Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Brandon Serna who writes for Hydroworx.
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For someone hoping to freshen up their workout routine, seeing the same treadmills, weight lifting equipment and classes at the gym won’t do much for rejuvenating good feelings about exercise. It never hurts to mix up an exercise plan now and then. Here are some fun alternative ways to liven up your workouts.
1) Grab a Buddy
If you’re a loner when it comes to exercise, take some time to do it with a friend or partner. Working out with someone not only provides an accountability partner to keep you motivated, but the social opportunities can be fantastic as well. Choose a time and activity that works well for each of you and get moving.
2) Dancing
Dancing can be a great way to have some fun, meet new people and keep up a good fitness routine. Exercise is often easier to do when people see it as something enjoyable, rather than a chore. Certain dances such as salsa and the cha-cha are particularly strenuous and are comparable to a good session at a gym.
3) Pools
Swimming activities using exercise pools and aquatic therapy equipment are great choices for people who are injured or otherwise unable to work out at a gym. Water is a very supportive environment in which to exercise and its temperature, hydrostatic pressure and resistance helps enhance a person’s muscle strength, flexibility and cardiovascular health. As an added benefit, pools are low-impact and help absorb most, if not all, of an individual’s body weight.
4) Beginner’s Activities
If you don’t really consider yourself an athlete, or the gym just isn’t your kind of scene, remember that there are some other great activities that will get you exercising in a more comfortable environment. Look into beginner sports teams like softball or try bowling. Mall walking groups are also less strenuous options that offer a social interaction element too.
5) Home Life
Kids can be a wonderful source of motivation for excising at home. Don’t let your little ones hamper your efforts to exercise. Make them part of the fun instead. If you enjoy bike riding, see if you can acquire a trailer to bring them along, or buy a jogging stroller so your little ones can come along on your run.
Take your kids swimming if that’s a sport you all enjoy. With a family membership at a pool or recreation center to make it easy to go as often as you’d like. Sign your kids up for swimming lessons if they need them and make an effort to help them flourish in their new skills even more on your own.
Or, you can enjoy some exercise at home with your kids. Head outside to play basketball with your teens, or turn up the music and have a dance party in the living room. Especially with children, it’s important to stay active and keep the exercises enjoyable.
The Benefits of Variety
Adding a little variety to your exercise routine can do more than just keep your attitude toward working out positive. If you stick only to a certain type of activity, your abilities in that particular area will grow, but you may be limiting yourself by not trying anything new. And by adding new things to your workouts, you’ll hopefully eliminate some boredom and the risks you might run from getting hurt if you aren’t paying attention to what you’re doing. You might feel sore in new areas as you add to your list of exercises. Start slow and give yourself time to adjust.