Fun Physical Activities to Improve Health: Enjoy Ways to Get Fit!
7 min readAre you looking for fun physical activities to improve your health? If so, you’re in luck! There are many different ways to get fit and have fun at the same time. In this blog post, we will discuss various fun ways to get fit. Whether you are looking to improve your cardiovascular health or just have some fun, we have the perfect activity for you! So what are you waiting for? Read on to learn more!
- Know when to start
- Identify your fitness style
- Decide on your health goals
- Tips on choosing your physical activities
- Different Fun Physical Activities
Know when to Start
So, you’ve decided to build physical activity into your daily life. Good on you! The next step is to choose the right kind of activity for you. The essential thing to remember is to pick an activity that you like. Look for a form of exercise that you might enjoy doing. What is your favorite pastime? Individually or with others? If your preferred activity isn’t a good fit for your habits or lifestyle, you’re more likely to abandon your health-improvement effort.
Before starting any new physical activity program, see your doctor for advice, encouragement, and a medical check-up. If you are over 40, overweight, haven’t exercised in a long time, or have a chronic medical condition, this is quite crucial.
Pre-exercise screenings are used to identify individuals who may be at risk of developing a health issue during physical activity due to a medical condition. It’s a filter or “safety net” that helps you evaluate whether the anticipated advantages of the activity outweigh the potential risks for you.
Identify your fitness style.
Some issues you may like to consider include:
- Exercising alone – are you self-motivated to exercise regularly? If so, this is a good option, especially if your busy schedule prevents you from planning a regular time to be active every day.
- Training buddy – you may be more likely to commit to a good workout and physical activity routine if you do it with someone else because you don’t want to let your training buddy down.
- Team sports and group physical activity programs – organized activities offer the chance to widen your social circle. Make your workout routine for the whole family!
- Mixing it up – some people like to combine two or three options. For example, you may choose to exercise alone on two or three days of the week, train with a buddy or participate in a team sport on a couple of the other days.
Decide on your health goals.
While any physical activity is good for you, different physical activities offer different results. Deciding your health goals will steer you towards the right activity intensity for you. For example, weight-bearing activities such as walking, running, weight training, or cycling are good choices for weight management because they help burn calories.
Tips on choosing your physical activity
If you can’t think of anything, pick something easy for you to do. Choose an activity that you like and fits into your schedule. The following are some ideas:
- Pick an indoor activity if you’re sensitive to temperature fluctuations, such as heat or cold.
- The key to keeping to an exercise routine is enjoyment. Choose a sport you enjoy rather than one you feel is ‘healthy.’
- Take a moment to recall. Did you enjoy a particular physical activity as a youngster, such as a playground obstacle course, monkey bars, cycling, or basketball? There are so many different styles; give these fun ways another try.
- Keep your budget in mind. Physical activities such as ice skating, skiing, horseback riding, or sailing may need significant financial investment. Know if you have a similar activity that can give you the same health benefits.
- Make a realistic assessment of your present health and level of fitness. If you’re a beginner, the physical demands of certain activities (such as running) might be too much at first. Instead, try something gentler and work your way up.
Different Fun Physical Activities
Walking/running games
Walking or jogging around the neighborhood is simple and accessible, but lapping it may grow tiring. You may download several applications to make your stroll, go for a walk, or run into an adventure. Zombies, Run! is a game where you play the part of a person fleeing from zombies during a zombie outbreak. Geocaching games, such as Ingress or Pokémon GO, require you to engage with computerized symbols located in the real world.
Running is a weight-bearing activity, so it helps to build strong bones. It’s one of the best ways to increase your cardiovascular fitness and burns many calories. The need for equipment is minimal, although you should buy a good pair of running shoes.
Dance party
Martial Arts
Martial arts can help you defend and protect yourself, but there are several health and fitness benefits associated with them. Try martial arts activities like Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Kung-fu, or Jiujitsu to improve your strength conditioning, flexibility, agility, posture, weight, stamina, and mental health.
Gym membership or Home Workout routine
Most gyms stock a wide range of equipment and often offer classes such as aerobics or Pilates. Taking full advantage of your membership should give you plenty of opportunities to improve your all-around health and fitness, like having a weight room. Instructors should be on hand to help you use the equipment correctly and reduce your risk of injuries.
The downside is that gym memberships can be expensive, and gyms can be very busy at peak times, such as after work. Try building your home gym if you think you may feel embarrassed or intimidated working out in front of people! Exercising on home fitness equipment is ideal for housebound people (such as parents of small children) or for those who don’t wish to exercise outdoors or in gyms. You can also exercise while watching television or listening to music if you want to. Do push-ups and other physical challenges that train your core muscles with or without equipment! Either way will give you the same benefits.
Frisbee
Active games like frisbee are a fun exercise and a fantastic way for two people to burn calories and get some fresh air. Count how many times you can bounce the frisbee back and forth without dropping it, and make it more of a workout by requiring them to make you run for it.
Stair climbing
Taking the stairs instead of using an escalator or lift is fantastic for working for the larger muscle groups in your legs and glutes. At the same time, it might not seem like the most fun way to exercise. However, going up and down the stairs when feasible adds a lot of activity to each day. You may also join a stair climbing team as a competitor. If you get hooked, you can even go professional.
Rock climbing/Hiking
Swimming
Swimming is a low-impact activity. The water’s buoyancy protects you from injury because your body is supported. Swimming strokes work the body as a whole, but they focus on the muscles of the back, chest, and arms. Swimming is an excellent type of exercise for most individuals, especially those who are frail, elderly, or overweight.
Understand that swimming is a learned skill. You may need to take swimming lessons if you are a beginner. Swimming is not a weight-bearing activity, so unlike activities such as walking or running, you will not strengthen bones or burn as many calories.
Other Aerobic Activities
Aerobic activities make you breathe harder and healthier your heart and blood vessels. Enroll in a gym class for aerobic classes or do them yourself! Do water aerobics, cycling, use a mini trampoline, do jumping jacks, jumping rope, gardening activities, or play golf.
Want to feel better, have more energy, and even add years to your life? Just exercise. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex, or physical ability.
References:
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-physical-activity-fitness
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/30-ways-to-get-active-exercise-fun
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/physical-activity-choosing-the-one-for-you
https://medlineplus.gov/exerciseandphysicalfitness.html
https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/getting-fit-with-martial-arts.aspx
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389