5 Hobbies that Don't Feel Like Exercise

Susan Hoff
May 11, 2021

Increase your steps, your sweat, and your calorie burn with these five hobbies.

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Sometimes we need a little bit of space for ourselves. Not work. Not exercise, per se. But something you can either do on your own of with others that feels just plain ol' fun.

I challenge you to think about the hobbies you participate in on the weekly. If the gym is one of them, great! But sometimes it can feel like more work tacked on to an already-tiring day. Think about adding in a couple of active hobbies that you can enjoy on your rest days or maybe even instead of the gym. Here are five ideas.

Rock Climbing

After work, sometimes it is really nice to go somewhere before getting home to the hullabaloo of dinner, chores, and bedtimes. Rock climbing gives you an outlet to stop thinking about work and set a goal for yourself: "I will make it to the top of this wall." It's that simple.

Rock climbing gyms (yes, for adults) set up boulder courses (that's climbing without a rope) ranked from 0-10 on challenge level. Start with zero and keep climbing your way up. It is a lot harder that it looks! And your forearms will thank you later.

Dancing

Enroll in a dance class or invite some friends over (after everyone's vaccinated). You can take it seriously or let loose and have fun. Either way, you can burn a lot of calories, relieve stress, and rejuvenate your wild side.

Roller Blading

People are roller blading again. It's a thing, I promise. And it's super fun. Go on a roller blading date and roll over to your favorite brunch or lunch spot. Or take a solo ride to the park and back. Focus on your balance, use your core to stabilize yourself, and keep rolling one foot in front of the other.

Hiking

Whether you want to find a legitimate hiking trail or forge your own, tie up your laces and enjoy the adventure. It gets you outside and on your feet. You can tune into a podcast or invite a couple of friends along for the hike.

Joining a Rec League

Join a serious or laid back sports team. Play tennis, soccer, football, basketball, etc. You can meet new people, remember the good old days when you used to be able to dunk on your friends, and sweat like crazy. There's nothing like a little friendly competition to get your heart rate up and your A-game on.

Oath & Grind By Susan Hoff
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