Five ‘Out Of The Box’ Ways To Get Fit

You know, and we know, that Granite Fitness is always active in championing the active lifestyle, especially for those of us who want to lose weight, get fit, and stay fit. From first selling Resistance Band sets to creating the Granite Fitness Masterclass, everything that we do is geared towards this outcome. Today, we’ll be creative and going ‘out of the box’. As such, we have invited health enthusiast Samantha Olivier from Ripped.Me to share her creativity on this guest post. Here goes:

When you think about losing weight and toning your body, do you dread the unavoidable pain and suffering of hours spent at the gym? Do you perchance even start thinking up various excuses for missed training sessions in advance, because you know you’ll need them? Fortunately for those who aren’t so crazy about lifting iron or the treadmill, there are less conventional, but equally powerful ways to get and stay fit.

One: Bring out your inner Tarzan

Although it’s been all the rage for quite some time now, parkour hasn’t weakened in popularity all across the globe, and for a few excellent reasons. It requires exceptional endurance, strength and mobility, and it boosts your problem-solving skills, as it pushes you to think of solutions in a matter of moments.

You can change your surroundings any time, practice it with a team or on your own, perfect it with the help of isolated exercises and always aim for new heights – figuratively and literally. Since it’s a very demanding full-body routine, you’ll get in shape while having plenty of fun running all over the city, practicing insane movements gymnasts would applaud.

Two: The dance of the brave and the bold

Not a huge fan of typical dance lessons, plus you’re more of a one-(wo)man show? Then pole dancing should be next on your fitness list! Not at all limited to the ladies, this challenging full-body workout is bound to test your abilities and build your physique.

It involves numerous stretching exercises from yoga and mobility work every gym bro would envy, while lifting your body off the ground with nothing more than your hands is a surefire way to increase your upper body and core power. But fear not, your legs won’t have a picnic either, as you’ll have to learn complex choreographies involving your lower body and mix them into stunning choreographies.

Three: Hit the streets the old-school way

If you want a workout where you don’t even feel that you’re making an effort due to the sheer levels of fun, pick your skateboard and find your nearest skate park to practice some new stunts. In case you’re skeptical about the benefits of skateboarding, you’ll be surprised by your sore muscles, as you’ll feel pain in areas you didn’t even know existed.

This complex activity keeps your body active the whole time, increases your balance and cardiovascular endurance, while helping you build strength the more you try to incorporate difficult stunts and movements. Grab your new mini cruiser, a spare t-shirt and a bottle of water, and you’re only a ride away from your favorite workout routine.

Four: George, watch out for that tree!

Whether you’re into a low-key version of outdoor activities such as hiking, or a more hardcore type like biking through the woods, there is a whole spectrum of wilderness-based physical activities to get your heart and lungs pumping in no time. Spending time in nature has many benefits for your body and your mind, but you can turn it into quite a challenge both alone and with your fitness buddies.

Outdoor obstacle races, biking, running, canyoning or mountain climbing, these are all incredible endeavors for nature-lovers who also need to work on their fitness levels. Some courses resemble military training, others are slow-paced but equally tough, so you can take your pick and embrace your wild spirit in order to get lean, strong and buff.

Five: Fight to get fit

A perfect method for relieving stress and an incredible exercise scheme for your entire body, many martial arts are powerful both for weight-loss and strength-gains. Just imagine Bruce Lee and his sculpted physique, and you’ll need little added inspiration to pick your battle.

Some focus on the lower body, such as Taekwondo, while others primarily utilize upper body power, such as boxing, but each and every one of them is a complete system that helps you reach your fitness potential. Flexibility, balance, core strength, self-defense skills, chiseled muscles and top-notch endurance are some among the many perks of fighting in the name of fitness.

Jonesing for a ripped look will not get you too far if you’re not ready to invest some good old blood, sweat and tears, in or outside a gym. Test out a few options, find the one that resonates with your inner fitness freak, and create a schedule and a system to beat those extra pounds and reach your fitness goals as soon as humanly possible.

Once again, thanks to Samantha for this guest post, which is her third guest post on this blog – she’s becoming a regular here now, so don’t forget to check out her blog called Ripped.Me by clicking on the image below. Cheers!

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Also published on Medium.