Completely uncoordinated and want to improve — what should I try?

zenalasca

Ok, so I've tried a few sports over the years, as well as dance, and the problem is that I've never been fit, have never had good muscular or cardiovascular strength. I always struggled with timing in dance, could never do cartwheels or martial arts break falls to save my own life.... I began doing karate several months and have made significant improvements... But then I have problems with my knees and ankles from the low centre of gravity that karate requires, and I struggle to learn new forms. I was told that I should go for something really simple like Chinese boxing, and weight lifting to improve definition in my legs to make the low forms easier. Does anyone have any other suggestions of martial arts that could help my coordination? And should I do yoga?

Badger6170

Yoga does wonders for building core strength and, IMO, vastly improves your overall body coordination.

JoRocka

Anything outside of neurological hang ups can be learned.

Even dancing- or martial arts- it takes time- like YEARS kind of time- not months. If you feel in love with something- go spend the time doing it- you'll get better. You CAN do the things- it just takes time. ANYTHING will help- pick one and work at it.

LninYoDA1htownG

An agility ladder will do the trick

Packerjohn

lninyoda1 wrote: »

An agility ladder will do the trick

I was going to suggest that also. really old school but you tube someone playing hopscotch and using an agility ladder. Notice the similarities.

G33K_G1RL

JoRocka wrote: »

Anything outside of neurological hang ups can be learned.

Even dancing- or martial arts- it takes time- like YEARS kind of time- not months. If you feel in love with something- go spend the time doing it- you'll get better. You CAN do the things- it just takes time. ANYTHING will help- pick one and work at it.

^This
How long have you stuck with any sport?

I sucked at pretty much every sport. After starting to take my health seriously and picking a sport, I only saw significant improvement after 1+ years of practicing anything, and I only consider myself "good" after 3+ years. Its different for everyone, of course, but you really need to give it time and practice, practice, practice! Yoga is excellent, so are all martial arts and plenty of other sports too! Find something you love, and practicing will be fun!

JoRocka

I've been dancing for 10 years. I've been taking paid gigs for 3 years now and competed as well and I still consider myself barely an intermediate dancer.

girlwithcurls2

All of this. I too, am pretty uncoordinated. I started a dance class several years ago and really struggled (embarrassingly so) with what little choreography there was. But you know what? It was so fun, I went back. And little by little, I got better. Now, I'm disillusioned enough to see the instructor carry out the moves with such grace, I actually think I look like her!! Find something you enjoy, and just do it. You'll get better and better, your body will get stronger, and you'll gain balance and coordination in other areas.

FWIW, I also took up swimming. You need coordination to do it, but on days when you want to just throw in the towel, grab a kick board and try that for a few laps. I have a killer water cardio class that I was also horribly uncoordinated at, but made improvements in that too. Do it for you. Who cares what you look like?

ltworide

I'd add in skipping along with ladder, cone & bosu drills/exercises as a good, cheap way to improve cardio endurance & coordination.

You could also add in crawls (Google bear, spider crawls, etc.) & other no equipment exercises such as lateral shuffles, backward sprint shuffled, Carioca, sprints backward & forward on a 45 degree angle.

Anyways just a few ideas. Have fun with it!

Ian_Davies

Yoga +1 ...all the way...its slow methodical and will give you a stronger core while improving balance, which will help with so many other co-ordination activities

LKArgh

A few months of karate = zero when it comes to learning, as in most sports. Of course you are going to be awful in whatever you try as a complete beginner. Choose something that sounds fun and stick with it.