You won’t even feel like you’re exercising
When we say “workouts,” we really mean activities!
We’re talking about the kind of activities that require you to be active enough that it’s technically classed as exercise… but you’ll be having so much fun that you don’t actually feel like you’re exercising at all.
Imagine improving your fitness, burning calories and reaping other exercise-related health benefits all while having a great time. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, try one – or more – this weekend.
Indoor Rock Climbing
Indoor rock climbing is legit! It’s one of the best arm, back and forearm workouts around. Plus, you get to feel like a boss when you reach the top. As you improve you can move on to more challenging walls to keep pushing yourself and improving your skills and strength.
Standup Paddle boarding
Standup paddle boarding may look easy if you’ve never given it a shot yourself, but when you try it any preconceived ideas of its ease will quickly be destroyed. It requires you to stand upright on the board, which actually uses a lot of core strength, leg strength and co-ordination to maintain balance. Once you get the hang of it, standup paddle boarding is a full body workout that is also very meditative, making it excellent for stress relief. Great to do with friends or on your own.
Outdoor adventures (walking / hiking)
Going for a walk or hike somewhere beautiful is the ultimate non-exercise exercise. Getting out into nature not only provides an excellent workout as you make your way over uneven grounds (which burns more calories than a flat treadmill), but is also a great mood booster. "Research shows that hiking has a positive impact on combating the symptoms of stress and anxiety," says Gregory A. Miller, PhD, president of the American Hiking Society. "Being in nature is ingrained in our DNA, and we sometimes forget that." Walking is also fantastic for improving bone density, as it is a weight bearing exercise.
If you’re located in Sydney, we recommend doing a day trip out to the Figure 8 Pools in the national park, which is a 3 hour hike round trip and incredibly scenic.
Dancing
Put on those dancing shoes and get ready to sweat within 15 minutes. Take a class of swing dancing, Zumba, hip hop or tango. Whatever takes your fancy, it will be sure to get your rhythm flowing, heart rate up and induce some fun and laughter at the same time.
Skating
Whether it’s on rollerblades, roller-skates, ice-skates or a skateboard, it matters not. What does matter is that these skating activities are all great for burning calories, improving balance and having fun.
A note from the wise: if you don’t have experience on a skateboard, you might want to start off on blades to avoid spending most of your said workout on the ground.