Tag Archive for: sports

Melissa Dawn
,

Top 5 at Home Exercises That Aren’t Running to Get You in Shape

Top 5 at Home Exercises That Aren't Running to Get You in Shape
With the gyms being closed, many of us have found ourselves in a situation where we have to look for alternative ways to workout. Don’t get us wrong, running is a great exercise and workout but it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay! Whether you find it boring or you have leg or knee pains or are just looking for something different don’t worry we’ve got you covered. The article will also introduce ways in which you can maximize calories burnt while utilizing the exercises we provide. There are more options out there than you think that still abide by social distancing and quarantine rules. So let’s dive in and discover our top 5 exercises you can do that aren’t running!   

Here are 5 exercises to do if you hate running:

 

  • Skipping

    Guy holding a skipping rope

    Photo by Charlotte Karlsen on Unsplash

  When we think of skipping our minds wander to our adolescent days or if you’re me, to the Rocky movies, but skipping doesn’t have to be so leisurely or so intense for you to make a difference. Skipping is a great way to exercise especially if you have knee and leg issues because it actually has less of an impact on them than running does. Skipping is also a full-body workout and according to a study by Shape America “After six weeks of daily 10-minute jump-rope exercises, participants demonstrated the same levels of improvement to their cardiovascular health as individuals who jogged for 30 minutes a day.”  Skipping as you can see is also great for someone with not a lot of time on their hands and they can still make a bigger caloric impact than running can. Skipping really goes well if you look for a circuit or HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout that can really push you to the next level in a short amount of time. So what are you waiting for, get out there! If you don’t have one, find one here! : https://amzn.to/2zPM72T  Source:https://shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10671188.1968.10618043    

  • Frisbee

  Okay, hear me out, while we know you can’t really play frisbee by yourself unless you are freakishly fast if you’re at home with someone it’s a really fun exercise you can do together that can easily burn calories. While frisbee requires a little bit of running shorter distances, it is still less impactful on your joints than running on concrete for example. It also isn’t the first thing people think about while burning calories but trust us, there’s a lot more going on under the hood. What I especially love about it is the fact that you can run short sprints back and forth almost like suicides that really get the heart rate up. Mix this with some jumping catches and you’ve got yourself a tiresome workout that will shred those calories in no time. What I like to do especially is to tell my partner to throw it away from me so It forces me to be quick on my feet and run for it and keep the heart rate up.  If you don’t have one, find one here!: https://amzn.to/2Tehif9    

  • Orange Theory at home Youtube Videos

  For those of you who don’t know what Orange Theory is,  “Orangetheory is a science-backed, technology-tracked, coach-inspired group workout designed to produce results from the inside out. The hardest part of our workouts is showing up – we make it simple for you to push yourself, be your personal best and give you more. MORE results. MORE confidence. MORE Life. More than a gym. Because you shouldn’t live to exercise. You should exercise to live.”  They currently have gyms in Montreal and surrounding areas but obviously they are closed for the time being. If its something you always wanted to check out or are new to it, they have started to put out free at-home classes on youtube that require little to no equipment for all of them. They are a good comparison to what you can get with the real gyms but these classes still provide great HIIT workouts that can be very challenging and you will definitely get your sweat on. Find the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Otheoryfitness Source: https://www.orangetheoryfitness.com/    

  • WOD’s

  This one is for all of you really looking to push yourselves to the limit. WOD or Workout of the Day is a term used in CrossFit and if you find that intimidating, you should because this really isn’t easy. However challenging it may be, the results you will get by doing these is hardd to argue with. They usually consist of full-body workouts so be prepared! They are an excellent and effective way to burn off calories and make you stronger at the same time. As the name suggests, there are different workouts per day and also include male and female weight suggestions. While some of the workouts do need some sort of equipment you can look through to find some that have exercises with the equipment you already have. If you find them too difficult simply reduce the rep range to something that is doable but still challenging for you. Overall WOD’s can be an exceptional alternative to running but be prepared for a hell of a challenge. Find the WOD’s at https://www.crossfit.com/    

  • Hiking

  Hiking or trail running can be a great alternative to running on concrete. Yes, trail running does include running but it is generally a little slower paced because you have to watch your footing and you are also running on the ground as opposed to concrete which helps reduce joint pains. While hiking, in general, is an incredible leg focused exercise, it really excels over running because of the constant shift of elevation and traversing through difficult terrain can really put in work for your lower body.  A hike is taxing on the body and what’s great about it is that you can get some great scenic views and a sort of freedom of exploration if you will whenever you go on a hike. 
Guy Hiking in Nature

Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

  All you need to get started is a great pair of hiking shoes and you’re good to go! Find some amazing shoes here  Women: https://montrealtips.com/2020/05/16/best-hiking-shoes-for-women-in-canada-2020/ Men:https://montrealtips.com/2020/05/11/best-hiking-shoes-for-men-2020/ So there you have it, our 5 alternatives to just running! Remember, while all of these great exercises will help you burn calories and help you get into better shape, nothing beats out a good diet and healthy life choices. I tend to believe that to lose weight and make a difference in your body training and workouts only count for about 20% of the overall effort and the other 80% is about having a good diet to supplement those hard-earned workouts.
/by
Adriano Di Pancrazio

Top 5 Fitness, Sports, Gym & Workout headphones

Top 5 Fitness, Sports, Gym & Workout headphones

Best Fitness & Workout headphones

  Its always a great feeling to crush your workouts to your favourite songs, but when looking for sports headphones/earphones to pick out for the gym, it can be a daunting task. With so many choices, brands, and features, it can become a headache to decide on what you want and what’s important for you. We all have different priorities in what we want out of our products so we tried keeping that in mind while narrowing it down to our top 5 choices to find the best possible mix to help fit anyone looking for specific sporty features.

Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones

These are one of the top of the line sports earphones you can currently get. They have that quality Beats audio along with a rigid build that will keep them going for years. They are a great investment as they offer a 9 hour listening time and have volume controls on each earbud to get the exact sound you want. The adjustable ear hooks are very lightweight and are always a welcome addition so that they stay on your ears for even the hardest of workouts. Speaking of which, they are also water and sweat resistant. What we like is that they also come with an Apple H1 chip so they will have the same connection as you would with Airpods for example (They are also compatible with Android). Overall they are a fantastic pair of earphones but with quality comes price so be prepared to pay a little more. Source: Amazon.ca Find them at https://amzn.to/2yLQyMb
Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones

Source: https://amzn.to/2yLQyMb

 

Adidas RPT-01

While Adidas is new to the headphone game, it’s no reason to sleep on them. In fact, these are probably one of the best on-ear sports headphones you can get. First off, these wireless headphones have a great style to them as they have a subtle design and color for headphones. They feature a surprisingly great audio quality, are sweatproof and water-resistant, and they hold up to 40 hours of playtime, making them perfect for long runs and workouts! The only downside to these headphones is that they are not exactly cheap and they tend to get a little uncomfortable after about 3 hours of straight usage but otherwise one of the best options for over-ear sports headphones. Source: Amazon.ca Find them at https://amzn.to/35MUIPT
Adidas RPT-01

https://amzn.to/35MUIPT

Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones

  While these Bose SoundSport has been out for a couple of years, they still do incredibly well in 2020. Bose is a highly renowned company for producing some of the top headphones on the market and their quality is apparent in these headphones. The headphones have obviously a  great sound to them and boast surprisingly comfortable wear so that you can wear for long periods of time. Like the Adidas, they are sweatproof and are great for running, workouts, and general physical activity. They are wireless but have a soft wire that goes behind your neck which is nice so the wires aren’t tangled up while doing something. They also have a hook design to keep your ears in place while you are moving around, they are also incredibly lightweight as you won’t even feel them on you. They have about a 6-hour battery life and are especially a great pick up if you are looking for something with an “all in one” package. Source: Amazon.ca Find them at https://amzn.to/2xUdcSc
Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones

Source: https://amzn.to/2xUdcSc

 

Jaybird Vista Wireless Earbuds

The Jaybird Vista earbuds are one of the most versatile earbuds on our list. The earbuds last for 6hrs and are designed to be used for almost anything you do from just listening to music, around the house, running, general sports and rock climbing, for example, you get the point. The Vista is also the most resilient pair on our list so if you’re somebody who tends to break things, or trains in rough terrain these could be perfect for you. They are incredibly resistant to a lot of nature’s elements like water, dust, and sand, for example, making their lifespan quite long. The Vistas also have a very “locked in” feeling (which we appreciate) because they fit your ear really snug and which makes it incredibly hard for them to fall out which is something we always seem to struggle with while doing activities! Source: Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/2yLQNXB
Jaybird Vista Wireless Earbuds

Source: https://amzn.to/2yLQNXB

Under Armour True Wireless Flash Earbuds

Under Armour, another sports company having a go at the earphones industry and have released a true contender. These slick earbuds have a 6hour battery life and has a small kit to carry them around which also charges them for longer use. They are also water and sweat proof which is also a great added bonus. The earbuds also give its users a deep great sound as they have collaborated with JBL engineering, a top headphone company, to give it a quality sound and design. As a default setting, they are soundproof but what we love is that you have customizable options that come with that. Tappin the left earbud activates ‘Talk Thru’ mode which lowers your music so you can have a conversation with someone or when you need to listen for something. Meanwhile, the right earbud has an ‘Ambient Aware’ setting which sets it so that you hear ambient noises in your proximity so you can constantly be aware of your surroundings while still listening to your music. The earbuds also come with 3 different adjustable sizes for you yo find that perfect fit. These earbuds are designed for any general sport in mind so feel free to use them for any type of physical activity.
Under Armour True Wireless Flash Earbuds

Source: https://amzn.to/2YQDZcY

Source: Amazon.ca https://amzn.to/2YQDZcY
Disclaimer: This post is based on personal research, personal trial, and online research. This post does have affiliate links to Amazon
/by