We are firm believers that fitness should not just be confined to the gym. Indeed why keep using a running machine while there are so many other fun-filled fitness activities that you can do to help you get into great shape?
These fun fitness activities, when added in alongside your present fitness regime, can help you get fit without even realizing that you’ve actually working out. (The reality is that these exercises can help you burn as much calories as when you go to the gym for a workout!)
1.Take a Zumba Class
Do you love dancing? If so you will adore Zumba! It’s an aerobic workout that blends both choreographed footwork, in with body movements from flamenco, salsa, and merengue, as well as other Latino dances, to tone up your body as well as burning body fat.
When you’re dancing along to the great Latin beats, you’ll be so focused on the music as well as on the dance moves that you do not even realize that you’re burning fat and toning up your abdominal, glutes, as well as your arm muscles at the same time!
2.Play Volleyball Outdoor
Why not get a group of your friends together and play a game of outdoor volleyball?
It doesn’t matter if you opt to play volleyball on the beach, on some grass or even in a swimming pool, it’s a game that requires you to move your body in just about every plane of motion imaginable.
Volleyball will use up around 240 to 300 calories an hour for a 150 pound person. However, you may end having so much fun that you will want to play it for well over an hour.
3.Give Pole Dancing a Go!
You may think you are too old for pole dancing or that you will feel a little stupid prancing around a pole when you first do it. However, it can be a fantastic fun way to get very fit as well as being a real confidence booster.
Pole dancing is an exercise that provides a great aerobic workout and at the same time, tones up your arms and shoulders, as well as builds up your upper body strength, due to the fact that you are lifting your entire body off the ground by using the pole.
Not only that, pole dancing also helps to improve your overall posture.
4.Go Indoor Rock Climbing
If you want to give a real “off the wall” exercise a go then try indoor rock climbing. Indoor rock climbing is an anaerobic (not aerobic) workout for your body that helps build up your core strength and balance, and has the added benefit of burning up to 800 calories per hour.
Rock climbing is a bit like yoga, but on a wall! This is because like yoga, rock climbing also requires you to constantly shift your weight around and by doing so, it helps build a wide range of body muscles and also build your core body strength up.
5.Try Horseback Riding
What could be better than exercising while you are seating still? Well if that sounds appealing then give horseback riding a try. While you may not find yourself struggling for breath as you ride along, you’ll be surprised by how tired and sore you feel the next morning!
This is because horseback riding requires great co-ordination, good balance as well as core strength. Also at the same time, your body is making continuous adjustments in relation to the horses’ movements. Plus, not forgetting the fact that horse riding also needs good leg strength, especially when riding along at faster speeds.
Normally, a 150 pound person will burn an average of between 170 and 550 calories an hour while horse riding, depending on the type of riding that you are doing – a trot or a gallop will consume more calories as compared to walking a horse.
Regardless, horseback riding is another fitness activity you may want to consider if you love the idea of burning calories while seated.
6.Use a Skipping Rope
Skipping like a kid again is actually great for giving yourself a full body cardiovascular workout while at the same time it’s an exercise that strengthens a wide range of muscles and bones, as well as helping to improve your co-ordination.
It burns away the fat fast as well – You’ll burn 200 calories with just 15 minutes of rope jumping!
7.Go Ice Skating
Ice skating offers a fantastic alternative to running as it’s a much lower impact exercise, yet it also offers you a great aerobic workout and helps tone your lower body as well as increasing the strength of your legs.
You could choose either ice skating or inline skating as they are both easy going calorie burners. A typical 140 pound woman will burn around 330 calories per hour of skating.
