Instead of Working Out, Do These (11 Alternatives)

It’s true that no matter how bad you want it, there are days when you can’t just do your workout out of exhaustion or sore muscles. But that doesn’t mean that you should skip the day without having to sweat a few extra calories out.

There are still some fitness activities that you can do even if your body screams no at the treadmill, dumbbell, barbell, or stationary bike. The best part? You’ll find most of these activities quite enjoyable!

1. Hike the trail

It’s much less tiring than running. Hiking a trail exercises the muscles of your lower limbs. As an added bonus, you can also enjoy the peaceful scenery and clean air through meditation - contrary to the suffocating and loud urban environment.

2. Gardening

Tending to the flowers, plants, and herbs in your backyard or apartment balcony is an activity that will also help you sweat. The intricate digging, watering, pot moving, and fertilizing help increase muscle endurance to your upper limbs.

3. Swimming

If enjoying the elements of green nature isn’t something you fancy, moving in water could be your choice for an alternative activity. Swimming improves your mind and body coordination by using various strokes. It also improves your overall body endurance and stamina.

4. Walking the dog

Walking your dog to the park or around the neighborhood is a good way to build posture. If you have a large dog, maintaining a firm grip on a short leash to prevent it from running away would strengthen your bones and muscles.

5. Dancing

Every pro cheerleader needs to dance regularly. Not just for practice but also for overall health. This is because dancing freestyle or a known choreography improves lung, heart, and muscle conditions. On top of that, dancing is a good stress reliever and weight management activity.

6. Clean the house/apartment

Most people take the task of cleaning their living space for granted. They have no idea that arranging belongings, taking out unnecessary clutter, and removing dust are some of the best ways to make sweat on your whole body.

7. Bike to work

Since the invention of the car, our daily lives have become easier. Although it made us live prone to a sedentary lifestyle. If you’re not in a hurry of going to work, why not cycle on the way there? Just bring a fresh extra pair of upper garments so you won’t smell like sweat.

8. Play on a playground

Playgrounds aren’t only for kids. You can use these amenities to play frisbee with your friends. If you want, you can use the monkey bars to improve the strength of your upper muscle extremities and feel young again. Or you can go there to spend quality time with your kids while burning fat.

9. Walk around the block

Don’t have a dog? That’s okay. Walking around your neighborhood still provides the same health benefits as hiking a trail does. You can even invite your partner for a more romantic feel or have your friends join you so you won’t be alone.

10. Play a sport

We all played one sport in our lives that we loved. A few examples would be tennis, basketball, volleyball, or badminton. Like swimming, playing a sport improves your mind and body coordination as well as your overall stamina.

11. Go bowling

Bowling is one of the best sports an aspiring and current pro cheerleader can enjoy. It improves your upper body strength by lifting and rolling a heavy ball. It also improves your flexibility and balance because you need to follow some stances and approaches to hit the pins without tripping.

Any activity can be a workout if it requires a lot of time and physical effort to be done. What matters is that you won’t spend a day sitting on the couch just because you’re too tired to do your regular exercise routine.

Need some workout routines as a current or aspiring pro cheerleader? Use these articles as reference:

Need a Great Workout Routine for Your Pro Cheer Audition Prep?

Pro cheerleaders stay fit, flexible, and strong so they can give out their best performance in the arena. However, achieving that wow-worthy, toned physique doesn’t happen overnight. You need to arm yourself with the right daily workouts.

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