How to Combine Sports & Motherhood

Motherhood has some similarity to sports. Both require endurance, concentration, agility and sometimes speed. The Women's Sports Foundations says sporty women exude confidence, know how to be team players and learn how to deal effectively with pressures and deadlines. Athletic mothers can also set good examples for their children, especially daughters, by including them in sporting activities.

Instructions

• 1

  Go jogging with infants and toddlers. Several companies make strollers designed for sporty moms with little ones. Moms get in shape, and small children get fresh air and enjoy the scenery. Some of the strollers have safety features like UV canopies and harnesses.

• 2

  Visit local community recreation centers or gymnasiums with sports leagues for adults and families. Some have activities like Mommy and Me yoga classes and parent/child swimming for mothers with infants and toddlers.

• 3

  Do exercise DVDs with the children. Some exercise DVDs are made for children as young as 3. Athletic DVDs for kids cover dancing, yoga, Pilates and Tae Bo. There are also hip hop and Latin dance workout DVDs that use pop music that appeals to teens and preteens.

• 4

  Work out as a family with video games like Nintendo Wii, PlayStation and Xbox. Some active video games as of 2011 cover hula hoops, bowling, tennis and dancing. A study by the American Council on Exercise found "Dance Dance Revolution" users burned calories and increased their fitness levels.

• 5

  Join national sports organizations that offer family memberships, such as the United States Tennis Association (USTA) or the Professional Golf Association's "Tour Club" program. The USTA memberships include tennis lessons for family members, travel discounts and reduced rates on tennis equipment.