what do you do for exercise that doesn't seem like exercise? [Archive]

curlygirl82

11-19-2008, 05:24 PM

they asked this question recently on renegade health, and i wanted to get your input, too. i'd like to start adding more movement into my day, but i want to make it FUN! It's gotten really cold here, so I'm not as motivated to get out and exercise - but I also don't want to shell out for a gym membership to go inside with fluorescent lighting and use machines. blech.
so.
what do you do?
hiking? yoga? dancing? capoeira? any ideas would be appreciated.

Eva

11-19-2008, 05:31 PM

Mmmm, my stepkids do capoeira and love it! I've tried it but we chose to only pay for lessons for the kids. I might do it when I'm in Brazil, though!

What about roller blading, ice skating, running on the beach, hiking in a scenic area, walking around a big city or scenic area, rebounding, sex. haha. That's all I have for now. :):eek:

spicyfull

11-19-2008, 05:41 PM

Revvell

11-19-2008, 07:12 PM

There's a thread here somewhere about primal play.

I use Indian clubs, iron clubs, medicine balls, go walking, skipping, hula hoop, dance nekkid in the sunroom, rebounding, kettlebells, Turbo Jam and anything else that comes to mind.

I don't consider gyms healthy anymore. When I went, t.v.'s were not blasting at you everywhere you look; we weren't concerned about the latest fashion other than if our weight belts supported our backs and our gloves fit..

Hard to find hard-core gyms like that now-a-days so, train and play at home!

Go to a playground and create your own movements. See how kids play there? join them and have FUN!

michigan roman

11-19-2008, 08:12 PM

- biking is fun to me

- and i keep a soccer ball in my vehichle and stop at unoccupied soccer or baseball fields and kick the soccer ball all around and run after it . i some times kick it as it lays on ground , but i really like throwing it up and kicking it as hard / far as i can like a punter because it kinda helps take frustrations out .

MelissaO

11-19-2008, 08:32 PM

When I do laundry for me and my husband I put each piece of clothing away one at a time (lots of back and forth from closet to bedroom.) If it is cold outside you can go to the indoor mall and walk in there several times - that is like a gym's lap track without the cost of membership. I also like to do work out tapes from the firm and windsor pilates.

Dimond

11-19-2008, 08:38 PM

Dancing! Aerobics! Any movement to fun music. Just move whatever way your body wants to.

carolg

11-19-2008, 08:41 PM

turbo kickboxing or turbojam.com same thing but one in gym, kick, other jam at home.
carolg

rawathlete

12-16-2008, 11:43 AM

I have to second dancing.
Also i enjoy pushups and situps and trying to see if I can do 1 more pushup than I did the day before.

I throw a frisbee with a friend, but obviously that requires a friend.

Veganforlife

12-16-2008, 11:48 AM

My Wii fit! LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

beckx

12-16-2008, 12:31 PM

i just started kuk sool won a couple weeks ago and love it... two hours later i'm wondering where the time went, and i'm usually sore for two days after a class so i know its not all fun and games. ;)

i also like yoga and pilates.

oh and 'in the groove'. its an arcade game that's kind of like dance dance revolution but better, and a really great workout once you get up in the higher levels.

freshlight

12-16-2008, 12:37 PM

I Dance Naked in My room an hour in the morning and an hour at night. I used to jog around the Rose Bowl about 4am and eventually I started walking. Dancing is SO much fun and I can do it anytime, anyway.

how cool's that! what a great idea.....and it's funny too :) I bet you laugh a lot as well, which is very healthy too :)

Dancing salsa is FUN,-try it everyone, it's grand!

cosmic glitter kitten

12-16-2008, 11:23 PM

dance, play with poi, jump rope, hula hoop, walking the lake at night with a friend, sit ups, pilates, free weights. Sometimes I'll climb a tree, especially if its to pirate some super sweet local organic fruit;) what? sometimes I pretend Im a deer...

when I REALLY dont have time to exercise...
I park far away from wherever Im going, even if its to get groceries. I pay attention to my body mechanics all the time too, if you keep your form its amazing how much exercise is involved in simple everyday tasks.

jurence

12-17-2008, 06:20 AM

when I get in shape I am SO going to do parkour. There are a lot of meetups here in Atlanta for them.

Parkour = free running. More of a sport than considered exercise.

rawstrength

12-17-2008, 09:17 AM

freshlight

12-17-2008, 09:48 AM

When we had a trampoline I loved bouncing on it. Now the trampoline is no more :( .

ask for one for Christmas :)

jacsam

12-17-2008, 10:23 AM

I walk, ride the bike and do yoga at the gym.....for years I've walked outside and enjoyed the cool air but it was always in the morning when it's still somewhat dark and now I love the gym because I don't have to worry about dogs....for some reason I'm a dog magnet. I still go for walks outside but it just for pure enjoyment, in the sunlight.

oai

12-17-2008, 10:52 AM

walk. i can walk forever. :) well, not forever. for a very long time.

Thick

12-17-2008, 11:23 AM

Listening to audiobooks while walking makes time go by so fast..and you look forward to your next session.

Taking my dog for a walk is so much easier than just making the time for myself. I have a lot of other things I need to do--but she needs me to take her out.

Let's see--

*cleaning out your garage
*helping a friend move
*volunteering at your local nature center
*rollerskating
*walking around a place like sea world, the zoo etc with the kids
*gardening
*playing chase/tickle fighting
*offer to walk a neighbor's dog
*do outdoor chores for an elderly neighbor
*walking to a destination doesn't seem like exercise...like walking to the grocery or video store
*I used to love dancing before I learned to be ashamed of my body and the way it moves--still working on that one=)>

garden granny

12-17-2008, 11:24 AM

I go for long walks and/or jogs in a very scenic place. Sometimes turn on dance music, put the headphones on, and dance, the other night I danced for an hour & I couldn't believe an hour had passed (it was so fun). When it's warm, I ride my bike, & kayak.

Thick

12-17-2008, 11:56 AM

Really energetic nonstop ferocious housecleaning=)

rawlight

12-17-2008, 01:05 PM

I power walk everyday for an hour and do kundalini yoga several times a week, as well as go hiking when I can.

MelissaO

12-17-2008, 01:57 PM

Really energetic nonstop ferocious housecleaning=)

I did that yesterday - cleaned from top to bottom - our vaccum is one of those canister ones - had me working up a great sweat.

TanjaJo

01-01-2009, 10:24 PM

Hooping is definitely the best time I ever have exercising. According to my heart rate monitor, I burn just as many calories hooping as I do jogging on my treadmill.

Draginvry

01-01-2009, 10:40 PM

I practice le parkour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour).

curlygirl82

01-03-2009, 12:40 AM

Draginvry - parkours, huh? This keeps coming up for me in little synchronicities, so I'm very interested - details, please? Do you do this with a group/class, or just on your own? Any videos/websites you recommend?

Tanja - is that hula hooping?

Rawlight - I've been looking into kundalini yoga specifically, so it's cool that you mention it - I'd love your take on it, why you like it. I've done Iyengar and a little Hatha, but KY seems it could be great. I'm all ears!

Thanks, everyone. I'm really loving hearing about everything you do.

Azaria

01-03-2009, 01:29 AM

I'm keeping it simple these days. Walking, walking, walking. Usually around trees of some sort:) Up hill, down hill, flat land. It doesn't matter. You can't lose!

Draginvry

01-03-2009, 06:54 AM

Do you do this with a group/class, or just on your own?

On my own, mostly. I started by climbing around on the monkey bars and balance beams, and vaulting over tree stumps.

Any videos/websites you recommend?

None that are still around. Most communities are just a collection of self-proclaimed experts that repeatedly post ad nauseam about how you should never do high drops.

If you are looking for some good videos, you can probably yank some out of the Texas Parkour (http://www.texasparkour.com) site. They used to have a lot of stuff posted about strength training techniques and exercise schedules.

rsloan

01-03-2009, 11:50 AM

I love dancing, too. Gardening is great. Doing productive things like shovelling snow. Sometimes when I am at home I decide to only use the upstairs bathroom for the day, that way everytime I have to go, I make a trip up the stairs. Every little bit of movement counts.
When we had a trampoline I loved bouncing on it. Now the trampoline is no more :( .

That is such a good idea. When I built my house I put an office on top of the garage. My assistant was up and down the stairs a million times a day and really noticed a difference in her legs.

I LOVE to mt bike!! Ice skate in the winter and ski.... Even sledding is hard work ( as long as you are the one walking up the hill and not getting pulled!)

Jenifae

01-03-2009, 01:37 PM

I shovel Horse Poop in a wheel barrel that weighs about 100-150lbs by the time I'm dumping it. Hahaha.............Trim Horses Feet, Walk them, Train them. Talk about working up a sweat.

brydee

01-03-2009, 04:23 PM

My Wii fit! LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have to agree!
I have aload of gym equipment at home, rebounder etc but i find it borrrrring!
I would rather be outside or with others doing something fun, i dont find mundane repetitive exercises on gym equipment fun.
I dont want to think i like the idea of technology incorporated into exercise, but wii fit is keeping me fit! Also, i have yoga dvds but ended up getting bored because i couldnt do the exercises properly without a teacher or a HUGE mirror, i ended up straining myself and the wii fit has shouted at me when i have got the yoga wrong, or if i do something to fast or to slow or put to much weight onto a certain part of my body :D
When im not in the situation im in at the moment, the most fulfilling exercise i can do is horse riding or running with the dogs! also had a go and got the scooter to do dog scootering, but sadly one of my dogs is nearing 15 and the other one just hates it. Maybe in the future though!
If you enjoy gardening, that would be good exercise, depending on what your doing.

brydee

01-03-2009, 04:26 PM

I practice le parkour (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour).

WOW:D i always wondered what that was called, how does one learn such a thing? i can imagine if i did it i would end up impaled in a ditch

eatyourbroccoli

01-03-2009, 08:09 PM

snowboard!! :D

Draginvry

01-03-2009, 08:12 PM

how does one learn such a thing?

As carefully as possible.

You start with what you can do, and work your way up to what you can't do. I started with vaulting over couches, to vaulting over small walls, to vaulting over picnic tables.

It's all about strength and balance. The more strength you have, and the better you know how to use it, the more things you can do. If you can't jump a four foot gap, then jump three foot. If you can't do a circle up, then train pull-ups.

Stick to the basics. Train iso, then plyometric, and focus on movements last. Most people make the mistake of focusing on movement first, and they try to do vaults or drops that their body isn't strong enough to sustain.

TanjaJo

01-04-2009, 11:39 PM

Curlygirl82...yes, hula hooping. I made a whole bunch of "adult sized" hoops last summer. Lots of fun colors. It's a great way to just enjoy your music. If interested, check this out... www.hooping.org and you can see lots of archived videos and stories. I also have a lot bookmarked on YouTube. Check them out! It's fun. I've found lots of neat tunes to add to my MP3 player from watching those videos.

Jenifae

01-05-2009, 12:44 AM

Wow, I really liked that Hula Hooping. That video on the website was Awesome and Inspiring. I think I wanna Hula Hoop.

:D

Lady Green Jeans

01-05-2009, 12:47 AM

Lately I've been wanting long, fast walks which is heart healthy. Also decided not to renew my gym membership, too. Did purchase two DVDs for yoga which I find quite grounding.

Have also recently discovered my outdoor quad skates in the garage, so will be busting out for some adventure there. Dancing gets my vote, too. Saturday night finds me ballroom and swing dancing--loads of fun and have met lots of new friends.

What activities have you enjoyed in the past? Maybe build on your interests as that will maybe prove to be the most fun for you.

Draginvry

01-05-2009, 05:33 AM

What activities have you enjoyed in the past? Maybe build on your interests as that will maybe prove to be the most fun for you.

In the past I used to like to do a lot of bouldering (rockclimbing). But the creek I used to explore has long since become overgrown with foliage.

I suppose I could take a machete down there and clear a path. That would be a workout of its own.

nukonuko

01-05-2009, 06:08 PM

OneBite@aTime

01-05-2009, 09:16 PM

yoga...it may be work, but I get so much out of it (mental health) that even though it takes work, I don't have to force myself to do it!

Draginvry

01-06-2009, 01:53 AM

If you live near Aldi food store check out the rebounder for $ 39.99 I got one its great

I used to love to jump on a trampoline when I was a child. It's probably one of the most fun sensations of all time, and it's low impact.

A rebounder is a really good idea.

Jenifae

01-06-2009, 11:50 AM

Dancing............I used to Dance all the time.....I think I will get back to that....and maybe take the horses for walks :)

AutumnBreezColordLeavz

01-06-2009, 12:01 PM

Recreational bicycling, around the subdivision or the country side, just go play like your a kid. You could even build a small ramp and learn to play again.
Play with your kids in the neighborhood if they are out there already, you will see an element of surprise in their eyes.

When my son (14) is out on his rip stick or skateboard I will sometimes get my bike out and ride around. Sometimes we go on rides together. If you have bike paths or trails you can spend hours just riding for the sake of riding.

(Warning- you may have to ride often before riding long period to keep from getting saddle sore:eek:, that goes away anyway with time:D .)

Lady Green Jeans

01-06-2009, 10:55 PM

Jenifae,

I cannot believe I did not list dancing. Every Saturday night I am dancing swing and ballroom and Monday nights finds me at lessons to improve my style. Really did not consider it exercise as it is absolutely my most fun of the week activity.

Jenifae

01-07-2009, 12:58 AM

Lady Green Jeans, How Kewl! Its so fun you don't even consider it exercise, that's great! Dancing is excellent exercise. You work all your muscles.

brydee

01-09-2009, 02:34 PM

Cool! thanks for that, is there any reading i can find on it? or anything on the internet? that may help.

rawdeedah

01-11-2009, 06:18 PM

it's a video form of the class that is held in Santa Monica. Wish I had gone to the real class when I lived around the corner from the place! But it's fun... you get to just let loose and it's got kind of a guided meditation to go along with it.