Inspired by the Olympics? You can become an athlete at any age.

As a child, Brian Hankerson daydreamed not of watching television or getting into trouble with friends after school. He wanted to high jump. A grade school-aged Hankerson would rush home from class, set up a fishing pole supported by two chairs, lay out a blanket beneath it, and hurtle his body over the makeshift setup. 

In the decades following, Hankerson never formally trained or competed as a runner or high jumper. That is, until his mid-40s, when he noticed adults racing at a track-and-field meet his kids were also participating in. “They weren’t young adults, they were older adults,” Hankerson says. Hankerson, a Coral Springs, Florida-based accountant, signed up to compete in a division called masters — for those aged 35 and up — and wound up setting meet records for the high jump and long jump. 

Now 64, Hankerson still competes across the country and internationally — he’s headed to the World Masters Athletics Championships in Sweden this August — and continues to sing the praises of organized athletics for adults. “If I can get out and push the envelope beyond what I think I can do, or I feel like I can do, then so can you,” he says. “Do you believe you can get out there and accomplish something? You will absolutely not know until you try.”

As Hankerson can attest, there’s no time like the present to pursue athletics, no matter your age. But the older we get, the more we suspect our time has passed. While kids are offered the freedom to dabble and play when they first pick up a sport, adults feel like they have to be good at it or else the endeavor isn’t worth their time. “When adults come in for our gymnastics classes, they’re very apprehensive about doing new things with their body, or doing things they haven’t done in a very long time, and they get scared,” says Jackie Alexis, the recreational gymnastics coach at Industry Gymnastics, a Long Island-based gymnastics school for all ages and abilities.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics upon us, you might be feeling particularly inspired to learn a sport, or wistful about ones you weren’t able to try in the past. But there’s so much to gain when picking up — or returning to — a sport, coaches say. Not only are you moving your body and learning new skills, but you’re fostering social connections in a niche community — all of which have positive impacts on mental and physical health. If you don’t know where to start or are unsure of how to build athletics into your routine, coaches and athletes have some tips.

Let your interests motivate you

From baseball to badminton, there are a myriad of athletic endeavors to choose from. Think about the sports currently capturing your attention, whether it’s Olympic gymnastics or tennis, thanks to Challengers, and the ones that intrigued you as a kid. Use your interests — past and present — as a guide when selecting your sport.

If nothing comes to mind, let yourself be influenced. Patrick “Pat The Roc” Robinson began offering adult basketball classes at his basketball skills academy to keep parents of youth players engaged while their kids were practicing. Over time, parents began to take notice of the other lesson taking place during their child’s practice. “Each week, we get more and more parents that just happen to be in the gym,” Robinson says, “and they see the other adults participate. Now, they’re not ashamed or they’re not nervous about joining.”

Sign up for classes, but don’t splurge on gear

Enrolling in a class is often the best first step when diving into a new sport. Coaches will teach you proper form, safety, and the rules of the game, and have equipment for you to use. Knowing you have practice every Thursday night offers structure and consistency, which is helpful for building routine, Robinson says. You can also join a local club for free but less individualized instruction. Resist the urge to spend exorbitant amounts of money on new gear, Alexis and Robinson say.

There are a few options to find classes near you. See if your town’s parks and recreation department offers adult sport lessons or leagues — these may be cheaper than private gyms. Browse social media, like your city’s subreddit or local Facebook groups dedicated to specific sports to find recommended coaches or instructors.

Start with small, consistent efforts every day

When people are super inspired, they tend to jump into their new sport headfirst, says Lucy Glanville, the youth programming head coach at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, a facility that was used during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. This excitement is motivating in the short-term, but a two-hour pickleball lesson might leave you so sore the next day that you never want to pick up a paddle again. Small, daily, consistent efforts will ensure you won’t get burned out, Glanville says. 

For instance, Robinson tells his adult students to practice their shooting form sans basketball throughout the week between practices; Alexis breaks down every gymnastics move into incremental steps. “Some people come in, and they’re like, ‘I want to do a backflip,’” they say. “I’m like, ‘Let’s work our way up to that.’” 

You can also set incremental goals or milestones that support your consistency-building habits, Glanville says, making sure they are easily achievable and within your control. If your ultimate goal is to run a 10k, give yourself mini-goals that are more about the process of running, rather than the outcome of finishing a race. “You can’t control whether your body’s going to make 10k that first time,” Glanville says, “but you can control getting your shoes on, stepping outside, and starting. Focusing on that start process and what it is that you can do, as opposed to what the dream is.” These smaller wins boost your confidence and allow you to set bigger goals. 

Bring a friend (and be open to making friends)

If you’re nervous about starting a new sport with a bunch of strangers, enlist a friend to come with you. Not only will you feel comfortable with a familiar face, but you can hold each other accountable. At Industry Gymnastics, friend groups often sign up for adult classes, Alexis says. “And if they come by themselves, they quickly make friends with the other people who come by themselves,” they say. 

The social aspect of athletics is what brings players year after year to the adult basketball training center Never Too Late Basketball, according to its founder, Steve Bzomowski. Ever since Never Too Late held their first clinic over 30 years ago, players have remarked on the organization’s ability to bring people together to collaborate. “People just really like the idea of getting together, meeting people you never knew before,” Bzomowski says, “and creating something that you had no idea that you could create.”

Push yourself, but know your limits

Bzomowski wants to remind beginner adult athletes that they are capable of learning a new skill — it’s why he named his basketball clinic Never Too Late. At the end of weekend-long camps, each player is recognized for their particular strengths, whether it’s passing or effectively communicating, he says. Regardless of your skill level, there are areas where you will excel. While everyone’s bodies and abilities vary, Hankerson says you may be surprised at what your body can achieve. “I do something at 60 better than I did at 50,” he says.  

Kelley Shaw, the program director at Industry Gymnastics, believes no one is too old to learn gymnastics, but “you don’t have to do every skill,” she says. “You can do the ones that you feel comfortable with and don’t hurt.” This approach can apply to all sports: Give a drill or exercise your best effort, but listen to your body and ask your instructor for modifications if needed.

Don’t compete with anyone but yourself

Adult gymnasts at Industry Gymnastics are often concerned with doing a move or drill perfectly, Shaw and Alexis say. But both instructors say learning a new skill or brushing up on old ones requires some imperfection before you start to improve. As difficult as it may be, don’t compare your abilities to your classmates’ — or your younger self. “Just try to do better than yourself each day,” Hankerson says, “not someone else you see on TV or on YouTube or at the track meet. Don’t worry about that.”

Through these struggles, small accomplishments, and big wins, you learn about yourself, Bzomowski says. You learn what your body is capable of, how you work with other people, and what you’re able to overcome. “It’s not just, ‘I didn’t know whether I was capable of this physically,’” he says. “Feeling resistance within myself and overcoming that — I think that’s a big part of it.”