Exercise is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that U.S. adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week for optimal health.
While traditional gym workouts can be monotonous and unexciting, outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking and road cycling with a folding electric bike provide challenging and engaging workouts that improve physical and mental health.
Get inspired to exercise this year with a helpful list of eight fun ways you can move your body to boost coordination and muscle tone and support a healthy lifestyle.
Hiking
Hiking is an excellent way to explore the natural world and get a good workout. It is a low-impact activity that people of all ages and fitness levels can do.
Hiking trails can vary in difficulty, from easy walks through scenic paths to challenging climbs up steep mountains. It engages a wide range of muscles throughout your body, including your legs, core and upper body, providing a full-body workout that can help increase your strength and endurance.
Hiking provides numerous physical and mental benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, increased strength and endurance, reduced stress and anxiety and improved cognitive function. It’s also a great way to connect with nature and spend time with friends and family.
Kayaking
Explore the nation’s stunning waterways and pristine coastlines on a kayak for a low-impact way to improve your overall fitness. Paddling through the water requires strength, endurance and balance, making it an excellent way to build muscle and enhance cardiovascular health.
There are numerous places across the U.S. to kayak, from lush mountain lakes in the Rockies to Cypress-lined rivers in the gulf. However, there are a few safety tips to consider before you hit the water. Always wear a personal flotation device, research the tides, weather and currents of your kayaking location and consider kayaking with a buddy.
Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is a thrilling and adventurous way to explore nature and challenge yourself physically. Mountain biking trails range from easy and beginner-friendly to challenging and technically demanding, providing something for everyone. The combination of pedaling, maneuvering through rocky terrain and navigating tight turns and steep descents engages your lower body, core and upper body muscles, including your legs, glutes, abs and arms.
Introducing electric mountain bikes has made the sport more accessible to people of all fitness levels, allowing riders to enjoy longer, more challenging rides. Electric mountain bikes assist the rider with pedaling, making uphill climbs and long rides more manageable.
Whether you prefer a traditional mountain bike or an electric one, mountain biking is an exhilarating and rewarding activity that will keep you coming back for more.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing requires strength, focus and determination and engages the arm, back, core and leg muscles for a complete workout.
Rock climbing can be indoors or outdoors, with various routes and difficulties. Indoor climbing gyms provide a controlled and safe environment for beginners to learn and practice, while outdoor climbing offers a more natural and challenging experience.
Rock climbing also provides mental benefits, such as improved problem-solving skills, self-confidence and focus. It is an excellent way to challenge yourself physically and mentally.
Cyclocross
Cyclocross is a fast-paced, thrilling sport that combines cycling with off-road terrain and obstacles. It is a high-intensity workout that improves cardiovascular health, leg strength and endurance. Cyclocross races are typically short, lasting 30 to 60 minutes and consist of multiple laps around a course with various obstacles, such as steep hills, mud pits and barriers.
While most participants use CX or cross bikes, you can also use a modified road bike to tackle the varying terrain. Power-assisted bikes can make the sport more accessible for beginners, allowing riders to tackle more challenging courses with less effort. Electric bikes have higher torque, providing you with the additional power you need to climb steep hills and navigate rough terrain more easily.
Boxing
Boxing is a high-intensity workout that requires strength, speed and agility. It involves a combination of punches, footwork and defensive techniques, providing a full-body workout that improves cardiovascular health, endurance and muscle tone.
Boxing can be a competitive sport or a fitness activity, with many gyms offering boxing classes or training sessions. It also provides mental benefits such as increased focus, self-confidence and stress relief. The sport is a great way to challenge yourself physically and mentally while learning self-defense skills and improving overall fitness.
Road Cycling
Road cycling is an ideal activity for urban and rural settings that provides cardiorespiratory benefits and improves leg strength and endurance. Road cycling refers to riding a bicycle on paved roads over long and short distances. The activity can be done solo or with friends and you can use different bikes, such as electric city bikes, for a varied riding experience.
While many people use manual bikes for cycling, electric city bikes provide an extra power boost to help with pedaling, making commuting and leisurely rides more enjoyable. If you plan on cycling a long distance or have physical limitations, an e-bike can help you get out and exercise.
You can purchase a refurbished electric bike for an affordable price to enjoy the freedom and speed of cycling.
Paintballing
Paintballing is an exciting activity that involves using a marker gun to shoot paintballs at opponents. This activity involves running, squatting, jumping and other physical movements with rest periods or light walking. These movements make paintballing a great high-intensity workout that can benefit your cardiovascular health, agility and coordination.
You can paintball in indoor or outdoor arenas, with various game scenarios and team sizes. It is a fun and engaging way to spend time with co-workers, friends and family while also promoting teamwork and strategic thinking.
Get Out and Get Moving
There are numerous fun and exciting ways to exercise and stay active throughout the year. From the exhilaration of reaching a mountain peak to the peacefulness of gliding through calm waters, outdoor activities provide people of all fitness levels an opportunity to exercise.
No matter what activity you choose, get your body moving and experience the health benefits regular exercise offers.
