It doesn’t matter where you are in your fitness journey; you can always find pleasure in exercising, raising your heart rate, and working toward your fitness & well-being goals!
If visions of a muscle-bound Arnold Schwarzenegger lifting ultra-heavy weights in a gym sounds boring or intimidating to you, you should try alternative forms of exercise outdoors. Exercising can be so much fun and diverse than free weights in a gym; it is not limited to the weight room or the monotonous treadmill, as many people believe. In reality, you can work out anywhere, at any hour of the day or evening, and have fun.
Remember Back To Your Childhood
When you were a child, you didn’t think twice about moving your body while playing; you didn’t give a second thought to the exercise you were getting because children are generally more active than adults. Taking turns swinging from the monkey bars, racing around the park, and playing soccer with pals were all part of growing up in a physically active environment.
If the idea of working up a sweat makes you feel like a child again, or you want to get back into shape, it may be time to consider fun ways to exercise that will make you feel like that kid in the playground again. Pick an exercise that brings you joy and that you look forward to doing.
According to the American Heart Association, adults should engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise each week. Start yourself out easy with only 15-30 minutes a day and build from there. No one wants to spend half an hour every day slugging it, performing exercises they do not enjoy. You’ll be more motivated and get the most out of physical activities if you enjoy the activities you’re performing. So, here are some fun ways to exercise that will keep you active and healthy.
Hiking
You can decide the intensity of hike you desire: challenge yourself with a steep and rocky ascent if you’re more experienced, or opt for an easy trail along a gentle path if you’re looking for less intensity. The essential thing is that you’re outdoors, taking in the scenery, breathing fresh air, getting plenty of sunshine, and moving your body. Explore your surroundings using mobile applications to discover beautiful hiking paths in your area. As a safety precaution, pack bottled water with you and an energy-filled snack, and make sure you always inform someone of where you’re going and when you should be expected back whenever you go hiking in the woods or wilderness.
Horseback Riding
Horses are much more than simply magnificent, gorgeous animals; they can also be an excellent source of physical activity when ridden. Horses symbolize strength, but riding and caring for horses can be therapeutic because of the effortless bond between people and horses. Horseback riding is a fantastic workout for core stability, leg strength, arm strength, and balance. Many stables offer lessons and training in riding and basic horsemanship.
Cross-Country Skiing
When the winter season arrives, it may be difficult to maintain your desire to exercise. Instead of complaining about the cold, snowy weather, why not take advantage of it by engaging in enjoyable activities such as cross-country skiing? When there is a lot of snow in the winter, many local parks allow people to go for cross-country skiing, or you may look for dedicated cross-country skiing locations in your region. For those who aren’t quite convinced about the investment, you may rent a pair of skis or locate ones at a local used sports goods shop and just enjoy the ease with which you can glide over the snow. Cross-country skiing is both challenging and invigorating at the same time.
Shopping
Although you may not consider shopping a physical activity, it may add hundreds of steps to your daily routine, especially if you’re transitioning slowly into the idea of working out. Consider taking the long route between stores the next time you need to pick up a few items, maybe stopping to do a little window shopping along the way. Turn your walks through the shopping centre into a game and assign yourself bonus points for parking further away from the entrance. Once you feel confident about your energy levels, consider trying one of the other exercises listed here and expand your fitness repertoire.
Dance Class
Even if you aren’t the most coordinated person in the world, enrolling in a dance class or taking a dance lesson is a fun and interactive way to exercise. Chances are, if you love dancing, you’ll happily burn calories dancing away to heart-pumping beats. You’ll be able to find plenty of studios, ballrooms, and clubs providing lessons and courses near you. Whether your preference is Zumba, hip-hop, tango, two-step, shuffle, or some other form of dancing entirely, you’re sure to find a dance discipline that suits you.
Slacklining
Have you ever fantasized about running away and joining the circus? A slackline is a reinforced elastic band originally designed for rock climbers to travel between peaks; you must first attach the slackline between two trees or poles for support and then balance your way across. Not nearly as scary as high-wire walking, slacklining is still a super fun and highly challenging test of your balance and core stability and the closest thing you can come to tightrope walking without the death-defying heights.
Jump Rope
Have you ever noticed people in gym class trying to perfect the double-under? Jumping rope may help you rekindle some of your childhood memories while also getting your heart rate up and burning calories. Set up in your garden or a room in your home with a high ceiling, turn on some music and start skipping or jumping. It’s more difficult than it seems, and it may take a while to feel coordinated, but skipping rope is a great exercise you can do just about anywhere. Keep a skipping rope in your backpack, gym bag, or desk drawer for a quick 5-15 minute session to get the blood pumping.
Trampolining
Jumping on a small trampoline is a fun exercise that includes hopping on your mini trampoline and following along to moves demonstrated by an instructor. Take nothing for granted: these classes are challenging! They’re high-energy, accompanied by upbeat music, and many other people are having a wonderful time around with you. You can find these courses in gyms and fitness studios in your area. Movement and exercise like trampolining have beneficial effects on one’s general health.
Orienteering
Orienteering is a cross-country navigation sport performed on foot or by bicycle that demands participants to find and travel to various locations on a map as quickly as they can. While acquiring navigation skills, orienteering also offers an excellent chance for outdoor exercise that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Swimming
Swimming is a great full-body exercise that is gentle on your joints, whether you’re treading water in the deep end of your apartment pool while your children play or you are performing a series of freestyle laps at your local recreation centre. In addition, due to the availability of indoor and outdoor pools, it is a fun kind of exercise that can be done all year.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are quite a few creative and fun exercises to choose from that don’t involve a dull gym setting. But from where should you begin? Begin with enjoyable physical activities that you are enthusiastic about or unusual exercises that instantly capture your attention. Do a bit of research on the exercise you’re interested in and consider renting equipment and enrolling in a class before making any major equipment purchases. It is possible to learn how to operate the equipment and engage in the activity from an expert teacher. If you take the time to learn about what you’re doing before you begin, you’ll almost certainly have more fun.