Are you a college student looking to get in shape over the summer?
Summer is most students’ favorite time and it’s not hard to see why. The summer months offer students some time to finally breathe without being smothered by exams and huge amounts of schoolwork. That is why summer is the perfect opportunity for students to lead a healthier lifestyle.
In this article, you’ll find five fun and relatively easy ways to get in shape this summer. What are you waiting for? Get up and start getting that summer body you crave!
1. Go hiking
Hiking is such a fun way to set yourself up for the day. Also, if you select a trail with hills and stunning views, the scenic views will help you avoid boredom.
Hiking also gives you a way to get in sync with the Earth and can be very relaxing. In fact, spending time with nature is a form of therapy known as Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” in Japanese.
Besides being therapeutic, beautiful and a great way to exercise, nature is also completely free! You don’t have to spend your hard-earned money on a gym membership to work out.
A great hiking tip is to keep the weather in mind the day you go hiking. If it’s a hot summer day, be sure to choose a trail that has a waterfall or anywhere you can go for a swim to cool off. Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit!
2. Play a sport
Do you like watching football? What about football, volleyball or tennis?
Then you should definitely try to practice the sports you enjoy. To make it more fun, grab a pair of headphones and play with them! You will all have fun while engaging all your muscles in a fun workout.
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You really don’t have to go very far to do this. If you have the necessary equipment (like a baseball bat or a soccer ball), you can go out and start playing. Other options include signing up to play a team sport with your local recreation center or gymnasium.
If you play a sport as a team, you don’t just get physical benefits. According to an article by PHIT America, playing a team sport builds character, teamwork, and leadership skills. You learn to set goals and you actively work towards those goals and you learn skills that will serve you well later in life.
3. Go dancing
What’s better than listening to music? Dance along!
A fun way to get your heart rate up is to take an organized dance class, such as hip-hop, salsa, or zumba. These classes can be really fun and give you the opportunity to meet new people.
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If that’s not your style, you can try watching YouTube videos and learning new dances. Just go to the search bar and enter “How to dance salsa”. Tons of videos are meant to teach you salsa steps.
The best part about it is that you can search for easy or intermediate videos and follow along. Then all you have to do is search for salsa music and let the beat take over.
I love to dance and usually find myself dancing at least once a day. You don’t need to be an expert in salsa or swing to dance. If you’re just playing songs that you like that have good beats, you should naturally start moving to the beat.
Now, if none of these options work for you, you can just hang out with your friends. It can be just as fun as long as you make sure you are moving.
4. Play a video game
But wait, aren’t video games meant to be played sitting down?
That’s right, most of them are, but there are also plenty of fun video games that require you to run, jump, and even dance.
It’s time to get out the Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect and start exercising. Some of my favorite games include Dance Central 2 and Wipe Out. Both are interactive and can really help burn calories while having fun.
Another of my favorite games for the Xbox Kinect is the Kinect Sports game. It’s a fun game that lets you practice different sports, from bowling and table tennis to football and skiing. Although the point of this game is more to have fun if you put in a lot of effort you should burn some calories.
5. Go swimming
A summer favourite, swimming is a great way to burn calories while staying cool and having fun.
No need to go to the beach to swim. Check if the local public swimming pool is open or even if there is a local lake open for swimming.
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You can even have the best of both worlds and play a sport or game in a swimming pool. Sports like volleyball and games like freeze tag or Marco Polo can be great fun when played in a pool.
According to a Complete Body blog post, swimming is the best exercise. It not only helps build endurance and improve your lungs, but it’s also a form of strength training and burns a ton of calories.
There are so many fun things you can do to stay active this summer. Whether it’s playing all your favorite sports or going dancing with your best friends. The important thing is that you do it and have a blast.
