Physical Fitness?

Author's Note: This is the essay I wrote for gym on the question "What does Physical Fitness/Activity mean to you?"

Some people work out because they find it fun; others work out because they find it as a new challenge. Some people just chose not to do anything at all. I am one of those people who end up falling in between fun and a challenge. I started playing sports at a young age, and never stopped. At first it was a challenge because I knew nothing about the different sports I played. Now, it’s still a challenge, but it’s also fun.

That’s all it should be, as long as you find something you like to do, all it should be is fun but also at times a challenge. I never really wanted to play sports when I was younger, but my dad said it was one of those things that I was actually going to enjoy.

I tried soccer.

I tried basketball.

I tried gymnastics.

I tried it all.

Soccer and gymnastics were just too princess like for me, they never provided me with enough of a challenge, and most importantly they just weren’t fun. I did like basketball, it was something my cousins and I would play together on a summer afternoon at my cousins’ house. But, then one of my cousins got good, really good—I wouldn’t say great, but good enough. So, I didn’t want to be in her shadow – forever. But, that shouldn’t have mattered, and if I could go back and change it I probably would; it gave me confidence and a challenge.  But then, when I was three I started tee-ball, and bowling. It stuck ever since.

They were the things that gave me challenge. They were the things that were exciting. They were the things I actually looked forward to going to everyday, and still do. My skills got better in bowling I starting throwing hooks, my ball got heavier, and the heavier my ball got the more of a challenge it provided. Tee-ball turned into slow pitch softball by the age of 7; slow pitch turned into fast pitch by the age of 10. I got faster, had more agility, and it was exciting. I made new friends, and they also pushed me to do better.

That to me is all that matters. I just want to have fun; I don’t have to be the best in the world. I just have to be the best to myself. As long as things keep getting harder – providing more of a challenge, and as long as I keep having fun, and getting pushed to do my best, I will keep doing physical activities.