Sweater weather is upon us! It's that time of the year when colder temperatures trickle in, our days pass quickly, and nightfall arrives earlier. With the arrival of Fall Daylight Savings, there's less daylight in your 24 hour cycle, reducing your time for outdoor activities.
It can be tempting to curl up indoors or spend extra time resting, but practicing your sports can still be a priority. "Falling back" with Daylight Savings is the perfect reason to commit to a new activity or change up your existing ones, so you can continuously stimulate your mind and body. Whether you have a particular school or work schedule, or other priorities you can't move around, here are some suggestions and sports you can discover as winter substitutes with shorter days and longer nights!
Adjusting your lifestyle to accommodate your passion
1. Band Together and Urbanize
Still craving a bike ride after work, or a hike even though the sun is setting before dinner? Get a group together and ride in a more urban setting. Go for a star-gazing mild hike as a large group on a trail still an earshot from streets (remember wildlife does enjoy evening strolls too, and to respect their space). Roll through town with the full moon rising as a pack. Find a lit field or tennis court at a recreational center where you can continue to practice after daylight hours.
Still, be cautious of which activities you chose to do this with and adopt best practices always. Make sure you have proper reflectors and lights for nighttime activity!
2. Set Weekend Schedules in Advance
With any time off, plan ahead, check weather, and commit to hiking a new trail or learning to sail at a time that's optimal for these types of activities. Once you commit and set priorities, you'll be much more likely to follow through and not forget your practice!
3. Commit During Lunch
Don't let cold weather deter you from keeping up your sport. Bring a change of clothing so you can practice on breaks. Go for a run around the office or campus, trade in social lunches for a fast-track gym session, or try a new yoga studio. Many studios offer express version of classes suited for a lunch session.
Sports for when the sun goes down
1. Indoor Swimming
Oceans, lakes, rivers, and other waterways make for refreshing dips. However, venturing into them after dark can be dangerous, so an alternative is to take your swimming desires (morning or evening) to your nearest local pool. In SF, public pools are easily accessed and maintained at 9 recreational centers, and you can buy a 10 pack for $57.
2. Ice Skating
Around the holidays, skating rinks should be set up in your nearest city or town. Master the rink and learn how to glide on ice with friends or family! Check out Union Square or Embarcadero's rink, or take your skills up a notch by enrolling in affordable skating lessons at Yerba Buena. Get your own pair of ice skates beforehand if you'll be skating all winter long!
3. Driving Ranges
The nice part of golfing is that even after the sun sets, you can still practice. Driving ranges are often well-lit and a great place to practice your swing while hitting off some stress. Our favorite place in SF is Eagle Club Indoor Golf, especially in winter because we can stay warm while practicing. Our Inesis golf clubs are even available for borrow or use, so you conveniently don't have to lug your entire golf club set over. Plus, if you use our clubs, you'll get 50% off fees!
4. Indoor Rock Climbing
If you really want to try something new, rock climbing is challenging both mentally and physically, yet extremely fun and rewarding. Take advantage of this sport and ease into it during winter months with indoor practice, so that when spring arrives, you'll be ready to take your practice outdoors with extra sun! If you practice routinely, you'll want your own harness, shoes, and other gear so you don't have to rent every time.
We hope the new time changes inspire you, instead of deter you from adding new variety to your practice or exploring new options. Bring a friend with you to try new suggestions - it will increase your excitement and commitment to these types of changes!
