Top 10 Ways to get 30 minutes of Physical activities

When you were a kid, you moved your body while playing; you didn’t think about exercising. Swinging from the monkey bars, running around the park and playing soccer with friends were par for the course of an active childhood.

If as an adult the thought of breaking a sweat breaks your spirit, it might be time to think about fun ways you can get active, just like you’re a kid again.  Below is a list of activities that will get your heart pumping and add a bit of fun into your schedule at the same time.

Ready, set, play!

Walking/running games

Walking/running games

Going for a walk or a jog is an easy and accessible type of exercise, but lapping your neighbourhood can get boring quickly.

There are heaps of apps you can download that will transform your walk or run into an adventure. Zombies, Run! puts you in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, where zombies chase you as run to gather much needed supplies for your community. Geocaching games, like Ingress or Pokémon GO, ask you to interact with virtual objects placed in your real world.

Dance party

Dance party

How long has it been since you had a dance to your favourite music? Let your hair down, draw the curtains if you’ve got particularly nosy neighbours, pump some beats, and get moving. It’ll only take about eight songs for you to get your 30 minutes in, so make sure you choose your best bangers to get your heart beat up!

Build your own workout

Build your own workout

If getting to a gym class, or paying for one, is putting you off working out, don’t worry – you can get the same benefits from a home workout. Use the ready-made Healthier. Happier. workouts, or build your own routine of individual exercises.

Catch and kick

Catch and kick

Anyone with kids will know that sometimes entertaining them takes priority over looking after your own health. Kill two birds with one stone and take them to the park to kick a footy or throw a ball back and forth. Once everyone’s practised their kicking, throwing and catching skills, take things to the next level by asking them to throw or kick long and make you run for it.

Take the stairs

Take the stairs

An oldy but a goody, taking the stairs instead of an escalator or lift is great for working the major muscle groups in the legs and glutes. It might not seem like the most fun option for a workout, but you can fit a surprising amount of activity into every day by taking the stairs whenever they are an option. And if you get hooked, you can even become a competitive stair climber.

Trampolining

Trampolining

Jumping on a trampoline can be a great way to relax, have some fun and do moderately strenuous activity at the same time.

If you don’t have a trampoline in the yard, you can head to a trampoline centre to have fun on Olympic-sized trampolines, long tumbling runs and even trampolines that run up the wall.

Practice a yoga arm balance

Practice a yoga arm balance

If you’ve been thinking that yoga is all about gentle flows and deep breaths, think again. Arm balances call on core, arm and shoulder strength as well as the focus yoga is renowned for fostering. Start with something easy and spend some time each week developing your strength.

 Try out that sport you always wanted to do as a kid

Try out that sport you always wanted to do as a kid

How long has it been since you tried something new? While starting a new sport or heading to a new class might be daunting, changing up your routine might be just the thing to get you excited about being active. Make a list of all the activities you thought would be really cool to try as a child – ice skating, fencing, ken-do, ballet, fan dancing – and then pick one to try.

Join a team sport

Join a team sport

Playing sport as part of a team can help you get active while making friends and feeling part of your community. This list of links will lead you through to sports clubs and fixtures across the state, or you can use the My Community directory to search for your sport of choice.

Stand-up paddle boarding or kayaking

Stand-up paddle boarding or kayaking

If you’re confident around water and know how to be water-safe, stand-up paddle boarding or kayaking can be really fun ways to get some exercise. Paddling with a friend or a group can be safer and even more fun. Some people enjoy yoga on their paddle boards, but many of us have a hard enough time just standing on them! Paddle boards and kayaks can be rented at some water-side locations.