Stuck in an exercise rut? Doing the same old workout can sabotage your efforts to get in shape by sapping your motivation and allowing your body to plateau. It can also lead to injury when you over-train some muscles and ignore others, or if you are going through the motions mindlessly and not paying attention to good form. Give yourself a mental and physical boost by trying out some of these fun activities.
Note: Any physical activity should be done with caution, safe equipment, and proper supervision. Don’t let an injury ruin your fun and your fitness goals. Visit StrengthTape.com for information on how StrengthTape can help you prevent injuries or recover faster so you can get back out there.
Hula Hoop
Hula hoops are the hot new trend, blending heart-pumping cardio with a killer ab workout. Many gyms are offering hula hoop fitness classes. Or recapture your childhood by kicking off your shoes and hula hooping in your backyard. You can ratchet up the intensity with a weighted hoop.
Aerial Fitness
Indulge your circus fantasies with an aerial fitness class. Aerial fitness combines yoga, Pilates, and gymnastics with Cirque du Soleil-style choreography on suspended hammocks for a whole-body workout that builds long, lean muscles and improves flexibility.
Trampoline
Why pound out the miles on a treadmill when you can fly through the air—and still get an intense cardio workout? Trampoline fitness—or rebounding—burns major calories (as much as 20 percent more than running) and strengthens your legs with less impact on your joints. And like hula hooping, you can do it at home, outside, or with others.
Parkour
Parkour makes the world your gym, as you sprint, hurdle, crawl, and climb your way through obstacle courses. With indoor and outdoor courses, ranging from colorful, foam-filled gymnasiums to urban, concrete jungles, you don’t have to be a daredevil to enjoy parkour’s benefits to agility, strength, and cardio fitness.
Zombies, Run!
Get ready for the zombie apocalypse—or for a mid-winter beach getaway—with the Zombies, Run! app. Available for Apple or Android, the app’s story plays in the background while you listen to your regular workout music. You collect survival supplies as you wrack up the miles and are prompted to speed up when you need to escape the zombie hordes.
By integrating one or more fun, new activities into your exercise routine, you’ll get more out of your workout while avoiding boredom and injury.