What summer sport to take up on holiday

Taking a break, be it one week or two, is a great opportunity to learn a new sport. We chart the best here…

Nothing quite beats a day spent on the beach or by the pool on a lounger. It’s the ultimate antidote to the time-crunched, overworked lives that we lead and is essential for recharging the batteries and decluttering the mind. Increasingly though, the opportunity to rev things up or learn a new skill on holiday is becoming an attractive option. Finding time to take up a sport or really progress at something that you enjoy can prove difficult when back on home ground, in the thick of routines. With anything from a free day to two-weeks to indulge any sporting urges that you may have, a holiday is the perfect training ground to do this. Here are some of the most popular pursuits to try.

Yoga

Many will argue that yoga is not a sport but a way of life. That’s not to say it lacks physicality – it’s extremely physical and improves muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina, particularly mental stamina. The postures work to align your body and open up joints. The focus on the breath during the exercise also works wonders for the mind and nervous system. Take your pick from hatha, kundalini, yin, restorative or many, many more. There’s something for everyone, even newbies and with classes at most all-inclusive resorts you can try yoga, without having to commit to a season of classes back home. Plus, many take place on the beach!

Included as part of the all-inclusive Club Med Package.

Tennis

Whether you play, have longed to play or once did as a child and want to resurrect your skills, tennis remains one of the most complete sports for mind and body. It burns more calories than aerobics or cycling, with constant sprints, leaping and lunging around a court, and it requires alertness and tactical thinking, generating new connections in your brain. It’s very rare not to find a tennis court on holiday, particularly a Club Med one, where there’s the bonus of free group lessons for all levels. At Sandpiper Bay in Florida, there’s even an academy with world famous tennis coaches, where you can perfect your back-swing while you have time (and sun) on your side.

Group lessons for all levels Included as part of the all-inclusive Club Med Package.

Golf

The option to spend four-plus hours walking around manicured fairways, with nothing but the sound of nature and swooshing golf balls to divert you, is a tempting one. As many golfers will tell you, it’s also mentally stimulating and physically challenging, with the average four-mile trek blasting 1,200 calories and seriously taxing your brain – again, another positive tick for the sport. Whether you’re looking to knock a point or two off your handicap or learn to hit a ball, there’s no better place to do it than on holiday. Better still, getting your partner or family involved could be the beginning of a great new outlet for you all.

Golf group lessons and Pitch & Putt included as part of the all-inclusive Club Med Package.

Acrobatics

If you thought aerial activities such as trapeze or tightroping were purely a great way to have fun and a tick off the bucket list, then think again. From trapeze to aerial yoga, turning yourself upside down and swinging through the air engages your core, improves flexibility and majorly boosts your mood – just look at kids on swings to see how uplifting it can be. It’s also a fantastic bonding and team-building experience for couples and families, with trapeze teaching you how to “catch”, “weap” and “lay out”. Club Med all-inclusive hotels now even boast flying trapeze facilities and circus-inspired classes, where you can learn new skills such as aerial silk, tightrope and high bungee.

Group lessons (at resorts with flying trapeze) included as part of the all-inclusive Club Med Package.

Watersports

Surfing, kayaking, sailing, parasailing, windsurfing, kite surfing, paddle boarding and scuba diving – take your pick from the huge array of water sports activities on offer at most resorts. Like any other sport, water sports are physical but the feeling of weightlessness in or on the water, and the cooler temperature, eases the pressure. Additionally, the tranquillity of water reduces stress and anxiety. From extreme thrills and serene underwater sights, the hardest part is working out which one to try first.

All water sports included differ per resort. Water skiing included at Gregolimano, Palmiye & Cancún.

If you’re after a beach break with a difference, take a look at our amazing all-inclusive holidays with an abundance of sports on offer. With instructors there to help perfect your skills, you can practice your favourite sports and discover new activities with top quality equipment, included in your package.

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