Exercise is necessary for a healthy life, but people may grow tired of doing the same form of exercise repeatedly. However, there are plenty of alternatives available if those who work out are bored of running or weight lifting. The reality is that people will give up the workout time in their schedules if it gets boring and repetitive, if it does not challenge them, and if it is not fun.
Some common substitutes for traditional exercise are outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, mountain climbing, kickball, or outdoor recreational sports leagues. Other substitutes for traditional exercises are indoor activities like bowling, dodgeball, swimming, DVD workout videos, and indoor recreational sports leagues.
There are three particular indoor activities that people can take advantage of during the winter break in order to stay in shape while keeping warm indoors, and maybe find a new hobby: bowling, swimming, and DVD workout videos.
Bowling can be more than just a silly, once-in-a-while recreation for the average person, for bowling centers offer weekly leagues. More than 2 million bowlers socialize and bowl together each week in leagues throughout America, according to the Bowling Foundation.
Bowling can help assist in weight loss and muscle toning and strengthening, burning in the range of 170 to 300 calories per game, according to Healthy Living. Bowling leagues normally schedule three games per week, so a regular bowler could burn between 510 and 900 calories per week.
Swimming shifts from an outdoor activity to an indoor activity depending on a person’s geographical location, and it also can depend on the time of the year. In the winter, swimming is a great alternative indoor activity for those who have a gym membership with a pool.
More than just a summer leisure activity, swimming can burn 500 calories per hour from a light workout and 700 calories from a vigorous workout, according to Women’s Health. Swimmers are buoyant in water, which takes the impact off the joints that would normally occur from running and weight lifting. Less stress on the joints can mean longer exercise times, especially for swimmers who are realizing the cardiac benefits of time in the pool.
There are workouts for people to do in their own living room that are good alternatives to running on a treadmill in the gym or outside in the cold. One reason for DVD workouts’ popularity is that there are a tremendous number from which to choose. DVDs range from yoga to dance, to intense training workouts, and everything in between, so with all of these choices, people are likely to find at least one that they like.
Those who want a workout do not necessarily need to go to the gym, run, or weightlift to stay active and healthy. Look beyond the traditional and explore until you find an activity that you love, and you will find not just like-minded people, but also activity for life.
