Squash is good too. I actually played quite a bit when I was young. But imo nothing compares to the feeling of defending smash successfully esp. multiple times in a row.
It might have something to do with me sucking at badminton, but squash seems easier to hit the thing. Even if it’s a little more intensive cardio wise.
I can’t not shill my favourite sport though now. Rock climbing. Mostly indoor sport or bouldering, but i climbed my first outdoor boulder last week and I’m hooked. Just got a torn tendon so can’t really do anything right now.
That’s awesome. Do you think you would keep doing it?
What did you love about it the most? For me it’s kinda meditative. I’m quite neurotic and I find it hard to shut off my mind but the mix of physical and problem solving involved in climbing has me captivated and in the moment.
Don’t do what I did and push to hard and listen to your body. Really focus on climbing with your legs and not pulling with your arms as you’ll be able to go longer. You can practice keeping arms straight and relying on your legs to push up and thus your arm will bend without using the bicep. Then you can reach for the next one.
Yeah, I think so! There’s a trans indoor climbing group in my city that meets once a month, and it’s really comfy being around other queer folks while doing it. I really enjoyed the camaraderie that entailed, building each other up and looking out for one another.
I definitely felt what you’re talking about, quieting my mind and focusing on the problem at hand.
Funnily enough, I probably will have to focus more on using my arms than my legs. I have a physical disability and my knees are a major pain point. I use a power chair a lot of the time outside the house. I actually loved that nobody made me feel infantilised even though I rocked up in it.
That’s really good to hear and I’m glad they do those kind of nights for people to make them more comfortable.
I will say that in my experience the climbing community is super accepting and even if you went to a regular climbing place that nobody would be judging you and people would be willing to help and engage with you if you wanted.
Nice. Which city is that if you don’t mind sharing online. Obviously, you don’t have to share if you’re not about putting too much personal information online.
I like to think my city, Manchester UK, is an accepting city. We have had a whole gay village for many years but obviously being a cis male I don’t really know how it is to be gay or trans but I don’t care what people do as long as they are not hurting anybody you should live be able to live your life as you choose without judgement. It doesn’t help with the current state of the world and people having culture wars.
I live In Melbourne, Australia. I have heard that Manchester is a pretty decent city for queer folks, but I think there’s a lot of factors that go into it. The NHS (and the UK as a whole) has a lot of deep and systemic issues when it comes to healthcare for trans folks, which don’t exist here in Aus, or in my state. As well Melbourne has been very resistant to the import of right-wing anti-trans rhetoric from the US and UK.
Squash is good too. I actually played quite a bit when I was young. But imo nothing compares to the feeling of defending smash successfully esp. multiple times in a row.
It might have something to do with me sucking at badminton, but squash seems easier to hit the thing. Even if it’s a little more intensive cardio wise.
I can’t not shill my favourite sport though now. Rock climbing. Mostly indoor sport or bouldering, but i climbed my first outdoor boulder last week and I’m hooked. Just got a torn tendon so can’t really do anything right now.
Good luck w/ur tendie buddy, you’ll be back out there soon
Thanks dude. I really hope so as climbing is the one thing that has silenced my mind and gives me joy so not being able to go is mentally hard.
I literally just had my first indoor bouldering session yesterday and loved it
That’s awesome. Do you think you would keep doing it?
What did you love about it the most? For me it’s kinda meditative. I’m quite neurotic and I find it hard to shut off my mind but the mix of physical and problem solving involved in climbing has me captivated and in the moment.
Don’t do what I did and push to hard and listen to your body. Really focus on climbing with your legs and not pulling with your arms as you’ll be able to go longer. You can practice keeping arms straight and relying on your legs to push up and thus your arm will bend without using the bicep. Then you can reach for the next one.
Yeah, I think so! There’s a trans indoor climbing group in my city that meets once a month, and it’s really comfy being around other queer folks while doing it. I really enjoyed the camaraderie that entailed, building each other up and looking out for one another.
I definitely felt what you’re talking about, quieting my mind and focusing on the problem at hand.
Funnily enough, I probably will have to focus more on using my arms than my legs. I have a physical disability and my knees are a major pain point. I use a power chair a lot of the time outside the house. I actually loved that nobody made me feel infantilised even though I rocked up in it.
That’s really good to hear and I’m glad they do those kind of nights for people to make them more comfortable.
I will say that in my experience the climbing community is super accepting and even if you went to a regular climbing place that nobody would be judging you and people would be willing to help and engage with you if you wanted.
Yeah the staff were great. Tbf tho I also live in one of the most trans-inclusive english-speaking cities in the world.
Nice. Which city is that if you don’t mind sharing online. Obviously, you don’t have to share if you’re not about putting too much personal information online.
I like to think my city, Manchester UK, is an accepting city. We have had a whole gay village for many years but obviously being a cis male I don’t really know how it is to be gay or trans but I don’t care what people do as long as they are not hurting anybody you should live be able to live your life as you choose without judgement. It doesn’t help with the current state of the world and people having culture wars.
I live In Melbourne, Australia. I have heard that Manchester is a pretty decent city for queer folks, but I think there’s a lot of factors that go into it. The NHS (and the UK as a whole) has a lot of deep and systemic issues when it comes to healthcare for trans folks, which don’t exist here in Aus, or in my state. As well Melbourne has been very resistant to the import of right-wing anti-trans rhetoric from the US and UK.