Are you bored of slogging it out on the treadmill at the gym? Is your workout routine becoming boring, and not giving you the same results as it used to? Maybe it’s time to mix things up a little!
Adding a little fun to your fitness regime is the best way to keep things interesting and stay motivated. If you’re not enjoying your workouts, you won’t stick with them! It’s also important to switch up your activity every now and then, especially if you’ve seen a plateau with your results.
Here are four fun fitness ideas you probably haven’t tried yet, to inject a little excitement into your training and keep you moving towards those goals.
Ice skating
If, like us, you were totally inspired by the ice dancers at the Winter Olympics, why not give it a try yourself? You might not reach the heights of Torvill and Dean, but ice skating is a great workout in itself – even if you spend the first five minutes clinging to the barriers!
Ice skating is low-impact, and it works out a lot of lower-body muscles you wouldn’t naturally use in your everyday life, especially if you sit down a lot during the day. You’ll tone your glutes and work your core, as well as improving your coordination and balance. Sure, you might end up with a few bruises, but it’s all part of the fun!
Pole fitness
Want to be strong, flexible and agile, as well as super toned and body-confident? Then you need to introduce pole fitness into your weekly routine. Pole fitness uses a huge array of muscles – you’ll probably end up using muscles you never knew you had!
It’s fantastic for developing your core strength, because you’re learning how to lift your own body weight – and if you stick with it, you’ll see your coordination and mobility improving week-by-week. Plus, that amazing feeling you get the first time you nail a tricky spin or pose will give you a real endorphin high that will keep you coming back for more.
Rock climbing
We’ve heard rock climbing referred to as ‘yoga on a wall’ – pretty accurate, we must say! In rock climbing, you’re constantly shifting your weight and using different muscles groups.
If you’re a total newbie, you can start with bouldering, which involves climbing shorter walls and no ropes or harnesses. Top roping is also a good option – this is when you move onto larger walls, with the support of a harness or rope. You can burn up to 800 calories an hour doing this activity, and it’ll help you tone up fast.
Yoga – with a difference
The multitude of different types of yoga classes popping up means you’ll never be stuck for an inspiring, unusual workout. Disco yoga, anyone? Dog yoga? Paddleboard yoga? Aerial yoga? There’s something for everyone, and you’re sure to find something that’s just right for you. If you’re finding it hard to get to a class, there’s always YouTube yoga, where you can roll out your mat at home and take your cues from an expert. Namaste.