In a recent YouGov survey, we wanted to know which sports or sporting activities Americans took part in on a regular basis. As someone who dabbles in different activities as the mood takes her (read: gets bored doing the same thing over), I was interested to find out what other activities were out there I should try. Though I am by no means a fitness fanatic – which probably explains my somewhat eclectic approach to exercise – I enjoy the endorphins a little cardio releases, the better sleep I get after working out, and (of course) I enjoy eating a little more when I feel I’ve deserved it…and so do other Americans, it seems.
We might have a name for fast food and fast cars, but we’re certainly a bunch to come up with ideas for physical activity, with over two thirds of the population claiming to having taken some form of exercise in the last six months. Walking/hiking was by far the most popular, with nearly half the population (47%) saying they had taken part. As a 9-5er, I sometimes feel I can only dream of getting outdoors and hiking those Texan trails or climbing some of the mountains our beautiful country offers, so it’s sure nice to be reminded they’re still out there! Other cardio exercise (including gym machines like the elliptical machine) and running came next, proving that despite how we might feel on a Monday morning, we’re more than willing to make use of our legs in our quest for fitness or enjoyment. The younger generations were more likely to up-the-ante somewhat with the less-than-gentle approach to exercise, with 57% of that age group claiming to have undertaken cardio exercise either using a machine or running, compared to 33% of those aged 30-64. Kudos goes to the 18% of the over 65s for having partaken in a similar thing in the last six months.
Other sporting activities to figure highly were weight-lifting (20%), swimming (13%), dancing (13%), cycling (10%), basketball (8%) and yoga (8%). The gender differences were relatively small in the most common forms of exercise but, perhaps unsurprisingly, dancing and yoga skewed somewhat towards women (19% versus 6%, and 11% versus 5% respectively), while men tended to lean more towards cycling and basketball (14% versus 6%, and 15% versus 2% respectively). Golf, football, athletics, martial arts, soccer, watersports, Pilates, baseball, volleyball, softball, tennis, boxing, skiing / snowboarding, skating (ice and roller), hockey, gymnastics and horse-riding should all receive honorable mentions (in that order) for their popularity among the American population, again going to show that around the country, we’re a creative bunch when it comes to our physical activity.
Of the 31% who had engaged in no form of physical activity over the last six months, there was little difference when it came to gender, region, ethnicity – and surprisingly little difference when it came to age (though obviously our older population could be forgiven for the marginal difference there – 37% of our over 65s said they had refrained in the last six months). What did seem to make a difference was household income – which perhaps suggests that, for some, exercise can feel nowadays a luxury of the wealthy. Gym membership, I find, can be expensive these days, which is why I prefer to find different ideas for my fitness. I’m thinking a hiking trip might be in order soon.
