Fitness by Jennifer Cox UNIQUE WAYS TO GET EXERCISE THAT YOU MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT OF Tap dancing People who love music and socializing with other like-minded people should seek out a tap-dance class! Once you get those tap shoes on, you won’t be able to hold back tipping and tapping across that dance floor. Even if you have never put on a pair of tap shoes, beginners as well as experts can find a place in a tap-dancing class. Tap dancing helps with some cardiovascular conditioning, as well as improving strength, flexibility and co-ordination. It will build up leg and foot muscles, and could also help with flexibility in the ankles, knees and hips. Metal detecting Yep, hunting for buried treasure is a fantastic way to stay in shape (and maybe find a few gold coins too!). You can rent a metal detector from certain beachfront companies, or buy one (if you so desire), and then it’s time to hit the beach. As you walk up and down the shore “detecting,” you’ll be getting in some cardiovascular activity while enjoying the crash of the waves and salty sea air. Tone your muscles and decrease stress, plus, you never know what you’ll discover beneath the sand’s surface. Flying kites A childhood pastime that provides great benefits for adults later in life, kite flying will get you moving (and may just incite some giggles too, as you have lots of fun watching your kite cut through the air). Kites that are more simply designed will require less work to fly them, meaning that you’ll just need a quick sprint to get them up and then some simple cardio (walking or jogging) to keep ‘em going. More intricate kites could require two hands to control them, meaning that you’ll need a bit more muscle strength to keep a handle on them. However, that also means more physical benefits for you. Forza (Japanese sword fighting) We’re guessing that you’ve never heard of this, however, it’s catching on across the country and beyond as a unique and exciting way to get some exercise. This is a workout for your core that is based on samurai swordship, but don’t worry: you won’t be working with actual swords. Instead, most classes use a broomstick or wiffle-ball bat for their classes. Engaging and definitely out of the ordinary, this form of exercise will have you coming back for more and more (and, you can really battle that bulge!). Hula Hooping Sure, you spent hours playing with your hula hoop as a kid, and now you can “play” again. Hula hooping is a tremendous way of staying in shape, as it burns approximately seven calories per minute and it works out that ticker! It also helps to strengthen your core and improve flexibility. So get out that plastic loopy loop and start hula-ing! We all know how important it is to stay physically fit. But not all of us are wired to go to the gym (regularly), or to seek out exercise on our own (with a home gym). Sometimes, we need something else to inspire us to do something physical, something that we find fun, exciting or challenging. So here are a few unique ways to get exercise – and these are definitely not your “conventional” activities. 40 | www.snowbirds.org
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