started picking back up athletics since then.

So, does it make it easier for me coming from that background? Perhaps yes. At least from a motivation standpoint. I know the high I got from being physically active and can use that to keep me moving forward.

But that said, anyone can find the motivation if they really want to. I wouldn't say that anyone is at an advantage over anyone else. I can't tell you how many "jocks" from my HS that are now messes. It all comes down to the individual.

[heidismommy]

Although I do think it will be more difficult to reach the athletic ability as those who have been doing all types of sports for years, it is never too late and should not effect your mindset when you want to go for something! It may take you a little longer, you may struggle a little more, you may feel tired/sore/weak more but you have to get over that mental barrier to a point where you understand that it's all just part of the process until you reach your ultimate goal......which you will.

I don't think that is necessarily true. Although I don't come from an athletic background, I don't think I struggled to get where I am any more than anyone else. I think you're confusing sedentary with not naturally athletically inclined. I've always been active, have always led an active lifestyle (never been a couch potato) even though I've never played sports. There are some things I will never do well in (team sports for example), but strength training seems to come naturally. It's an ability I didn't discover until late in life, however.

[heronhr]

I don't think that is necessarily true. Although I don't come from an athletic background, I don't think I struggled to get where I am any more than anyone else. I think you're confusing sedentary with not naturally athletically inclined. I've always been active, have always led an active lifestyle (never been a couch potato) even though I've never played sports. There are some things I will never do well in (team sports for example), but strength training seems to come naturally. It's an ability I didn't discover until late in life, however.

I was referring to the starting point of a sedentary lifestyle of a non-active/non-athlectically inclinded person. In cases of sedentary lifestyles I do believe the learning curve and changes to go through are greater than those who have at least been active in other things, even if they are not athletically inclined. I would never think that this would make the journey "Mission Impossible", I just think the journey may take a little longer because their starting point is different. I hope the comment wasn't interpreted as negative, that's certainly not what I meant.

[doindbt]

I was the kid in school who used to run away from the ball instead of going towards it to hit it/catch it/kick it, lol. I hated sports and wasn't athletically inclined at all. I was therefore always last picked in P.E.

OMG, I lol'd because I was gonna say the same thing...that was me too! I remember playing basketball in gym class and literally running in the opposite direction if the ball even looked like it might be headed for me. My kid has been better at dribbled since she was 4. Srs. And don't even talk to me about baseball or even a simple game of catch.

Former couch potato here...big time! I didn't start until I was in my early-mid 30's and it started with walking. Honestly, I didn't even so much as do any amount of walking before that. But once I finally got started, the walking progressed into running which morphed into lifting and I've been hooked ever since. I don't consider myself an athlete though, I still suck at sports.

[thehobbes]

Wow, I'm very surprised at all the people here who say they were not into sports at all! But yes, I came from an atheletic background. Played softball and fastpitch from like 8-18, did soccer and basketball in grade and middle school, got into cross country, track, and even tried out tennis in high school. Always wanted to try rugby if I could find a league somewhere. But yeah if it involves throwing or running or hitting things lol I'm there!

[Linds33]

I wasn't really athletic but I did take dance from age 2 until 16 (Ballet, Jazz, Musical theater). I played soccer as a kid for a few years. I was big into riding my bike as well until I broke my arm at the age of 9 and then I go into Rollerblading when I was about 10. Wanted to get into speed rollerblading but it has been very hard to find tracks to practice on or even groups to join!

I actually liked sports as a kid but it was mainly to watch rather then play. I was also a bit of a tomboy at times.

That being said I was never very good at these things. I sucked at soccer and while I took dance for a very long time I wasn't an exceptional dancer. The one place where I was good was musical theater (for some reason dancing and singing at the same time, I was good at).

From about 16 until I was 19 I didn't do very much and became a couch potatoe. Then at 19 I started lifting and have been adding to the repotoir ever since. I now lift, run, do yoga, participate in martial arts, climb, hike, paddle, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, xcountry ski etc.

My mom is in her 60's and while she has never been a sedentiary person, she has become more athletic as she ages. She started doing dragon boat racing in her 50's and that lead to her taking up bike riding. She now does the MS bike ride every year and probably bikes hundreds of miles training.