If you’re fed up with doing the same boring routine at the gym week after week, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are other ways of getting fit. London has recently become home to a number of wild and wacky new sports, including hydrofit and zorbing football. There are also many well-known sports that may not have crossed your mind, such as ice skating and trampolining. Here are some alternative ways to exercise in London that do not involve a gym:
Ice Skating
If you’ve watched ice skaters on shows like “Dancing on Ice” and wished that you could be as graceful as them why not try skating yourself? Ice skating works on your balance, strengthens the muscles in your legs and improves your cardiovascular fitness, all while burning up to 500 calories an hour.
There are plenty of skating rinks open all year round in London, such as Alexandra Palace, Queens, Streatham and Lee Valley.
Pole Dancing
Contrary to popular belief, pole dancing or “pole fitness” is not just about flaunting your body. It is surprisingly hard work to lift your bodyweight while trying to keep a grip on the pole and does wonders for your entire body by toning muscles and increasing your strength. Since classes are typically women-only you may not feel as self-conscious as you would in a gym.
Trampolining
This is one of the few forms of exercise that you may actually look forward to.
Who wouldn’t want to bounce up and down for hours on end? There are plenty of locations across London where adults can participate in this childhood favourite for as little as £5, such as Oxygen Freejumping, which has parks in Acton and Croydon; Jump Giants near Heathrow, and Flip Out in Brent Cross and Wandsworth.
You can also buy a mini trampoline to use at home if you have space and don’t want to be surrounded by screaming kids.
Hydrofit
Hydrofit is a fairly recent craze that started in New York and Paris and has also proved popular in London. This unique form of exercise involves stationary cycling while submerged in a mini pool of water. It may sound strange but hydrofit is a surprisingly effective form of exercise with no impact making it perfect for people recovering from injuries. Classes are available in Chelsea and Battersea.
Zorbing Football
This is quite a bizarre form of exercise. It’s like football except you’re wearing a giant plastic bubble which covers your head and upper body. Zorbing football does not require much skill so it is perfect for groups of friends who may be at different fitness levels.
The game can be played either indoors or outdoors and is a fun way to burn some calories.
Barre
Barre combines ballet, yoga and Pilates with weight training. It promises to lengthen your muscles, make you look taller and reduce stress. You’ll also become more supple after you’ve taken a handful of barre classes. You might be looking and feeling like a ballerina in no time.
Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) Yoga
SUP Yoga involves stretching and balancing on a paddleboard while floating on water. It can be tricky at first but the fear of falling in the water will encourage you to stay on the board. SUP Yoga is a great way to get some fresh air if you’ve been stuck inside at work all day. Pure Yoga Zone holds sessions at Paddington Basin and Kew Bridge from £20 for an hour while Active360 also runs classes at these two locations and elsewhere.
Nordic Walking
If you enjoy walking but fancy something a bit different it might be worth checking out Nordic walking. This fitness trend originated in Scandinavia and involves walking long distances using specially designed poles. The purpose of the poles is to ensure that you get a full body workout by targeting your upper body rather than just your legs.
Nordic walking also improves your posture and stability, just like Barre and SUP Yoga. You can buy poles online or in a sports shop and go it alone or join one of the many Nordic walking groups that are dotted around the city.
by Elle Linton
The post Fitness: Alternative Ways to Get Fit in London appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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