Shake up your fitness routine with some exciting ways to get in shape
Is 2011 going to be the year when you start a fitness regime and stick to it? Glad to hear it. Our selection of more unusual ways to get fit should help you keep it going as well as giving you a new hobby!
Train for a triathlon or marathon
There’s running and then there’s running a marathon or doing a triathlon. There’s nothing more motivating than raising the stakes and having a target. Enlist some of your friends and you can help each other’s resolve by training together. And if you do it for charity you’ve got another reason to keep training. Consult websites like Runners World for suggested training programmes.
Karate
Flexibility, fitness, balance and strength are just a few of the benefits of this martial art. Ensure you are taught by a properly trained instructor by attending classes that are registered with the English Karate Federation.
Fencing
En garde! Fencing improves balance, flexibility and coordination while the constant lunging forwards and backwards tones the leg muscles. Find a class near you at British Fencing.
Paintball
Not just for office team-building days, paintballing is fun and the constant running around will improve your fitness – while giving you a real buzz!
Street dance
Make like Britain’s Got Talent’s Diversity and go to street-dancing classes for improved cardiovascular fitness, stamina, flexibility and all-over body toning. The moves you’ll learn will also help you make an impression on the dance floor! Visit Street dance for classes near you.
Trampolining
There are an astonishing amount of benefits to be had from jumping up and down including improved cardiovascular fitness while exerting little impact on your joints – and the kick you get out of doing it. There are also moves you can perfect in the air as you progress, such as bringing your knees to your chest, doing the splits in the air and even backflips.
Contact your local leisure centre to see if they offer trampolining classes.