Fitness disguised as fun gets the job done
By Lisa Snider 10/02/2008
The best kind of workout is the kind that requires the least personal resistance. Let’s face it: Sometimes the thought of going to the gym or getting on the treadmill can be totally off-putting. And that’s no fun. If you find yourself going through the motions, doing your time, and not looking forward to it, maybe it’s time to change up your routine and play a little. Here are a few ways to get in shape without the workout:
Tend your garden. Digging, lifting, raking, lunging, squatting — these are all activities that will shape, tone and burn calories. And give you a green thumb, too.
Walk the dog. Dogs are always happy, especially when they see the leash come out. A dog will usually want to trot along at a good clip, which will get your heart pumping, too. An hour alongside a wagging tail will do you good. Don’t have a dog? Offer to walk someone else’s.
Dance with the stars. Scott Patrick Wagner will tell you all about it, but why not try it for yourself? An hour lesson at the local Arthur Murray will give you a terrific aerobic workout while enhancing posture, coordination and balance. But you will be too busy having fun and feeling like a celebrity to notice.
Dance with a pole. Thanks, Thea, for the tip a few weeks back about pole dancing. I gave it a whirl, and what a blast! I sure felt it the next day. A one-hour class at StageLight Studios went by in a flash (dance) and reintroduced core muscle groups, despite all the giggling.
Climb a rock … or a wall. Vertical Heaven has a 30-foot wall and welcomes beginners to come for a climbing lesson. Climbing works muscles you don’t normally engage, from upper body, quads and calves, down to your fingertips and toes. I guarantee a couple of runs up the wall is all you will need to get a great workout. Just don’t look down!
Go tagging, laser tagging, that is. A thrilling 20-minute session at Lazerstar in Camarillo will have you ducking, tucking, rolling, running and saying things like, “Cover me,” while sweating, panting and having delirious fun.
Swirl a hula hoop. It’s all the rage, larger and weighted for adults. Indoors, or out, hooping is an effective workout without the gym; a hooper can burn 100 calories in just 10 minutes. Diana Lopez of BodyHoops offers classes for an all-encompassing conditioning program that incorporates exercise, meditation, dance and play.
Hike with friends, old and new. The Sierra Club offers a guided social urban hike every Wednesday night at 7 p.m., traversing from the Mission to the cross, the pier, the fairgrounds and back to downtown Ventura. It’s a 12-year tradition that gathers 25 to 100 people every week for exercise and camaraderie. After two hours of conversation and scenery, you will never know you just walked four and a half miles.
Lisa Snider is a local freelance writer. For more, go to www.LisaSnider.com.
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