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Exercise
should not be a chore, but all too often it becomes a burden in
our lives, rather than a fun activity. Exercise can be healthy,
social and fun all at the same time! Cardio workouts aren’t
limited to running or riding a bike, and don’t have to be
confined to a gym. For the days that you don’t workout at a
fitness centre, there are a variety of ways to increase cardio
without getting bored or having to venture far from home.
Jumping rope
Start hopping! Jumping rope can burn 200 calories in fifteen
minutes, which is as many or more calories than running. To get
started, you need a rope that is the correct length. When you
stand with both of your feet on the middle of the rope and pull
the rope up straight up, it should come up to your armpits.
Don’t try to jump high, just try to maintain a steady pace. If
you’re worried about joint health, then you will feel comforted
to hear that jumping rope is easier on your knees and hips than
running because you land on the balls on your feet.
Stairs
Try to avoid elevators and add some cardio in your everyday life
by taking the stairs. A person who takes five minutes up the
stairs to their office and five minutes to get back down, burns
75 calories on the round trip.
Running and Walking
Running or walking can be enjoyable and relaxing, especially if
you combine the activity with listening to your favorite music
or walking with a friend. Thirty minutes of walking at a
moderate pace can burn 120 calories and running at a moderate
pace can burn 400 calories. Always running the same route can
get monotonous though and quickly turn a fun experience into a
bore. To maintain your motivation, check out new places to run,
walk, hike or even rock climb near where you live. There are
also many indoor rock climbing facilitates which are fun and
safe. Rock climbing can burn 250 in twenty minutes.
Ultimate Frisbee
All you need is a Frisbee and some family members or friends to
join! The number of calories expended while playing this game
depends on how active you are in the game so try your best. If
you play for thirty minutes, you can burn almost 300 calories.
Sports
There are a number of different sports that don’t require a full
team, and the fewer people there are to cover an area, the more
running and greater cardio workout you will achieve. Enjoy
swimming or water workouts in your neighbourhood pool, play
tennis or basketball with one or more friends, start a friendly
game of soccer, ride a bike alone or race a friend. Enjoying
these sports for an hour can burn up to 600 calories, depending
on the level of exertion.
Dancing
Have you ever wished that you could move as gracefully as those
on Dancing with the Stars? Pick a partner and sign up for
dance classes in your area. You may want to try out ballroom
dancing, flamenco, jazz, salsa, swing, tango, hip hop or a
sampler of many different types. If you don’t have time for a
formal class, just turn on your favorite music and dance around
your house. Either way, dancing is exercise in disguise burning
about 300 calories an hour.
***All calorie estimates were calculated for an individual
weighing 68kg.
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