Ten Ways to Stay Active During the Dog Days of Summer

What the hell are the “dog days” anyway?  Like most mysterious labels, its source can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and their love of astronomy.  Although some have traced the origins back to the ancient Egyptians.  It seems that the arrival of Sirius, or the Dog Star, in the night skies above Greece ushered in a period of hot, humid and sultry days.

Sirius was referred to as the Dog Star due to the fact that it followed the constellation, Orion (the hunter), in a manner similar to his dog.  To many Greeks, the dog days also portended a time of evil, suffering and general bad luck.  In fact, Priam, King of Troy, makes reference to Sirius in Homer’s The Iliad just prior to the death of his son, Hector, at the hands of Achilles.  Sirius usually arrives sometime from mid-July to early August and it remains in view for up to two months.  Now you know…

Anyway, back to those ten activities that you can participate in even during the aforementioned dog days…  Just because the thermometer is hoovering around the 90-degree mark and is scheduled to do so for the next week, that’s no reason to just sit at home in the AC and curse the heavens as Priam did.

There are numerous activities that you can participate in during these dog days, and walking the dog is NOT one of them, unless you do so in the early morning.  Here are ten suggestions:

1. Go Swimming – DUH! This is an easy one and it really doesn’t matter where so long as the water’s cool.  However, going to the local pool that is jam packed with moms holding toddlers, screaming tweeners, preening teens and then simply standing in waist deep water does not count as an “activity.”  Try to locate a spot where you can actually get in some real swimming or water aerobics or whatever floats your boat…see what I did there?  Boat, water, floating…Oh, never mind.
   
2. Walk/Jog in the Rain – As opposed to singing in it like Gene Kelly, although that would count as an “activity.” Also, no wearing rain gear or carrying an umbrella.  Enjoy the temporary break from the heat and get out there and splash around in the puddles.
   
3. Hit the Gym – and get on the treadmill, stair climber, elliptical machine or stationary bike in the comfort of the AC. Or attend any of the classes offered at your local establishment.
   
4. Hit the Club – No, not the night club, the health club and make a racket with a racquet (I’ll let you grammar geeks debate that one). There’s nothing like a few games of racquet ball or squash on an air-conditioned court.
   
5. Hit the Mall – and window shop with friends. Take a pedometer to track your progress or simply walk for an hour or so in the cool breezes of free AC.
   
6. Water Based Family Fun – with water guns, water balloons, water hoses, sprinklers and/or, my personal favorite, the Slip ‘n Slide. There’s nothing like a good, old fashioned water balloon or Super Soaker (water gun on steroids) fight with friends, family and/or neighbors.  As for the Slip ‘n Slide, I’ve discovered that as an adult, building your own with plastic sheeting is a requirement.  Rule number one of water fights: keep it outside!
   
7. Early Morning Yoga – at an inspirational location. The other morning at a local park I witnessed an outdoor activity I had never seen before…yoga while balanced upon a paddle board in the middle of a lake.  The participants aligned themselves as if they were in an indoor class, complete with an instructor, and were contorting themselves into downward facing dogs and cobras, heralds of the dawn.
   
8. Walk in the Woods – under the cool canopy provided by the trees. You never know what you’ll see.  At the local park I mentioned in number seven, I regularly walk past deer, turkey, squirrels (red, grey, and fox), chipmunks, woodchucks, and too many birds to mention.
   
9. Hit the Water Park – even if it’s to float down the lazy river or play with the grandkids at the kiddie section. Or, if you’re feeling really frisky, hit the vertical drop slides and/or racing slides.
   
10. Go Dancing – as the Kinks urged in their 1983 hit “Come Dancing.” Find a partner, locate a place offering dance lessons (samba, salsa, ballroom, waltz, it matters not) and dance to your heart’s content in the comfort of your partner’s arms.
    

Don’t cower like a chastised cur during the dog days of summer or worry about the evil associated with them as Priam did.  Get out of the house and stay active…just be smart about it!