This is a bit of a random one. This summer I had surgery for torn cartridge in my knee and haven't exercised since then. At 32 years old I think I finally have to admit that I'll probably never get to captain the bulls and so it's time to pack in playing rugby and look for something else to try and stay fit.

I have a gym membership which I barely use as the gym bores me to tears, in fact the only thing I've ever really enjoyed is playing rugby, even if I wasn't very good at it. I'm hoping that there'll be a few people out there who've been through the same process and managed to find a substitute sport/activity which helped to halt the mid life spread.

Maybe swimming?
What exactly is it about the gym that bores you? Try listening to the radio/music while you're there - it's what I do and it seems to help somewhat.

Speaking as someone who very definitely went down with a bad case of mid-life spread, then fixed it, then went down with it again, and is now fixing it again:

In my experience, a lot depends whether you want to exercise in (and enjoy the) company, or by yourself. I suspect, from what you say, the fomer?

Swimming for sure, but it's a bit solitary. I used to do a load of hillwalking, which is great with a group of you. Although you risk undoing some of the good with a few well-earned jars of real ale afterwards...

(anyone else ever been chased off Buckden Pike by a flock of man-eating Herdwicks, btw...?)

Gym, though: I enjoyed it far more when I did classes - I used to do circuit and body pump - with a load of others, and I really enjoyed it. I agree, it's pretty boring just doing bog standard gym stuff by yourself (like I do first thing in a morning before work when I can get motivated...), although like Nothus said, listening to music can help a lot. Its a great opportunity to work through your music collection!

Mind you, given I am over 20 years older (and doubtless many stone heavier) than you, I'm not sure what an old fart like me says will be too relevant!

I think I'm in need of a team activity so swimming would go the same way as the gym for me. I love the banter, camaraderie and sometimes benefit from having someone to kick me up the 'arris when I'm not trying hard enough.

I've looked at a few sports that my (I don't want to say ageing but....) ageing body can cope with. Field hockey sprang to mind. It's still a bit rough and tumble but I don't think you can really start a new sport at my age.... Maybe I should take a refereeing course..... I'm thinking out loud here

I fancied refereeing when I stopped playing but couldn’t cope with the touchline abuse that goes with amateur, never mind pro. I do 15-20 minutes of core exercises most mornings before work, very little actual weights. I swim for 10-15 minutes a couple of times, but it bores the pants, or trunks, off me. I cycle home from work most days in summer, a couple of nights at the moment, 10-15 miles. It probably only adds a half hour to my day but I have managed to keep my weight down to what I was when I left school nearly 40 years ago, & that is from an obese family. The best move was to get rid of my car 20 years ago. It’s amazing how much extra exercise you have to do out of necessity.

Yeah i have a 40 min walk to work every morning that takes 30 min to drive i arrive fired up and ready for the challenges, meet my son for a gym session after work if we train for 45 min walk home and arrive about an hour later than when i used to drive, i no its not possible for all but for extending my day by about an hour i get 2 hours exercise not much fun in winter i grant ya

Swimming and cycling - not interesting but they cause less ware and tear. Unfortunately all those little niggling nocks you pick up and think nothing of at the time come back to haunt you.
I joined a scuba diving club to get some banter with the swimming but best not to talk when you are under water!

Lots of walking,few weights at home and white wine now instead of Guinness

When I finished playing I got straight into coaching,you still get the part of a team feeling and all that goes with it

I decked my leg and took up Judo. It's a fantastic sport. There's nowhere to hide though, you're all on your own. If you run out of gas, which takes only a few minutes if you are unfit like me then you're shot.

Pudsey Judo club is brilliant and has a bronze excellence Mark. Head instructor is a 6th Dan and has trained at the Kokodan in Japan and coached British Olympic athletes.

Don't get me wrong judo is a solitary sport, but you can have some good banter with the players at your club, and there are some excellent players at Pudsey.

I'm in a similar transition. I'm 7 weeks post ACL surgery, both legs have had the surgery, so at the age of 29, it was time to call it a day.

I hold the same fears, that without team exercise, I will become bored and lack the motivation to continue. I'm at the Gym 4 times a week, doing little cardio, as this bores the hell out of me.

I found that by setting goals and ambitions, almost like "Things to do before i'm 40", has had an impact on what I want to achieve.

For example, I'd like to run a marathon. If I achieve that, i'd like to go 1 further and complete a triathlon. This has helped how I think about my recovery. Once I'm able to run, I will set a target of how many miles I need to run a week. The fear of not being fit enough to do the marathon should be enough motivation to get into shape.

I have 2 young kids, but when the legs better I want to take them to self defense classes. I suppose i'm lucky that the injury means I can actually spend more time with the family. You just have to set goals.

The one thing that I miss already is the bonding with team mates. You know your not going to get that anywhere else, as you will never find another sport with a team full of 'imbeciles'.

Stick around for a few weeks - you never know.

Thanks for the input guys. I think I might give refereeing a go in the first instance. Even if it doesn't work out and I can't handle the abuse from the sidelines, it may make me a little more humble the next time Bentham shows up at Odsal. There's a course at the start of February if anyone fancies it: www.therfl.co.uk/more/match_offi ... h_official If that doesn't work, I may drop Bulls4Champs a PM as I live in Pudsey and suspect I already may know one of the lads who fights for that club, so I have 'an in'

Thanks for the input guys. I think I might give refereeing a go in the first instance. Even if it doesn't work out and I can't handle the abuse from the sidelines, it may make me a little more humble the next time Bentham shows up at Odsal. There's a course at the start of February if anyone fancies it: www.therfl.co.uk/more/match_offi ... h_official If that doesn't work, I may drop Bulls4Champs a PM as I live in Pudsey and suspect I already may know one of the lads who fights for that club, so I have 'an in'

Try wheelchair rugby..we train every monday at 5 30 till 7 30 ish at bradford college, you will soon pick it up and enjoy it. One of our players comes from middleton after leaving the rhinos to go to a superior team...Plus we get to beat the rhinos every single time we play them.

Actually ! That really does appeal to me! In fact the only downside the occurs to me immediately would be getting to Bradford College from the White Rose Centre at that time of day. Do you mind if I drop you a PM to pick you brains a little more?

no probs at all... one of our players comes from middleton..think leeds train at john charles and have lost some of their best players...think jamie gets the train in from leeds then its only a few minutes walk.