Starting a new sport or beginning a new season can be both draining and painful on your body. I 
know from experience that hot and cold treatment to strains and pains only goes so far in helping you recover after beginning a new sport or season. Last winter I decided enough was enough, it was time to join a local soccer league, get back to playing a sport I loved and make some new friends.
While mentally I felt ready for the start of the season, I hadn’t anticipated quite how painful my week of recovery would be after competing in the first game of the season. Oh how my legs ached! This season will be different. I have promised myself it will be. Beginning a new GoodLife membership was my first goal. Now I have the motivation and the tools to ensure that I will be fitter and more physically prepared to begin a new season of sport.
Concentrating on light cardio will be my initial plan, with some conditioning of the leg muscles to reduce the likelihood of pain or more serious strains. Following games, a warm down at my local gym on the way home will be time well spent. I plan to catch up on the evening’s sports news on the in club television screens and to stretch out those muscles that would normally ache for the next few days.
With a simple plan in place I will be able to reduce the overall impact my sport has on my week. Having a plan before starting any sport is a good idea and too often preparing to play is forgotten. Try and push yourself to be active in between sports and you’ll avoid the pain after a game.
