Are you a student who's looking to get fit over the summer?
Summer is most students' favorite time of the year and it's not hard to see why. The summer months offer students some time to finally breathe without being suffocated by exams and huge amounts of school work. That's why summer is the perfect opportunity for students to lead a healthier lifestyle.
In this article, you'll find five fun and relatively easy ways to get fit this summer. What are you waiting for? Get up and start getting that summer body you dream of!
1. Go Hiking
Hiking is such a fun way to get in your steps for the day. Additionally, if you select a trail that has hills and amazing views, the scenic views will help to prevent boredom.
Hiking also offers you a way to get in sync with the Earth and can be very relaxing. In fact, spending time with nature is a form of therapy that is known by the Japanese phrase, Shinrin-yoku or "forest bathing."
Besides nature being therapeutic, beautiful, and a great way to get exercise, it's also completely free! You don't have to spend your hard earned money on a gym subscription to work out.
An awesome hiking tip is to keep in mind the weather of the day you're going hiking. If it's a hot summer day, make sure to select a trail that has a waterfall or anywhere you can go swimming to cool down. Don't forget to pack a bathing suit!
2. Play a Sport
Do you love watching football? What about soccer, or volleyball, or tennis?
Then you should definitely try playing the sports you love. To make it more fun, grab a pair of buds and play with them! You'll all have a blast all while engaging all your muscles in a fun workout.
You really don't have to go very far to do this. If you have the equipment needed (such as a baseball bat or a football), you can head outside and start playing. Other options include signing up to play a sport on a team with your local recreation center or gym.
If you do play a sport on a team, you aren't only getting physical benefits. According to an article by PHIT America, playing a team sport builds character, teamwork, and leadership skills. You learn to set goals and you actively work to achieve those goals and you learn skills that will be useful later on in life.
3. Go Dancing
What's slightly better than just listening to music? Dancing along!
A fun way to get your heart rate up is to take an organized dance class, like hip-hop, salsa, or Zumba. Those classes can be really fun and offer you the opportunity to meet new people.
If this isn't your style, then you can try watching YouTube videos and learning new dances. Just go to the search bar and enter "How to dance salsa." Tons of videos are bound to come up teaching you salsa steps.
The best part about this is that you can search for easy or intermediate videos and follow along. Then all you have to do is search for salsa music and let the rhythm take control.
I love dancing and will usually find myself dancing at least once a day. You don't have to be an expert in salsa or swing to dance. If you simply play songs that you love that have great beats, you should naturally begin to move to the rhythm.
Now if neither one of those options is your style, then you can just go for a night out with your friends. That can be just as much fun as long as you make sure you are moving.
4. Play a Video Game
But wait, aren't video games meant to be played while sitting down?
It's true, most of them are, but there are also many fun video games that require you to run, jump, and even dance.
It's time to break out the Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect and start exercising. Some of my personal favorite games include Dance Central 2 and Wipe Out. Both are interactive and can really help burn some calories all while having fun.
Another one of my favorite games for the Xbox Kinect is the Kinect Sports game. It's a fun game that allows you to play different sports from bowling and table tennis to football and skiing. Although the object of this game is leaned more towards having fun if you put in a lot of effort, you should burn a couple of calories.
5. Go Swimming
A summer favorite, swimming is a great way to burn off calories all while staying cool and having fun.
You don't have to go to the beach to go swimming. Check to see if you the local public pool is open or even if there is a local lake that's open for swimming.
You can even have the best of both worlds and play a sport or game while in a swimming pool. Sports such as volleyball and games like freeze tag or Marco Polo can be so much fun when played in a swimming pool.
According to a Complete Body blog post, swimming is the best exercise. It not only helps to build endurance and improves your lungs, but it's also a form of strength training and burns a ton of calories.
There are so many fun things you can do to stay active this summer. From playing all your favorite sports to going dancing with your best friends. The important thing is that you do it and have a blast.
