By Kia Edwards
Exercise seems to get a bad rap at times; it’s difficult, often makes you sweat and, worst of all, it can get BORING. The last idea, however, can be fought. Exercise doesn’t always have to be about running 5 miles with ankle weights and lifting dumbbells. Getting fit is easier with these fun workouts:
High-Intensity Dance Classes
Trying something new such as Salsa lessons or even African dance can teach you coordination, balance and help you with rhythm (not a necessity, but a dress just looks better when you can move gracefully to the music). The movement involved in dancing naturally works your core and other large muscle groups to help you get lean. The Hokey Pokey won’t cut it since the aim is to get your heart rate up. You may have to take it slow while learning the basic steps, but dancing is a great workout if you allow yourself to get lost in the music. Best of all, it’s a calorie burner. An individual weighing about 140lbs has the potential to burn 370-400 calories an hour while an individual closer to 180lbs can burn 450-480 calories. Compare this to the idea that we burn approximately 100 calories per mile (the heavier you are, the more you burn), and you’re looking at a four mile jog/run to achieve the same results.
Hiking
Forget the treadmill and elliptical. Spring and summer mean it’s time to take your friends, family and/or spouse on a hiking trip. The fresh air, good company and opportunity to see some exciting wildlife can help you forget you’re exercising. Add your backpack for water, food or other necessities, and you’ll soon notice an increase in your fitness level. The terrain is a large contributor when determining how many calories you can burn. A 2 mile hike with a generally flat terrain won’t burn nearly as many calories as a hike with a lot of hills, which can burn close to 600 calories for a 190 pound male. An extremely rugged terrain can burn up to 650 calories for the average female.
Self Defense Classes
I believe every person should have a basic knowledge of how to defend themselves in case of an emergency…or in case your trainer really is driving you crazy. Self-defense lessons can teach you how to protect yourself, and help you increase your strength and agility. It works your muscles due to the force you use when punching and kicking, but it also a good way to improve your muscular endurance since you have to keep your arms up at all times. An hour of a hard workout can help the average woman 400-500 calories per hour and some boxing classes claim to help you burn up to 1,000 calories per hour.
Tennis
You don’t have to hit the ball like Serena or Djokovic to get a good workout from tennis. It improves your hand-eye coordination and your reflexes since you never know where the ball is going to land. It’s a fun way to socialize and an intense match can help you keep fit. You can also measure your fitness progress by playing tennis. The stronger you become (which you may have to use weights for), the harder you will hit the ball. As your cardiovascular endurance improves, you’ll notice that you’re able to play longer games. A person weighing 200lbs can burn over 500 calories by playing a moderately intense singles game. Hate playing outside? The University of Wisconsin conducted a study and found that you may burn 150 calories playing Wii Tennis for 30 minutes. It’s not as good as the real thing, but it’s better than sitting on your couch watching other people play tennis.
Water Games
Games like water polo or pool basketball are great ways to work out without realizing it. Your cardiovascular endurance will increase greatly due to the effort required to move around in the water. Moving around in water requires more energy and it’s perfect if you have bone, muscle or joint problems due to its low impact. NutriStrategy states that an individual weighing 130lbs can burn 550+ calories an hour, while a 155 pound individual can burn close to 700 calories per hour.
Having an unchanging workout routine is a recipe for falling off the wagon, or seeing a plateau in your weight loss. Mixing it up with any of these activities, or others that you like to try will keep your workout plan fun and effective.
*Sources for caloric burn were based on the following sources:
ACE Fitness
The American Council on Exercise
The International Sports Sciences Association
Mayo Clinic: Aerobic Exercise
NutriStrategy
Kia Edwards is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist who lives in New York City. She studied French and Economics at Colgate University, spent 15 years as a high-level competitive gymnast and 6 years as a gymnastics coach. Her business, La Fortesse At Home Fitness Training, helps clients get healthy with simple at home exercises and nutrition counseling. www.LaFortesse.com