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Combining Exercise With Other Activities
Do you struggle to find the time to exercise? Or perhaps you simply find exercise dull? By combining exercise with other daily activities, it can be easier to fit it into your lifestyle and you may find it more rewarding. Here are just a few ways in which you can integrate exercise into your daily schedule.
Sports
If you regularly take part in a sport, you may already be getting in some of your weekly exercise. This could be anything from swimming to football to martial arts. Sports have a competitive element to them that can often help people to push themselves to their physical limits. This could be more effective than a workout down the gym in some cases. If you only take part once per week, you may be able to supplement this exercise by doing some extra sports training in your own time. For instance, if you play basketball, doing exercises for vertical jump and lunges could constitute as sports training and exercise. You’ll be staying physically fit and you’ll improve your ability in your sport.
Listening to music
A lot of people listen to music while exercising. It can help to set a rhythm and it can give you something else to focus on to prevent you getting bored. A workout could even be a chance to discover new music by trying out new playlists and listening to new album while you train. Cordless headphones or ear buds could make this easier. When it comes to most forms of exercise, upbeat music tends to be more appropriate, however slower and more calming music could still be combined with static exercises and meditative exercises such as yoga.
Watching TV
You could also get in your weekly exercise while catching up on the latest TV shows. There are lots of exercises that you can do in front of the TV. Static exercises such as the plank can be great for working out your core. Meanwhile, you can also do squats, lunges and push-ups in front of the TV. You can even integrate the couch to help do tricep dips and elevated push ups among other exercises. Some people even buy home gym equipment such as treadmills and exercise bikes – you can place these in front of the TV and watch movies or even play video games (the latter may not be so possible on a treadmill, but certainly could be done on an exercise bike).
Housework
It’s also possible to combine your workout with housework. Many cleaning jobs around the home can be physically intensive and you can alter them to make them an even more effective form of exercise. For instance, while hoovering, you can try incorporating some lunges, as well as getting in some heavy lifting by moving furniture to clean behind. You may also be able to integrate squats while cleaning windows or scrubbing bathroom tiles. In most cases, it can simply be an effective form of anaerobic exercise. At the same time, you’ll be more spurred on to do a thorough job while cleaning, allowing you to tackle those cleaning tasks that you may not otherwise take on.
Gardening
Gardening and landscaping can also be a great workout. Digging, planting and weeding can all be physically exertive tasks that help burn calories and build muscles. Consider taking on regular projects in you backyard such as planting new shrubs, replacing fencing or even digging out a pond. Even regular maintenance of your backyard could be enough to work up a sweat (make things more of a workout by opting for a push-along mower).
Playing with kids
If you’ve got kids, simply playing games with them could be a way of getting in some regular exercise. Lifting and carrying kids can be a great form of strength training exercise – this could include piggybacks and play wrestling. Games that involve running around meanwhile can be great cardiovascular workouts. You can also play sports with your kids or you can try family activities like walking or cycling. This could be a way of combining exercise and time with your kids.
Dancing
Dancing is a great form of aerobic exercise – it gets the heart rate up and gets multiple muscles working. If you love to dance, you could consider joining a dance club. This could give you a reason to regularly dance and keep yourself physically active, while allowing you to improve your dancing skills. Alternatively, you could just go clubbing to get your weekly workout in (just be wary that alcohol and exercise aren’t always the best mix for achieving workout results).
Your commute
It could be possible to get some exercise in on your way to and from work. If you only have to commute a short distance, consider whether walking or taking a bike could be an alternative to driving.If you have to take the car, consider whether it’s possible to leave early and park up a little further from your workplace so that you’re encouraged to walk the last stretch. Exercising on your commute into work could have the dual benefit of energising you for the day of work ahead, helping your mind to be clearer and making it easier to concentrate.
SexSex can also be a fun way to get some exercise into your day. There’s even a workout program called sexercise that explores this. If you and your partner have both been trying to get more exercise into your lives, this is certain to be an exciting way of achieving this.
