Let’s be honest: most people hate exercising. While there’s a select group of individuals who enjoy working out, the rest of us consider it a necessary evil to keep our waistlines from expanding. The time commitment, fatigue, and soreness that can come from exercise are all legitimate reasons people get deterred from incorporating workouts into their daily routine.
The truth is exercise helps us in many areas of our lives. Physical activity has been shown to improve mental state and clarity, stave off common conditions such as heart disease, and allow for better sleep as you get older. Given these benefits, you’d think we’d feel a little more compelled to hit the gym, right?
The reality is that most of us lead demanding lifestyles that leave us feeling drained before even factoring in a workout. With limited free time on our hands, exercise can feel like more work on top of too much existing work. The key then is to find activities that you genuinely enjoy so exercise doesn’t feel like a second job.
Whether it’s a team sport, a stimulating physical activity, or trying unconventional types of working out, you don’t have to limit yourself to the regimented boredom of pumping iron at the gym. With that in mind, here are 6 alternative fitness ideas to get you up and moving:
1. Yoga
Yoga exercises both your mind and body. Yoga practice allows you to enter a meditative space while working out, connecting you more with your inner thoughts. Anyone trying yoga for the first time can go into their first session without fear of ridicule, as yoga studios are designed to be free of judgment. This is a fantastic form of exercise for beginners or experienced yogis who love the spiritual and physical connection the practice brings them.
Yoga’s benefits are extensive: it improves flexibility, muscle control, and releases muscle tension in the body. In addition, yoga can benefit heart health and may help you sleep better.
There are countless variations of yoga to choose from including PiYo (a pilates and yoga combo class), hot yoga, Ashtanga, and many others. Even goat yoga has become a popular variation worth checking out. If one type of yoga doesn’t appeal to you, consider trying a different practice.
2. Trampolining
People often consider trampolines as an activity meant only for children, but this shouldn’t be the case. Trampolines are meant to be enjoyed beyond childhood, and they make for a joyful way of working out. According to the health website getmegiddy.com, jumping on a trampoline is a fantastic cardiovascular workout. For parents who need an activity they can do with their children, this is a great option.
Indoor trampoline parks offer their guests a huge environment to jump around in, and some even offer additional activities such as rock climbing. This brings us to our next activity…
3. Bouldering
Like yoga, bouldering is a great mental and physical workout. Scaling your way up a rock wall requires constant thinking about your ideal hand and foot placements. Climbing also serves as a terrific workout for your back and legs. Giddy states bouldering helps your body when it comes to endurance and flexibility, not to mention grip strength. Hand chalk is a wise investment for this activity. It helps absorb the oils in your hands while climbing, allowing you to climb for longer periods.
Bouldering gyms offer members a wide array of climbing areas to choose from. Most of these gyms are built to accommodate climbers of all levels, too. Some even offer climbing classes to get you started. For beginners, bouldering is a good starting point as it boils climbing down to the basics of the sport: no ropes, no route setting, just chalk and rocks.
4. Kickboxing
Look, most of us need an outlet for working off some steam. What better way to do so than hitting the bag?
Kickboxing not only works as a great cardio workout but also engages your entire body. This exercise can be done on your own or in a class setting. Classes usually offer up some type of routine set to music, making the process more engaging. If you want to work out some aggression and burn some calories solo though, this is a solid way to do it. Just make sure you invest in some good boxing gloves. Your knuckles will thank you.
5. Hula Hooping
If you need a simple form of cardio, look no further than a favorite childhood pastime hanging in your garage. Hula hooping offers a surprising amount of benefits when it comes to working out. It burns calories, boosts cardiovascular fitness, improves balance, works your core muscles, and costs very little to get started.
For most people, hula hooping doesn’t require their full attention, either. Similar to other home cardio machines, a hula hoop can be used while you watch TV or use your phone. Being able to focus on something else while working out can make the time go by faster and before you know it, you’ve logged some cardio for the day.
6. Racquetball
Feel like giving your whole body a workout? Give racquetball a try! This sport is guaranteed to get your heart rate up. Whether you play on your own, with another person, or set up a doubles game, racquetball offers many different variations to have fun. Climate-controlled racquetball courts allow you to play regardless of what the weather is like outside.
It also provides a huge amount of health benefits: it’s great cardio, helps with heart health, improves balance and hand-eye coordination, and works the whole body. When it comes to exercise, you shouldn’t dread the process of getting more active. Rather than lock yourself into a repetitive gym routine, experiment with different physical activities to see which ones bring you the most enjoyment.
After all, you’re much more likely to repeat positive experiences in life – apply the same approach to your fitness practice! Honing in on the activities that don’t feel like work can change your entire outlook on exercise. It’s all about perspective. If you’re going to perspire, make it worth your while.
Also read: 6 Fitness Equipment for Home Workout
