I tried something new today, and I wasn’t good at it

I have wanted to learn to play tennis for a long time, since I was an SID for Vanderbilt men’s and women’s tennis in 2011-12 (my first career was sports media). I’ve just never really had the chance to try it. 

I have a number of women in my strength camps who play tennis and they sort of inspired me to get out and try it–I think partially because they wanted to laugh at how bad I am as a total newbie, but they mean it with the love and support that involved passing along names of instructors and offers to use racquets and join in on clinics, so I know it was with love. 

Thankfully I also have a super patient fiancé who humors me and told me he’d take me out on the courts and teach me before I go embarrass myself in public. 

Now, my future husband is a naturally gifted athlete. He plays baseball professionally, he was a stud basketball and tennis player in high school, and he’s a pretty good golfer to boot. He’s the type of guy who can pick something up for the first time and excel at it, looking like a natural. 

I am not that person. Despite having danced, figure skated, played soccer, and been a trainer and coach for half of my life, I have never played a rotational sport beyond the age of ten (mostly baseball). 

I’m just not good at it. My body doesn’t really know how to move that way.

But here’s the thing: I literally don’t care. I had a BLAST trying to learn it, and can’t wait to get out there for more. An hour passed before I knew it, and we spent most of it laughing and running all over the court. 

And really, this emphasizes two things I constantly tell people: 

1.  Fitness doesn’t just mean exercise in a gym. Find something you have fun with and get after it. Find friends to do it with you. Meet NEW friends by joining a class or club or camp or clinic or gym. 
2. Don’t be afraid to try new things or to look foolish doing something for the first time. Have fun. It takes a while to get the hang of things (for most people). Everyone was a beginner at some point. 

I feel like that second point is a huge barrier to entry for people in fitness: the fear of looking foolish. It’s part of why people stay away from the free weights (or even the gym in general). I especially see it with women, but I do see it with men too. 

For the people who are intimidated or worried about how they look: don’t be. We aren’t always going to be amazing at things on the first go. But man, can we have fun. 

I dare you to try something new that you’ve always wanted to but haven’t gotten around to or have always been afraid to this week. I myself will be headed back to the courts with Nick again tomorrow.