Do you find yourself dodging physical activity because you’re worried about getting hurt?

A while back I was playing tennis with some fellow outdoor educators. They played varsity tennis in high school and had more experience and training than me. We hit the ball back and forth, but sometimes I found myself instinctively dodging the ball.

Several months earlier, I was hit by a tennis ball. It hurt. Even though I knew it was unlikely to happen again, the thought of one of those fast moving tennis balls hitting me was unnerving.

When you hang out with a bunch of educators, sometimes you find yourself being taught a lesson 🙂 This was one of those times. After a water break, one of the guys I was playing with began hitting balls right toward me and commanding, “Defend yourself!” Taken aback, I used my racket to block my body. The tennis balls made contact with my racket and fell to my side of the court. They weren’t winners, but they didn’t hit me.

I had learned to defend myself! After that, there was no more fearful dodging when a ball came my way. I just tried my best to hit it back. I ended that day playing the best I ever had.

In tennis and all other physical activities, there is always a risk of injury. Luckily, there are also some precautions you can take to help defend yourself. In this instance, I needed to learn how to block a ball that was headed straight at me.

Every person and situation is different, but a great way to start defending yourself is by learning how to listen to your body your body, include a proper warm up and cool down, use correct form, and get the proper nutrition and hydration.

If you’re avoiding physical activity due to fear, I encourage you to learn how to defend yourself so you can live life to the fullest.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.