Do you hate working out?
You may hate the idea of going to the gym. A hectic schedule makes it challenging to prepare clothes, drive to the gym, and shower afterward.
Or perhaps you just don’t feel motivated – you lack energy and motivation. It doesn’t matter what the reason is – you hate exercise.
At least that’s what you think of when you think of exercise. Despite that, research shows that physical activity has an enormous range of positive benefits for the mind and body. So what are you going to do?
Well, for starters, experts suggest you change your concept of what exercise is. You need to think outside the big box gym to break your rut.
We have your ultimate guide to having fun while exercising! Discover your inner child and get active with one of these fun core workouts. You’ll stay fit, burn calories, and get to smile afterward!
These 13 fun workout exercises we have listed below can help you stay fit in an effective but non-conventional way. You may have trouble finding one that suits your needs because of its costs and ease of access, but hopefully, you will find one that suits you. Let’s get started.
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1) Outdoor Sports
Activities that combine fun, challenges, and the outdoors are some of the best.
You can build an obstacle course in your neighborhood. Explore playgrounds with monkey bars you can traverse, park benches to leap over, balance beams, and climbing walls. You can also enjoy a fun obstacle course while recalling the days of your childhood and having fun playing in the playground. It will help you develop the confidence to overcome other obstacles in life.
It’s OK to be outdoors, but you don’t want to sign up for a league. Pick up a game of soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, or touch football in the park. You can even play catch to get your heart rate up.
Take advantage of nearby walking trails or paths and try hiking or biking. These workouts are both great cardio workouts with amazing benefits for your lower body and your core because your body must adapt quickly to remain stable on rough terrain. You only need a playlist you like, some supportive workout gear, and you’re ready to hike.
Several studies have shown that outdoor exercise has many benefits other than keeping your body in shape. A hefty dose of vitamin D from the sun helps reduce anger and depression as well as improve your mood by spending time outdoors.
2) Indoor Sports
Can’t stand the heat or cold? Indoor games, such as basketball, racquetball, or volleyball, can stimulate your competitive side. Many “outdoor sports” are also available indoors, such as soccer, tennis, and swimming.
Swimming is a great, low-impact activity for your entire body. It is a suitable choice for beginners as well as for those who are used to regular exercise.
It offers one of the most significant benefits of all aerobic exercises, the ability to work all the major muscle groups without harming the skeletal system. You can reshape your body by exercising every kick and every arm stroke as resistance training, the best way to increase fitness, strength, and flexibility.
It can also be relaxing to just get into the water, but you can also get your heart rate way up by swimming laps or doing interval training without sweating as you would do in a gym. Getting in the pool is not only fun but also a great way to switch up your regular routine, so get a pair of goggles and dive in.
3) Playing Video Games
Those of you who enjoy gaming have already got the equipment needed to get your heart pumping right from your couch. Motion-tracking technology is used in almost all popular video game platforms for fitness-based games. They can also be fun because they bring your loved ones together for friendly competition and bonding time, as well as getting you up and moving. In addition, if you have difficulty getting your kids out to play, this is a great way for you to get them moving and set an encouraging example.
Fencing, boxing, dancing, and playing virtual tennis, basketball, and other virtual reality workout sports are all available. A study found that people who walked, ran, and climbed on a special mat during a fantasy role-playing game got more physical activity than when they exercised on a treadmill. Playing active games makes you more likely to do “non-gaming” exercises, which are bonus fun physical activities.
4) Traveling
Do you enjoy traveling? We suggest you take part in a 5k walk or run in different cities around the country or even the world.
The benefits are that you can train at home and explore a new city while running, walking, or jogging. You will also have a great excuse to eat some local cuisine after the race.
5) Playing with Kids
If you have little ones around, you’ll always have the opportunity to run around or do the crab walk. You can be the coolest mom or dad by joining in on their fun. Kids are always on the go. Many of us did the same thing when we were kids. Getting older makes us slower.
Did you play tag as a kid? Basically, it’s a game where you sprint, a great cardio workout, a way to raise your heart rate, and a fun way to spend some time outside the gym. A hula hoop competition or a snowball fight can also be fun. Other fun games include red rover, red-light green-light, hopscotch, double Dutch, hide and seek, sharks and minnows, and a snowball fight.
6) Jumping Rope
When you were a kid, did you ever lose track of time while jumping rope? If so, you can do it as an adult as well. It’s an excellent workout for any age group. This form of exercise is fun, provides a great workout, and can be done anywhere.
7) Roller Skating or Rollerblading
It is an excellent low-impact cardio activity. Besides strengthening your hips and other leg muscles, skating also helps improve your core strength.
Rolling around on rollerblades is a fun afternoon activity. It might be fun to skate around the park or go to the disco rink. Getting in shape while reliving childhood is an excellent benefit of roller skating.
8) Rock Climbing
Although rock climbing is primarily a strength workout, it can also be a cardiovascular workout. Ignore the myth that it is solely an upper-body blaster: the proper way to climb is to lift yourself mostly with your legs.
The adrenaline rush of rock climbing makes it an excellent activity for those who love adventure. A good climber can scale mountains outside, but even a beginner can experience the rush of reaching the top of a big wall in the gym. There’s even bouldering for people who are afraid of heights, where you climb alone and are never higher than 20 feet off the ground. Bouldering is also a good choice for those with no climbing buddies because they don’t have to be belayed.
9) Be a Mermaid
Have you ever daydreamed of how magical mermaids’ lives must be? You must try swimming in their fins. Really. Mermaiding is a full-body workout that’s similar to swimming and adds the fun and magic of feeling as if you’re a mermaid.
You’re not alone if you did a double-take when you saw this. Now it is recognized as a legitimate exercise method to wear mermaid fins and glide through the water. It takes a lot of leg and core strength to propel yourself with a single fin. Flexibility is also required to bend yourself completely, while the swimming motion will provide cardio exercise. Holding your breath underwater will give your lungs an extra boost. Imagine pretending to be a mermaid would give you such a calorie-burning workout?
10) Dancing
The best cardio exercise is dancing because you can adjust the intensity according to your needs. No matter if you do it alone or with a group, it can be fun and social. It strengthens your heart and lungs and tones your muscles. You might also feel more energetic. You just need a little music to get you going.
Put together some easy moves if you’re looking for a low-effort workout, or try breakdancing if you want to pump your heart rate. The mental effort and frequent social interaction needed to dance can even improve your brain health! Even dancing alone at home is a good cardio dance workout.
You can find classes like Zumba and hip-hop how-tos at many gyms if you prefer a group setting. Zumba is incredibly popular, becoming one of the top fitness trends in the last decade, and it’s no wonder why: it’s a fun dance workout, and it’s really effective as well.
People who love Zumba love to dance it out, whether they’re doing it in a group setting or at home via videos and DVDs. You don’t need to be worried about having rhythm or nailing the steps if you’re apprehensive about dancing in front of others. The best part about a fun Zumba workout is that it doesn’t matter what level you are at or if you have danced before. You are doing it right as long as your body is moving.
Most people find Zumba so entertaining that they forget they’re exercising, which is exactly what Zumba is all about. You can still boogie down to your favorite songs at home, even if you don’t like the idea of Zumba.
Exercise doesn’t have to be so severe, and it can and should be fun. Feel free to rock out in your bedroom every day if that makes you happy.
11) Gardening
Even though you might not think of gardening as exercise, digging, bending, and clipping around your garden for 30 minutes or so will give you a good workout. Moreover, it may improve your mood as well. Don’t have your plot? Volunteer at a community garden instead. People will appreciate it!
12) Sex
Approximately 5 calories are burned per minute, about as much as a brisk walk. Similarly, you would need about the same amount of oxygen if you were raking leaves.
Moreover, research indicates that spending time and having sex with loved ones can help prevent heart disease, but only if you’re in a relationship that’s not toxic.
13) Walking
People often forget that walking is one of the best exercises and easy workouts you can do if going for a hike or a bike ride feels too intense.
Walking has been part of your life since you were a young child. Walking is still the gold standard when it comes to movement, requiring no special equipment, no special athletic ability, no special clothes, and no gym membership.
You can get a full-body workout simply by lacing up your sneakers and walking around the block or on a walkway.
It has been proven that daily 10-minute walks can reduce stress and anxiety, and they are even more effective if those walks take place outdoors. You can also walk a few laps around your office building if you only have a short amount of time to spare.
If you have a dog, you can take a walk together which can be exercise-worthy.
Wrapping it up
There’s a possibility that you’ve just never had the feeling of feeling good after exercising or that you’ve never found an exercise that actually stimulates your brain. So think about it more as an activity, not as exercise, because science says you need it.
A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that long periods of sitting increase the risk of death from cancers, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney, liver, and lung diseases; there’s also the risk of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and mental disorders. The study found that prolonged sitting, defined as six hours or more a day, is associated with a 19 percent higher death rate from any of these causes.
A prolonged period of sitting doesn’t mean you should train for a marathon. Try one or more of these options to see how they resonate with you – and you won’t even feel like you’re exercising at all. If you fall in love with one of these activities, you may discover new hobbies, make friends, lose weight, and gain a newfound passion for fitness.
