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Whether yoga or softball is your thing, there's another benefit to getting active: You could make a love connection.
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By Cary Barbor
 an you stand to while away another beautiful summer evening nursing another watery gin and tonic while you wait for your always-late friend to meet you at a dark and noisy bar?
We didn’t think so.
And let’s face it, you’re not really meeting anyone interesting there, anyway. Are you?
We didn’t think so.
Now’s the perfect time to jump off that barstool and try something different. Check out a new sport, join a league or take a fitness class you’ve always been curious about. You’re sure to feel better in all kinds of ways. Your energy level will increase, you’ll probably drop a few unwanted pounds, |  | | “Yoga classes or workshops are a great place to meet like-minded people.” |
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and you will find yourself having a blast. And what’s more, you just might make a love connection.
So, where to begin? Not where you might expect.
“I’ve seen the most romances blossom in our gymnastics classes and in the ice-hockey leagues,” says Erica Schietinger of Chelsea Piers, a sports and fitness complex in New York. “The hockey players share an intensity and devotion to their sport that, in the coed leagues, seem to attract them to each other. In the gymnastics classes, on the other hand, the atmosphere is so jovial that people lose their inhibitions and tend to bond quickly.” She adds: “It’s hard to take yourself seriously when you’re flipping into a foam pit, giggling and losing your sock.”
But what about the old faithfuls, like coed soccer and basketball? Isn’t love blooming on the bench? Not as much as you might think, says Schietinger. “Those players tend to come and play with their gang, hang out together after, and go home. They’re not looking to meet new people.”
Okay, but what if skating into Plexiglas or backflipping off a | | | Start shopping around for an activity you’ll like. | |
balance beam is not your thing?
“Yoga classes or workshops are a great place to meet like-minded people,” says Lisa Matkin, cofounder of Matkin Yoga, who recently taught at the New York City Yoga Journal Conference. (Her only caveat? Best not to date your instructor.) “And if you meet doing yoga, you’ll have found someone who’s trying to open up, which is just what you’re trying to do in a relationship. So it works on a metaphorical as well as practical level.”
She concedes that yoga classes are made up mostly of women, so the odds are better for male yogis. But she generously adds an insider tip: Women might want to try martial arts classes, which also meld fitness and spirituality, as they tend to be made up mostly of men.
Interested? Start shopping around for an activity you’ll like. (An Internet search or a poll of sports-minded friends can get you started.) And to help improve your chances of meeting someone nice, take these tips from fitness expert Amy Bento, star of the video 10 Minute Solution: Hot Body Boot Camp. Bento should know — she met her fiancé at a fitness event.
- Don’t take up fitness just to meet someone. Go because you’re enthusiastic about the activity and a healthy lifestyle.
- If you’re at the gym, leave the headphones in your locker. You’ll be much more open to conversation.
- If you see someone you’re interested in, strike up a conversation about the class you’re taking or ask about a piece of equipment. It’s something you have in common, so it’s a great icebreaker.
- Steer clear of the people who are only there for the socializing. You’ll do better with someone who’s serious about fitness but also looking to meet someone.
And as you head out, don’t worry about finding the “perfect” group. There’s no magical league to join where your true love undoubtedly waits, says Elizabeth Ward, LMHC, a psychotherapist in private practice in Boston. “Pursue what you enjoy, in the way you enjoy it,” she urges. “If you’re passionate about golf, then that’s where you’ll shine. A sport you’ve always loved may appeal to you, or perhaps there’s a new activity you’re been dying to try. You may like the security of joining with a friend or prefer to be more independent. The bottom line is, go where you’re happy, having fun and enjoying yourself. That way, you’ll be open to meeting new people. And as a bonus, you’ll be meeting others — for friends or romance — who not only share an interest in the activity you’re doing, but also in having a healthy lifestyle. And that’s a wonderful start.”
Cary Barbor is a freelance writer based in New York.
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How would you feel about your date using a Groupon (or some other discount deal) to pay for your date? |
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14% |
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Mortified that the other person seems so cheap |
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35% |
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I really don’t care one way or the other |
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52% |
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Totally support it… after all, dating is expensive! |
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