Category Archives: Sports

Getting Fit Without the Gym: Alternative Options to Explore Now

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Do you dread going to the gym? Does the thought of being surrounded by buff bodies wrapped in Lycra fill you with apprehension? There’s an assumption that you have to be a gym bunny to get fit, but that’s simply not the case. While many people love working up a sweat at the gym, it’s not for everyone. If you’d rather be alone, you’re keen to explore al fresco activities, or you find the gym boring, here are some alternatives to consider.

Bootcamps

Bootcamps and military fitness classes have become incredibly popular in the last few years. The idea of being shouted and screamed at may not seem all that fun, but this is a great option if you want to push yourself and you lack motivation. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t run the extra mile or aim to lift a PB (personal best) every time, this could be the option for you. When you’ve got a trainer spurring you on, you can learn a lot about your character, and you can push yourself much harder than you would in a normal gym session. Bootcamps are also great if you want rapid results or you prefer to workout outdoors or as part of a group. If you find the concept intimidating, but you want to give it a go, take some friends along with you for moral support.

Outdoor bootcamp class

Bootcamps and fitness classes are popular with people who don’t want to go to the gym or as a gym alternative. Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain.

Golf

You may associate golf with older people, but it’s actually become a trendier pursuit in recent years thanks to the successes of young professionals. Even if you don’t have visions of packing a cabinet full of golf trophies, it may be worth booking some lessons and seeing how you get on. Golf may not give you the most intense cardio workout, but it’s a sociable sport, you can enjoy the great outdoors, and you’ll walk miles over the course of a few rounds.

Golf is her favorite sport

Golf has many benefits, including plenty of walking and time spent outdoors. Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain.

Dance

Do you love to dance on a Saturday night? Are you the first on the dance floor and the last to leave? If so, why not take some dance-based exercise classes, which will enable you to get fit and have fun at the same time. You can choose from a range of styles, such as Latin, ballroom, ballet or Zumba, or try a bit of everything.

Get in shape with zumba

Get active with zumba class. Dancing is a fun exercise alternative to the gym. Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Tennis

It’s summer, and what better way to get in shape than exercising in the fresh air and enjoying the company of others? Tennis is a fast-paced, exciting sport, which works every major muscle group. You’ll need stamina to go the distance and speed to cover the court. If you’re keen to get on the court, have a look online for local clubs and facilities.

She chooses tennis instead of the gym

Yawning when you think of the gym? Try tennis instead. It may be the perfect sport for you! Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain.

Are you bored of the gym or are you too scared to even walk through the door, let alone get on the machines? If you’re not a fan of the gym, you don’t have to give up on your plans to get fit and shape up. There are myriad other activities you can try. Hopefully, these suggestions have got you thinking, and you’ll find a new sport you love in no time.

Thinking Outside the Box: Sports You’ve Probably Overlooked

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Sure, there are the popular sports, like football, basketball, and baseball, however, they’re not for everyone, and you might like to try something different. A simple online search would help to point you in the right direction. That said, I’ve listed my top three unusual and often overlooked sporting activities on this page. If you enjoy new experiences and want to stay in shape this year, you should give them a try. At the end of the day, all the suggestions I’m about to make are fun and exciting. So, I’m pretty confident that most people reading this post would enjoy them. 

Cycling and polo, all at the same time

A variation on polo is cycle polo. In this photo, a woman plays the innovative sport. Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0).

Cycle Polo

You’ve seen people playing Polo on the TV before, right? It involves players sitting on horses and using a hammer to move a ball around a pitch. People score points when they knock the ball through hoops fixed on the ground. Well, what if I told you it’s possible to enjoy the activity without having to rely on animals?

Yes, that’s right! Cycle Polo has become very popular in recent times. There are lots of clubs, and so you just need to perform some research. It’s a brilliant idea because there are no animal cruelty concerns. Also, it’s a fast-paced game, and so you’re guaranteed to break a sweat.

Underwater Rugby

The British sport of Rugby is much like the North American version of football. However, the players don’t wear padding, and it’s often a little more aggressive. Those with interest in the sport will feel glad to know there is a fresh new alternative. Underwater Rugby has taken hold in the US in recent years. There are many teams you can join depending on where you live in the country.

Players use snorkels and goggles to take part, and they spend most of their time beneath the surface. It’s an excellent method for building muscles because of water resistance. It’s also hilariously funny and entertaining for everyone involved. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to tackle someone in a swimming pool, but I do know you will find it amusing.

Paddleboarding

Surfing has been a hot pastime for many years. Still, it can take a long time for someone to develop the required skills. So, unless you live near the beach, you just won’t have enough time. However, there is an alternative you could try. Paddleboarding is much easier than surfing, and you can get started in minutes.

Just hire or buy a CBC stand up paddle board and find an instructor. You can try that sport anywhere there is a large body of water. You don’t need to use the ocean. Lakes and ponds are more than suitable.

As you can see from the suggestions on this page, there are many unusual sports you might consider. However, this is not a complete guide. There are hundreds of other activities that might tickle your fancy.

With that in mind, now is the time to continue your research. Just keep reading articles of this nature until you find something that appeals to you. You could even involve your family if you think they would enjoy the experience.

Joining a Sports Team is the Best Way to Reach Your Fitness Goals

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Joining a sports team can bring many benefits, but one of the biggest is that it can help you achieve your fitness goals. Whether you’re keen to lose weight or put on muscle, sports will help you do just that.

How? Allow me to explain in the points below:

Women playing on a field hockey team

Sports teams are great ways to get fit and have fun. Pexels, CC0 License.

You’re Extremely Active

Joining a sports team automatically makes you more active than you used to be. When you join a team, you commit to their training regimes and patterns. This could mean getting together once or twice during the week to train, and again at the weekend to play matches against other teams. All in all, this keeps you extremely active. The more active you are, the better it is.

You’ll be amazed at how many calories you’ll burn after a couple of training sessions with a sports team. Playing sports is simply the best cardio training you can do, as it keeps your body working at all times with small intervals. It’s like HIIT, but you don’t feel like you’re actually working out, which makes it even better.

You Train Like an Athlete

If you join a sports team, then you’ve joined a team that’s serious about winning matches and being the best. As a result, the coach will push all the team members to get into the best shape possible, and to be athletic. This means they encourage you to train with weights, as well as enjoying the cardio benefits of the actual sport you play.

Your coach could get you all to the gym for a couple of times per week, or at least give you exercises to do with weights in your spare time. By doing this, you can start gaining muscle and being more toned. Plus, as seen in these weight loss mistakes, lifting weights also speeds up your metabolism which can help you shed some body fat. So, athletic training is the way forward as it can help you strike that perfect balance between muscle gain and fat loss.

You’re More Motivated in a Team Environment

Simple psychology tells us that we’re more motivated in a team environment. When you’re in a group, you have lots of other people around you egging you on and getting you to work hard. If everyone is working hard and pushing themselves, it only serves to push everyone else to go harder and harder as well!

Not only that, but there’s an element of jealousy involved too. You may see people on your team that look better than you and want to work hard, so you’re in the best shape on the team. It sounds silly, but it can help you stay motivated and work even harder than you would if you were on your own.

If you’re serious about being fit and staying healthy, I’d recommend joining a sports team. All sports are great sports, just find a team that suits you and that you feel you’d be comfortable joining. If you’re in college or university, then you’ll find your institution has so many different teams to join. Give it a go if you want to see some massive fitness improvements.