January is typically the time of year when people start to look at ways they can improve their fitness levels or increase the amount of exercise they have.
If you’ve taken the decision to improve your fitness this year, then check out these 12 different ways to get fit – see which one you like best!
Walking Or Hiking
Walking is a really simple way to get fitter and is good for people who might be looking to start exercising again, if they’re not been able to do it for a while.
Walking can potentially burn as many calories as running, depending on speed and how often you do it of course. It’s low impact too, so shouldn’t hurt your joints or put pressure on them as much as running could. Monitor your progress with a pedometer to count your steps each day. After a while and when your confidence has increase, you could consider hiking outdoors, but if you do make sure you prepare properly and have the right equipment.
Swimming
Swimming is not only a wonderful life skill to have, it also has the potential to give you an all over body workout. It not only burns calories but can help strengthen the core, legs, and other areas of the body. There are different techniques you can practice until you’re a swimming pro. It’s great for people of all ages as it’s so low impact.
Running
Do you like to get a good sweat on? Maybe you love that ‘high’ feeling you can get after running. If you’ve never had ‘runner’s high’”, you should try it! You’ll be on cloud 9 after a good run, and it’ll make you want to do it again and again. It’s always best to start with shorter distances at first, as it can be hard on your joints and shins if you haven’t ran for a while. Make sure your technique is comfortable and your clothing is suitable.
Biking
Biking is not only a good alternative way to get around town but it’s also good for fitness and an all body workout. You can even use it for biking around the countryside. Make sure to use the right type of bike for the terrain you’re riding on. You should also invest in safety gear such as helmets and high visibility wear to ensure you’re as protected as possible!
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a sport loved by both men and women, as it allows them to develop their bodies in a way they like best. You work on the muscles you want to get bigger or more defined. You could even enter competitions. Lifting weights not only builds muscle, it helps to burn fat and calories too. Usually, it continues to burn fat long after you’ve finished training!
Martial Arts
While most people may think of doing Martial Arts to learn self defence skills, it also offers extra benefits such as improved fitness, focus, self-control and confidence boosting. Martial Arts is also a lot of fun as you learn cool new moves! Find a class near you and try it for free.
Yoga
Yoga is such a relaxing and spiritual way to get fit”. Yoga can help with strengthening muscles and learning balance, but it has the potential to be good for your mind, as people can enjoy yoga as a form of meditation. The great news is, you don’t even need a gym or anything to start. You can download apps to help you teach yourself. You can start out with simple poses, and sooner or later you might be able to do a one handed handstand!
Fitness Classes
Check out your local gym; there are bound to be so many fitness classes you can get involved in. Things like bodypump and spin classes are great for working up a sweat and burning some calories. Classes can vary from gym to gym, so check out your local area to see what you can find.
Exercise DVDs
If you’d rather not go to a gym, how about popping in an exercise DVD and following along? Just make sure you stick to doing it a few times per week to see results! As you get more confident you might even decide you’re ready to head to a gym or class after a few weeks.
Dancing
When it comes to what type of dancing you prefer, that’s up to you. You could take a partner ballroom dancing, or even learn how to breakdance! There are lots of different dance classes available from Zumba to Samba, the choice is yours.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is so much fun, and is sometimes considered as an adrenaline based sport. You can do it indoors to start with, but sooner or later you might want to take it outside to really challenge yourself.
A Boot Camp
If you feel like you need some instant motivation, a boot camp could get you in the right frame of mind. Bootcamps are typically based around military style fitness exercises but can incorporate lots of different styles of exercise such as dance or martial arts.
Which of these 12 ways to get fit do you like best? Will you try any after reading this? Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it. That’s the only way you’ll stick to it!
