What I found getting dragged across a lake at 40kph
I'm sat in the sun overlooking Heron Lake just outside of Staines-upon-Thames, London. I'm tired and aching. I'm used to it though. It happens after the first waterski of every year. After doing it for the best part of 10 years it almost feels like a calendar event. Winter. Spring. First ski. Summer. Autumn.
We all make sacrifices for things that we enjoy doing. For me, a little bit of pain is worth the experience of getting pulled behind a boat at 40 kilometres per hour as I weave in out of the buoys on the slalom.
The great thing for me about water-skiing, other than a massive adrenaline rush, is the escapism from day-to-day life. At the lake, I'm against a different backdrop that I am in the city. With the water and the green space it feels quite isolated, in a good way. But more importantly I'm in a different headspace than when I'm at home.
Healthy mind
There are so many benefits to staying active, both for your physical and mental wellbeing. As a wheelchair user, staying on top of your fitness is even more important. I can recognise when I've not been doing a great job of this and feel when it impacts my ability to get around. Left untreated for too long it can affect your mood and motivation to get out and about.
Whether it's freeing your mind from something that's been playing on your mind from work, building strength to make getting around easier or for the social side and making friends, there are so many reasons to find a sport that works for you.
According to Sport England, some of the benefits of staying active when it comes to mental health include:
Improved mood
Reduced stress
Increased self-esteem
Preventing and managing depression and anxiety
Tackling inactivity
Wheelchair skills develop with your fitness increasing and as your wheelchair skills increase, you will find it easier to access more sports. Getting better at pushing, ramps and kerbs is only going to make it easier to get to the venues and build your confidence in playing the sports.
There are a lot of workouts for free online that you can access from your own home. These can be a great start if you want to build your fitness before joining a sport or if you don't have anything locally.
The key to it is finding something that works for you. Water-skiing suits me down to a tee but it's not going to be for everyone. When compared to accessing non-disabled sport, there is a huge difference in the number of accessible opportunities available and some of them do require specific equipment or long ways to travel.
A great place to look for accessible sports near you is on the Parasport website here.
Variety is key
I've tried a few wheelchair sports over the years, playing for a couple of basketball teams, handball, wheelchair racing, scuba diving, cycling and swimming.
Cycling is a fantastic sport with so many adaptions to bikes available, clubs and accessible routes around the country. Something that you can take the whole family to do with you. Wheels for All have centres across the UK, find your local centre here.
I really recommend water-skiing for anyone with a sense of adventure. I've met so many people of all abilities over the years while I've been involved. Whether you're standing, sitting or using an inflatable to build your confidence there are options to meet all needs.
If you would like to see more about waterskiing and maybe give it a go, check out the Access Adventures website here.
