.jpg "A group of people ice skating at night")
In my previous article I discussed 6 Christmas exercises that you can use to stay fit over the festive period. In that article I suggested that you join a gym, get some exercise DVDs or get a Wii fit so that you can exercise in an indoor environment that is warm and light. However, if you can brave the winter weather and the cold outdoors there is plenty of scope for exercising outside this Christmas. In this article I will be discussing five outdoor exercises that you can try over the holiday period (if you are brave enough).
1) GO SLEDDING:- As long as it snows then sledding is a great Christmas exercise. All you need is a sledge and a hill. You can get a sledge from Amazon and your local park should be able to provide you with a big hill. Sledding is great fun and you can involve your family and friends. Plus, you will burn quite a few calories whilst lugging the sledge up the hill.
2) HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT:- Snowball fights are another great exercise and this time you don’t even need a hill. Split your family and friends into two teams and then let the snowballs fly. Not only will you have a fantastic time but with all the running, ducking and diving you will be getting a good workout.
3) CLEAR YOUR DRIVE:- Your drive is going to need clearing at some point but why pay someone to do it when you can do it yourself? Shovelling all that snow will help you burn the calories. Plus snow can get quite heavy so it’s a good muscle building exercise too. You can even get a little creative and turn it into a game. Split the drive into two halves and then have a race between two teams to see who can clear their half first. Not only will you have a clear drive and a bit of extra cash in your pocket but you will also burn some calories too.
4) GO ICE SKATING:- If there’s a frozen lake in your town then your local council may convert it into a makeshift ice rink. If so why not head down with the family and have some fun? You can race each other, try some impromptu figure skating or simply just skate around the rink. Whatever you choose you are sure to enjoy yourself and you will give yourself quite a good workout too.
5) BUILD A SNOWMAN:- You may not think that building a snowman is good exercise but it can be. All the walking around, scooping snow and building the snowman can quickly lead to lots of burnt calories. Plus, it’s a great family activity and so is perfect for Christmas day.
Personally, I don’t like the exercising in the cold. However, if you can brave it these fun activities will provide you with some great winter workouts. They’re also activities that kids will love which makes them a great family choice. Even a potentially mundane activity such as clearing your drive can be turned into a fun game so long as you are a little creative. So if you are up to it put on your hat and gloves and take your family outside to enjoy these winter workouts over the festive period.
Now I’d like to hear from you guys. Do you have any other outdoor activities that can be performed at this time of year? Do you prefer working out inside or outside during the Christmas period? Leave a comment and let me know.
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About Tom
I live in LA, I can’t do any of these! I’m jealous, we really need some snow over here in So-Cal. But when I got snowboarding I’ll make sure to do these for workouts.
Thanks for the post
All the Best,
Andrew
OH YEAH
Clearing your driveway, shoveling snow is definitely a workout!
I actually use that as a measure for how ‘in-shape’ I really am!
Great suggestions!
Andrew – We’ve not had much snow this year. Not enough to build a snowman or make snowballs but enough to make the commute to work very difficult. I’ve never tried snowboarding but imagine it would be a great workout.
Strong One – It’s a great measure to use. Again we’ve not had enough snow this year to do any shovelling.
I’m an ice climber, this is my favorite time of year.
Now if it would just stay cold enough for things to form up here.
It’s been alternating cold, very promising stretches with “warm and rainy” that ruins the ice.
Wow Chris. Sounds like a very interesting hobby. I bet it’s a great workout. I hope something forms for you.