How sport and fitness changed my life

A sport can be a fun hobby that improves your health. However, for autistic people, there may be barriers to participating in sports. For example, team sports like football may induce anxiety or not appeal to those who aren’t ‘team players’.

At school, I hated team sports. I didn’t know what was expected of me. I’d just stand at the side – hoping no one would notice. When I discovered martial arts, my outlook on fitness changed, and the fighting arts became a life-long interest. This blog will discuss how sport and fitness have helped me.

Improving my confidence through martial arts

When I first started school, I was in a constant state of anxiety. The sickly stench of paint and group activities had my stomach in knots. I was often mute and just seen as being ‘shy’. I had zero confidence. But this changed when I went to primary school and started karate.

In a martial arts club, everyone shares the same interest. This makes it a more ‘organised’ social environment. One that’s less likely to involve awkward conversation. Martial arts also fit into the biopsychosocial model of health. They can improve your biological health, psychological health and they offer social interaction. This trio of benefits is great for ‘all-round’ health.

Martial arts also give you structure. For example, learning katas or patterns is like learning a dance. It’s a routine you practise and perfect while boosting your fitness at the same time. This can be perfect for people who enjoy predictability and routine. And gradings and competitions give you a focus and a goal to aim for.

Karate massively improved my confidence. Outside of classes, I would also train religiously. This involved running, hitting my punchbag, and doing pull-ups, dangling from a tree branch.

A break in training

Things changed when I hit my teens. I still had a keen interest in martial arts, and I dabbled in different styles including kung fu. But mostly, I was out and about doing typical teenage stuff. However, by my late teens, I was desperate to get back into martial arts.

At this point, I was having mental health difficulties. I tried to join the army but failed the medical due to high blood pressure. A side effect of soaring anxiety. I stopped all my training and went from job to job, questioning the point of my existence.

Re-finding my passion

I knew things had to change and after a trip to Asia and Australia, I started to train again. Although I had this focus, I still felt ‘lost’ and knew I was in the wrong career. I’d been cheffing in kitchens as the work was easy to find. Often, I’d lose a job and have another one the same day. I knew I couldn’t do it for much longer. So, I changed my career and became a Personal Trainer. What could be better than making a living from your interest?

Training people one-to-one worked well for me. And being my own boss was life-changing. After two years of running a boxing business in England, I moved to Malta and ran my business in the sun.

All I thought about was training. I’d train my clients in the day – walk 4km to the boxing club – and train for two hours. Then run home, sleep, and repeat the process. I was super fit. However, I became so focused on my own boxing training that eventually my business dried up, and I came home.

Lockdown soon hit, and I kept busy by completing a degree in English language and creative writing. When I wasn’t studying, I trained outdoors, making the most of the fresh air and silent streets. Even though my career changed during lockdown, I still train clients and participate in Taekwondo.

Fitness has always been part of my life and it’s crucial for my mental health. If I hadn’t discovered martial arts when I was young, I may not have had the same journey. Joining a club can be nerve-racking for anyone. And this can be amplified if you’re autistic. But the confidence you gain from participating in sport and fitness can benefit you for life.

How sport and fitness changed my life

Improving my confidence through martial arts

A break in training

Re-finding my passion

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