9 ways to get in killer shape while having fun
Boring. That’s the first word that comes to mind for a lot of people when we talk about exercise. The truth is it’s crucial to take care of your health, both physically and mentally. Not everyone is motivated to go to the gym and follow a strict, monotonous routine all the time. This is why we’ve come up with 9 alternatives to become the fittest version of yourself while also having fun.
- Kickboxing
According to study in Harvard Health Publications a person who weighs 155 pounds (70 kgs) can burn up to 744 calories in just one hour of kickboxing!
Tired of running on the treadmill all the time? Try punching and kicking a heavy bag for an hour. Kickboxing is a great way to burn calories, relieve stress, and get stronger and faster. The best part? You also learn how to defend yourself while getting a full-body workout in.
2. Pole-dancing
This one’s for all the ladies out there … not. Gone are the days that pole dancing was considered unethical. Today it’s recognized as a strenuous form of exercise. It has many different forms but all of them require a serious amount of core and upper body strength. Pole dancing is deceptively challenging. It’s a great way to tone your body and develop washboard abs in the process. Once you start pole, you’ll never have to do a crunch again in your life. And yes, men can (and do) do it too!
3. Crossfit
CrossFit is the buffet of working out. It takes several different disciplines and tries to combine them all together. Jack of all trades master of none holds especially true here. It focuses on combining High-Intensity interval training, along with Olympic-style Strength lifts and calisthenic (bodyweight) elements like pull-ups. Now hold on, don’t let these big terms intimidate you. CrossFit when done right can be highly beneficial for people of all ages and skill levels. There’s something for everyone, from beginners to top-tier elite athletes.
4. Aerial Fitness
Aerial fitness is an umbrella term for a large variety of Aerial Movement-based fitness arts. Some of the most popular of these arts are aerial silks, aerial hoops, and aerial dancing. Aerial Fitness works on your mobility and core strength, quite similarly to pole dancing. Unlike a pole, however, silks are usually suspended in the air and are not stationary. As a result, they increase your bodily and spatial awareness to a large degree. Aerial arts can also be more beginner-friendly than pole due to the fact that, unlike pole where you must hold yourself up with your upper body strength, with silks you’re usually suspended in the air.
5. Yoga
Yoga isn’t just a work out, it’s a work in.
While almost all forms of yoga focus on flexibility, balance, and strength what makes yoga stand out from the rest is its focus on mental and spiritual wellbeing as well. It emphasizes breathing techniques, meditative practice, and a general sense of calmness. It’s something you can easily dip your toes in at any age. People even start yoga post the age of 60 because of how beneficial it is in managing the symptoms of arthritis and muscular atrophy.
6. Pilates
Pilates are a form of low-impact exercises with an emphasis on postural alignment. They utilize a lot of stabilization based static exercises that make your core stronger and also make you more flexible in the process. Physical therapists may also recommend Pilates for lower back pain management.
A 2018 study in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found that 90 participant’s that practiced Pilates for an hour thrice a week for 8 weeks had shown improvements when it came to their stability, mobility and balance.
7. Cycling
Cycling seems to be making a comeback in 2021. As people get more conscious when it comes to the effects of carbon and nitrogen dioxide emissions on the environment, a lot of people seem to be shifting to more eco-friendly methods of transportation.
Covid-19 brought about a considerable increase in bicycle sales as a result of the anxiety over public transportation. People have started looking at bicycles as a simple but effective way to commute while also staying fit as a result, leading to the so-called “bike boom”.
According to a Harvard study, biking at a moderate speed of 12 to 13.9 miles per hour will cause a 155-pound (70 kg) person to burn 298 calories in half an hour.
8. Dancing
Dancing is an alternative to the gym that forces you to flex your creative muscles. Unlike a workout routine, there is no formula set in stone when it comes to dancing, no fixed pattern to follow. Dancing can be really intense or really therapeutic based on which style you choose to learn. If your goal is to lose weight you may even consider more cardio-based dance exercises like Zumba classes, for example. You may be able to burn between 300 and 900 calories during an hour of medium to high-intensity Zumba.
9. Playing a sport
Perhaps the most underappreciated way to keep in shape and stay healthy as we grow older is simply playing a sport we like. Seems simple enough, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. Sports aren’t just for kids and young athletes in their prime. They can be enjoyed as well as used as a tool for self-improvement at any age.
In fact, according to a study published in British Medical Journal men that play sports are almost 5 times more likely to continue being physically active into their 70s than men who train exclusively in gym settings.
Sports also help build and maintain social relationships and as a result, may help your mental health more so than training in isolation.
In conclusion, you do not have to go to the gym and follow a strict routine in order to stay fit. Eat relatively clean, sleep between 6–8 hours daily and do something you enjoy to stay fit. Exercise should relieve stress, not seem like a chore. Being healthy is a long game, pick something that excites you and try and work every day to become the best version of yourself!
