Hobbies to Raise Your Heartrate
I recently found myself reconsidering how our family spends some of our free time together. During the colder, winter months we tend to hunker down indoors (unless there’s a beautiful snowfall outside that beckons us to come play in it), but in the late spring, summer, and early fall, there are so many different ways to get outside and spend our energy! Instead of just randomly planning things, I thought, what if I picked a handful of activities we could learn to do together and each one of them also just happened to be good for our health?
Eventually, I came up with a list of things that would make us smile and give us some exercise. Here are a few of the hobbies we decided to pursue either as a family or individually that check both the fun and good for you boxes!
Roller skating or rollerblading - if you’re looking for a low cost hobby that can also help you break a sweat, this is a good one. Roller skating can be self taught. Even if you’re wobbly at first, keep going! You can skate on the tennis courts at a nearby park if you want a larger, smoother surface. Roller domes rent out skates in your size if you don’t want to buy. In the winter, this can translate to ice skating!
Kayaking - we’re fortunate enough to live in a city with three rivers and a company who offers kayaks for rent on the river. This is a life saver for someone like me who isn’t too keen on dragging multiple kayaks around for my family and storing them. See if there’s something similar near you or look into borrowing a kayak from someone if purchasing is too pricey (kayaks are almost always much lighter than canoes).
Hiking - do a quick Google search and you’re sure to find some trails nearby that are open to the public and completely free to hike. If you want to make it a longer outing, pack a picnic lunch or dinner and plan on eating near where you park your vehicle after you’ve completed the hike. In most places, you’ll want to wear pants to prevent ticks and use insect repellant, especially during peak tick season months.
Softball - one of our daughters is interested in trying softball after watching her cousin play so we’ll be signing her up for a league soon. Until then, we plan to practice hitting balls in the alley or playing catch in the front yard, both easy ways to get some movement in and work that hand-eye coordination.
Bicycling - as easy as it sounds! You just need a bike, and then you can hit the trails or bike paths in your neck of the woods for a breezy ride. Look online for used bikes if cost is the main thing standing in the way of this one. Some bike shops will also sell gently used bicycles at a reduced rate so it doesn’t hurt to ask if they have them.
Challenges/Points:
If you’re in the market for a new hobby, try to think of one that doesn’t involve sitting around or being inactive.
Roller skating in the summer can transition to ice skating in the winter and skates can be rented so you don’t even have to buy.
Hiking is a completely free hobby that also gets in some exercise.
Questions:
When was the last time you did something fun that was also physically good for you?
Which of the ideas listed above sound the most appealing?
Is there anything similar you can think of that might make a good, active hobby?
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