Types of Exercise
Running isn’t for everyone. But everyone needs to be a little bit active every day. Here are some ideas for activities for all ages and abilities that count towards your Every Day Active fitness journey.
EASY EXERCISES
Easy in terms of intensity, these exercises can be taken at your own pace and get you up and moving as opposed to out of breath. Stretching and strength training are a big part of lower intensity activities and if you’re finding them too, well, easy, you can always step them up a gear to make yourself out of breath and into a moderate workout.
Dancing
From a simple line dance to a full body jumping rave, put on your favourite tunes and get moving.
Frisbee
Good for hand/eye coordination, if your partner is a) rubbish aim or b) being a bit mean, you might have to run a bit to catch it, but otherwise this could be a good upper body workout for the less mobile
Rambling/hiking/orienteering
A good walk is good for the soul, and your body, especially if you make it more interesting with undulating cliff paths or meandering rural routes. You’ll lose track of time while orienteering and before you know it, that’s a four hour walk done.
Dog walk
See, you already do more than you give yourself credit for but maybe take a longer route, or choose the hill instead of the shortcut.
Yoga/Pilates
Particularly good for core strength and flexibility, yoga and pilates help you move more easily so are good training for those not quite ready for cardio, or alongside other workouts to improve your stability.
Hula Hoop
Once you get the knack this is great fun and strengthens your core without getting you out of breath. You will notice the workout the next day!
Bowling
Fun for all the family, this takes strength, precision and control so without even realising your social is a part of being Every Day Active.
Housework
A chore to some, but you’ll be pleased to hear you’re actually killing two birds with one stone because hardcore hoovering definitely counts towards your fitness goals.
Shopping
Carrying heavy bags while walking at least 10,000 steps is a workout in anyone’s books.
MODERATE EXERCISES
Medium intensity activities such as weight training or endurance. We should all aim to accumulate around 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week to be fit and healthy. These activities increase your heart rate and cause you to break a sweat, being out of breath but still able to talk.
Gardening
Digging and weeding are known for being back-breaking jobs for good reason, but half an hour pushing a lawn mower is also considered moderate exercise.
Paintballing
Running around avoiding a slightly more painful than you were expecting that is loads of fun and you don’t realise how tired it made you until you’re celebrating your victory that evening.
Rollerskating
The overall effort of trying to stay upright is great for core strength and stability. If you’re new to it, you will feel the toll on your ankles and legs just from staying balanced, let alone any workout you get from actually skating a distance.
Mountain biking
Riding a bike is a low impact activity that gives a great workout to your leg muscles; just think how out of breath you get cycling up a hill!
Trampolining
Not just a kid’s game, there are actual keep fit classes that make use of the humble trampoline. Much more fun than a treadmill.
Doubles tennis
As you’ve only a quarter of a court to cover, this only counts as moderate activity, no matter how hard you smash those volleys.
Volleyball
There shouldn’t be that much running around, just enough leaps and jumps to get you out of breath and leave you with a smile on your face.
Lap swimming
A gentle float around is easy, keeping up the laps makes it into the moderate category, even on a breaststroke (butterfly is definitely vigorous!).
Manual wheelchair
If you don’t have use of your legs, using a manual wheelchair to get around is a fitness workout. Combining your chair with other sporting activities would easily take you into the vigorous category.
Water aerobics
Easier on the joints, this is a great activity for the less mobile and elderly, taking the pressure off joints and letting you be mobile without having to fight your body weight.
MODERATE EXERCISES
When you’re in the mood to really go for it, high intensity activities where speed and effort both come into play should be undertaken in short bursts with rest in between. Otherwise you might hurt yourself.
Boxercise
Exercise with all the fun of punching! Aerobic workouts are focused around the art of boxing to create a fun but intense gym session.
Racing (5mph run, >10mph bike)
Any competitive edge will get the heart racing, so whether you’re running or cycling, making it into a race will up the ante and turn your jog into a sprint.
Chopping wood (winter is coming)
Surprisingly hard work! Heavy gardening and labouring of any kind can really get you hot and sweaty so if your day job is manual, you’re probably quite fit.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
Short bursts of really hitting the exercise hard for a sustained period followed by much needed downtime followed by hitting it hard followed by resting. Phew.
Competitive sports
Basketball, singles tennis and the like where you’re running around chasing a ball in order to win is going to give you a high intensity workout.
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