A Thursday Night Hobby

You totally gave me the motivation to find a place to play tennis. I played all year long in high school, its such a fun game and a workout. Thank you!

Also, unsure if it was mentioned, but barricade tennis shoes were always my go to! They hold up pretty well too. And if you get into it, its fun to restring, get new grips (so helpful!) and add a fun dampener to your racket! Have fun!

Joanna, where do you play tennis in the city and how did you find your group? I would love to start playing once a week!

I started Kuk Sool Won last May and I am in it to win it now. I will *hopefully* earn my blue stripe in a few weeks and a full belt in a few months. I have so much fun kicking, punching, and joint-locking that I got my husband and our friend into it too! After I earned my yellow belt (by breaking a board with my hand!!!) I bought the official patches and lovingly sewed them by hand onto my Gi. It felt more personal and special than using my machine.

For running I’m into Senita running shorts since they have big ol pockets for my phone.

As a fairly decent tennis player who prefers to wear pants instead of tennis shorts/skirts/dresses, where do you store the balls to serve for a point? Do you wear a jacket with pockets all the time? (too hot) or just put it in the waistband of your pant?
Asking a very earnest question – I keep only 1 ball in my hand at a time and usually am told to keep two since it throws off the timing. Any suggestions are most welcome!

i also play tennis!
i’ve never been keen on sports and had a hard time sticking to something. i would get hyped for about 2 months and then find every excuse not to go: i think i’m getting a cold, i have a headache, it’s raining, i have too much work, anything would do! but then i remembered tennis. i used to have classes as a teenager and was fairly good at it, so i decided to give it a go 20 years later and surprise! it’s been over a year!
there’s something about hitting a ball that really gets my blood flowing. and it’s also pretty cool, on a bad day, when you can pretend you’re throwing the ball with all your might to someone’s head (or balls, let’s be honest :).

as for sportswear, i think i must be the most laid back (and weird) person on earth: i don’t care. as long as it allows me to run, hit the ball, sweat, i’m good.
yesterday, for example, it was freezing cold and i brought shorts instead of pants. but since i was wearing tights, i just decided to put the shorts over the tights to be sure i’d be warm. i looked totally weird, but the class was amazing :)
tennis rocks!

Since we live in snowy Rochester, my husband and I have taken to playing nearly-nightly racquetball. It takes considerably less skill than tennis and makes us realize we need to work on our agility :)

I love that Nordstrom carries high quality athletic gear!

The past few years, I’ve taken up ultramarathon swimming and running as my primary hobbies. Jolyn is my go-to brand for swimsuits, and Tracksmith is the best for running clothes. Finding the perfect gear to support my goals that’s durable and makes me feel confident and comfortable is so satisfying :)

I’ve recently gotten back into sewing (a childhood hobby I did with my mom and that I was terrible at because children aren’t actually good at things). I just graduated from grad school where I wore athleisure to class every day and now have a very professional job so I have been learning to do more detailed sewing making work dresses and blazers.

I take a workout class at my local gym called Pound! I’ve been doing it for 2 years and am not tired of it. It’s a drumming inspired cardio workout where you drum along to a song, doing hundreds of squats, lunges, and ab work (and not noticing how hard it is due to the great music and fun!).

My teacher is awesome and will also do classes on weekends for donations that she gives to local charities.

At age 55 I joined a women’s dragon boat team. First team sport ever-and no experience with boats. Having the time of my life!

At 43, I’m just now learning how to rock climb. And I LOVE IT! It’s definitely hard but I find it to be challenging and engaging, both for my body and my mind. I did have to invest in a harness and climbing shoes but I otherwise just wear comfortable leggings/yoga pants and a loose t-shirt. Would love to hear from any other folks who have taken up rock climbing recently!

I climb, backcountry ski, mountaineer, cycle, and run, so I do have a need for technical gear. However, I get all my technical clothing at thrift stores or on craigslist, because I work on climate research for my day job and I don’t want my overconsumerism to contribute to the climate crisis, or to buy things made by people working under shitty working conditions. I always find there is plenty to buy second hand- we really do live in a throwaway culture. I come to cup of jo for many lovely things, and I understand you need sponsors, but I wish you wouldn’t encourage people to shop at the American big box stores that are a big part of the heart of the mess we’re in.

I love this! I started playing racquetball very casually about three years ago and it’s so fun. (I always feel like I’m headed to the secret fun gym when my friends and I pass the cardio and weights sections to get to the courts in the back.) The only thing I don’t like about it is I play with male friends, and their huge arm-spans are a totally unfair advantage.
I also have been going to dance socials for a few years. Usually, there’s a short lesson before an open dance. I’ve tried swing, waltz, blues, cross-step, and contra, and swing is probably my favorite. After I started, I realized tons of people know how to dance and it’s not half as strange as I thought it was before I started.

Hi Joanna,

Can I offer some unsolicited advice and recommend that if you’re going to be playing a lot of tennis (and taking on your mom!), you get some court shoes? They have harder soles and reinforced toes for all the pivoting and hard stopping. Your feet will thank you in the long term!

Can anyone on here recommend a comfy, not too tight sports bra for a woman with a larger bust (34E). I’m fairly young so I don’t need a ton of support (hence the not too tight) just something comfy but that still does the job! I’m still wearing the same old (like really old, I stole them from my mum) ones and always run out of them before laundry!

That’s great! I’m glad you found something you enjoy. It’s so important to have a little time just for yourself. I’ve always been a runner and I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve worn the same clothes for years, random tops and bottoms from old navy or wherever was having a sale. One day I hope to upgrade to fancier pieces. My fave sneaks are Brooks but I’m not sure if they make a sneaker that’s tennis-specific. Enjoy your new hobby!

My husband and I recently started working out together. We just to work out on our own but after having our son we were both struggling at getting back to working out. Once I told him I was going to start back up he decided to join me. It gives us something to look forward to each night. Once we put our son to bed we get ready to workout. Someone mentioned getting new workout clothes helps kept you motivated because you can’t wait to wear them. Having our boutique is helping me stay motivated because there are things I want to wear but I don’t love how they fit my body just yet. Love reading your blog, it encourages me to try new things.

I miss tennis! Now I want to find a class too. This would be the perfect way for me to workout because the gym is my nemesis. Good on you Jo!

xx,
Leslie

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I have been taking Barre3 classes since August and I really like it! The only workout I really don’t feel like skipping.

I’m a big fan of Girlfriend Collective activewear! If I’m going to pay a premium cost for gear, I’d like to support an environmental cause as well!