We can all agree that working out isn't the most fun thing you could be doing and when you hear the word "workout" or "exercise" you automatically think of weight lifting or cardio.
It's summertime and your goal may be to get fit before that "freshman fifteen" tries to get to you. The good news is that there is so much more than the boring ole' weight lifting and cardio that work out your whole body and that are fun too!
1. Hiking
We all know what hiking is, but do we know all of its benefits and how flexible it can be? You can pretty much hike anywhere and it is almost always free. Hiking works out your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, hip muscles, and abdominal muscles. It can burn an estimated 430 and 440 calories per hour.
2. Rock Climbing
There are two types of rock climbing, there's "rock wall climbing" and "outdoor rock climbing" Indoor rock wall climbing works out your abs, obliques, biceps, traps, delts, quads, lats, and calves and forearm muscles. Indoor climbing can burn between 500 to 900 calories per hour. Outdoor rock wall climbing is the more extreme of the two and works out your abs, obliques, biceps, traps, delts, quads, lats, and calves, and forearm muscles. It can also burn between 500 to 900 calories per hour.
3. Kayaking
Kayaking is more than just what you do when you go camping with friends and family. It is a sport where you can decide how heavy the paddle is and how fast you paddle. It works out your back, shoulder, upper arm, forearm, grip, ab, chest, and leg muscles. You can burn between 283 to 397 calories by kayaking.
4. Swimming
Swimming is a great way to cool off during a hot day in the summer but it's also a great way to get your exercise on! Swimming can work out your core abdominal, lower back, deltoid, shoulder, forearm, upper back, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, pecs, lats, and a lot more depending on what all you do in the pool. You can burn between 413 to 704 calories depending on how fast or slow you swim and what all you do in the pool.
5. Community Sport Leagues
Most cities offer community sports programs or have public sports centers where you can practice and join leagues involving baseball/softball, volleyball, football, soccer, and other sports. You can join these types of leagues just during the summer or be involved all year. Different sports work different parts of the body; many include, lats, traps, shoulders, abs, quads, obliques, hamstrings, calves, and more. Being involved in sports leagues can burn around 170 to 748 calories an hour; depending on what sport you participate in.
6. Riding Bicycles
Riding a bike is more than just a childhood activity. Riding a bike works out your quads, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles. Bicycling can also burn between 563 to 1,126 calories depend on how many miles per hour you bike.
7. Roller Skating
Probably the last time you roller skated was when you were in middle school, but you should really give this activity another chance. Roller skating works out your hip abductors, quads, hamstrings, shins, and calf muscles. Roller skating burns between 548 to 683 calories when you skate for an hour.
8. Jumping Rope
Most of us have left jump roping in our childhood memories, forgetting all about them in the process. Jumping Rope works out your calves, upper body muscles, and get a cardiac workout. Jumping rope can burn around 600 calories an hour!
9. Walking Dogs
Walking your dogs isn't just an age-old chore, it's a great workout for you and your dog! Walking your pup works out your quads, thighs, hamstrings, butt, stomach, calves, and more muscles. Walking can burn around 205 calories an hour and your dog also gets a good workout!
10. Dancing
Dancing is a great workout and you'll have so much fun that you won't realize how much time has past since you started. Dancing works out your legs, glutes, hips, arms, upper back, lower back, and abdomen. Dancing can burn around 330 calories an hour.
Studies have shown that exercising is beneficial for not just your body, but also your mental health. So let's get out there and kick some butt.
