Embarking on a fitness journey is not an easy feat. It requires commitment to show up to workout every single day without fail. While this is easy to do initially as you are usually not short on motivation at that time, after you have been at it for some time, it becomes a tad bit more difficult to continue with the same routine day in and day out. For this purpose, it is a good idea to ditch the gym workouts once in a while and embrace some out of the box but extremely effective ones. The benefit of switching up your workout routine often is that your body will love the change. Our bodies tend to get used to anything that we tend to do often enough. Also, this helps in saving us from boredom which is bound to occur sometime or the other.
The activities which we have discussed in this article are mainly outdoorsy and may even be a bit too adventurous for some people. So we would request you to practice caution while engaging in them. Also, you should not push yourself to do anything which you are not very comfortable with. Another word of advice here is to always equip yourself with pain relief sprays and hot and cool pack in the case of encountering any injuries along the way. It is also important to get yourself tested for any disease before you embark upon such off the grid adventures to be safe. Right then, if you are interested to know about these activities, keep reading!
- Mountain Climbing:
Mountain climbing may seem like a humongous task but it is actually pretty good to work your entire body. It also helps to build your stamina if you do it often enough. Let us also clarify here that we do not mean that you need to climb the tallest mountain out there to reap the benefits of this activity. All you need to do is to find a somewhat steep hill or a rock and climb it. It is also important that you always do it in the presence of professionals as well as adequate protective gear. If you can not find a mountain or a natural rock to climb, there are many artificial rock climbing walls which have recently come up in entertainment centres which can serve your purpose very well.
- Off-road Cycling:
The benefits of cycling cannot be undermined in any way, and because of this many people have recently taken up this activity as well. It is really good for your core as well as your leg muscles. It also gets your heart beat up which is always a bonus. If you want to take it up a notch, you can try off road cycling. This typically means that the terrain on which you cycle is slightly rougher as compared to a normal path. If you are still a novice at it, you may want to stick to just regular cycling for the time being.
- Swimming In Natural Water Bodies:
If swimming is your jam but communal pools give you the itch, you may want to try doing it in a natural water body like a lake or a slow flowing river. But before doing that make sure that the water is safe to be swimming in and no dangerous animals lurk in its depths. This can prove to be a better workout as compared to regular swimming as the gush of water is usually stronger in natural water bodies so you have to expend a lot more strength to swim in them.
- Trekking Or Hiking:
Trekking and hiking have recently gained prominence as amazing workouts which can be done by almost anybody. And the plus point is that you get to be in the midst of nature while doing them as well. So there really is no downside to engaging in this activity. These basically mean that you walk briskly on an inclining or a declining surface. This again helps to improve your stamina and is much more of a workout than a regular walk. Make sure to carry a water bottle along with you whenever you go for a hike or a trek as you do not want to get dehydrated in the sun.
- Paddling Or Kayaking:
Using a paddle boat or a kayak with oars is a great way to get in a workout if you live close to a water body like a lake. This forms a full bodied workout as a paddle boat works your leg muscles and strengthens them and a kayak works your entire upper body, especially strengthening your arms. In addition to getting a good exercise, you can also enjoy some great views of the water body at the same time. This activity is so effective that a lot of gyms have started keeping equipment which mimic paddles or oars of a boat.
- Gardening:
This is an activity which may seem awkward in this list but trust us, it has its benefits. If you are a plant lover, turn towards an hour of gardening every few days to get your workout in a unique way. This is also a great example of getting things done whilst working out, almost tailored for busy schedules. Sit in a squat position while weeding to strengthen your core. Mowing the grass can also be great to build up your arm muscles and your abdomen area.
-Run A Marathon:
If you are a fan of running, you may have noticed that at times it can prove to be quite a solitary activity. To spice it up and make it a notch harder, sign yourself up to run a marathon. This can help you to get company while you run and can also provide you with the motivation to run for longer distances in the future. And if the marathon is being held for a good cause, then you kill two birds with one stone. This can prove to be a welcome change to your running routine and can switch it up to motivate you to continue doing it.
Getting bored of workouts after a point of time is common but if you have committed yourself to your fitness journey, these are some great ways to switch up your exercises once in a while. Innovating creatively to your workouts and tweaking them according to what suits you the best is the key to getting fit whilst having fun. Do let us know if you engage in any of these activities and if they were able to help you get fit.