Make Exercise Fun

Yeah, I get it, jogging or walking numerous loops around a high school track sucks. Riding a stationary bike to nowhere is as boring as watching endless episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. You’d rather eat slugs than throw weights around or do push-ups, burpees and planks. However, there’s good news. Exercise, like most things, does not have to be boring or tedious. You actually can, with some imagination, a willingness to try something new and perhaps get outside your comfort zone, make exercise fun. Here are a few suggestions…

Come dancing isn’t only an awesome song by the Kinks, it’s also a great way to get your heart and breathing rates up while having a great time in the process. Whether it’s ball room dancing, hip hop dancing, square dancing or the “forbidden” dance (lambada), get online, find a class, drag your partner with you and boogie down. You’ll be amazed how fun it is.

Geocaching is like hiking with a purpose. You become akin to a treasure hunter as you wander the wilderness or urban jungle in search of hidden riches (not really, it usually just involves signing a logbook, although you occasionally get to trade small tokens). All that’s required is a GPS device, such as a smart phone, and an Indiana Jones mentality. Learn more here.

Active meetings simply involve having a meeting with someone (or multiple people) while being active at the same time. The next time someone wants to meet up for coffee or business, suggest that you meet while hiking, golfing (without the cart), tossing a frisbee, biking on a nearby rails-to-trails path (to avoid the danger posed by cars), or playing tennis, squash, paddle ball, or a little one-on-one at the local basketball court.

Adult gymnastics isn’t as scary as it sounds. Many gyms offer classes for sedentary gymnastic rookies who are looking to become more active and are willing to try something new. Even beginner gymnastics exercises increase core and muscular strength, improves flexibility and can even be a good cardio workout. In other words, it’s an activity that accomplishes multiple things, to include not being bored.

Wearing a fitness tracker has a competitive effect for most people and it becomes more challenging when a group of friends or family are involved. You’ll be amazed how badly you want to beat your friend in daily challenges (steps, calories, distance traveled, active minutes, elevation change). Create various challenges and offer rewards for the winner, just don’t make the reward a dozen donuts or an extra-large pizza.

Playing kid’s games can be a great workout even if you play them with kids. Tag, capture the flag, hopscotch, double-dutch (jumping rope), infection (bad name given our current situation, I know), ultimate frisbee, cops and robbers and Marco Polo (requires a pool) are great fun and great workouts.

Get in a boat that requires oars or a paddle to move. A lap around a lake in a canoe, rowboat, paddle boat, or kayak is a great way to burn calories, strengthen muscles and improve your cardiovascular system. It’s also a great way to tour places you’ve never visited before or to see familiar places from a new perspective.

Ride a horse for a moderate length of time and you’ll be amazed how tired you are afterwards. That’s because you engage little used core and leg muscles trying to stay on the damn thing as it moves underneath you. It’s also great mental therapy to spend time around the gentle animals.

There you go, eight great ways to add some fun to your exercise routine. Now all you need to do is take some initiative, get out there and see which ones appeal the most to you. And remember, have fun.