4 Unconventional Workouts to Try This Year
By Brandi Goodman
A daily workout routine is a good idea because it helps keep you motivated to get in exercise each day. However, just because it's routine doesn't mean it has to be the same. Sticking with the same timeframe and warm-up is enough to make it a pattern, but you can try some other workout options so you aren't getting bored with the same exact program.
Dance
This isn't all that unconventional, but it may not be what you first think of when hearing the word "workout." Get up and dance in your living room to your favorite tunes and you'll be burning more calories than you realize. It's an easy way to exercise without ever really feeling as though you are.
Use Your Furniture
The furniture in your home provides plenty of exercise opportunities. Place your feet on the floor and your arms behind you on your couch. Lower your arms for a few seconds and raise yourself back up. These tricep dips can really get your arm muscles burning -- no equipment required. Balance yourself on your bar stools for a plank. Sit on a chair and hold the edges as you squeeze your ab muscles and do leg lifts. There are so many options everywhere.
Do Heavy Lifting
Weights aren't necessary for you to lift. Have a spare tire in your garage? Are there any fallen tree limbs in the yard? Anything heavy you can find inside or outside of the house works great for heavy lifting exercises. You may come across circumstances in real life where you need to use your strength to get things out of the way. Why not work out with them now and get some practice?
Buy Battle Ropes
You could jump rope and hula hoop to get your exercise in. Those are some fun options you may have done as a kid that still hold today. You can kick it up a notch by buying battle ropes. These are heavyweight ropes that you can use to enhance your arm muscles and boost your heart rate. You'll have to work hard to move each side of the rope and get it jumping.
These unconventional workouts can really help you tone your body and get exercise in a unique way. You don't have to stick with the same exact motions every single time you exercise. In fact, doing so will not allow your muscles to be trained to their full capabilities. You need to change things up here and there so you can make the most of your workouts and really target every single muscle within your body.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Pinole, Calif.