How to Make Fitness Fun
Get-Fit Guy explains Fitness Exploring and gives a sample exercise plan that you can try out at home.
Ben Greenfield
My colleague the Nutrition Diva recently released an episode on the Paleo Diet (check out The Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet for more details). It seems Paleo is gaining popularity lately because just this past weekend, I attended an event in the Paleo community called PaleoFx. While I’ve written in the past about Caveman Fitness, I got a chance to engage in an entirely new form of fitness at PaleoFX: it was called “Fitness Exploring” and is the brainchild of a guy named Darryl Edwards, the aptly named Fitness Explorer.
The entire workout took place outdoors and consisted of simply jumping over random objects, balancing on curbs, logs and other obstacles, crawling like crocodiles, jumping like rabbits, and running forwards, backwards, and sideways! I posted a link to some pictures of me on the Get-Fit Guy Facebook page. (I know what you’re wondering, and yes, I had a smile on my face nearly the whole time – which doesn’t often happen when I’m working out).
Here’s the idea behind Fitness Exploring: When you step outside of feeling constrained to a dark indoor gym or cold barbells, you experience more vigor, fresh air, and a sense of childhood play. Try it for yourself. Here’s what you do:
- Go to a park
- Jump on and off a bench a few times
- Crawl 20 feet
- Crabwalk 20 feet
- Sprint 20 feet
- Balance walk on the curb for 20 feet
- Hop on one foot 20 times
- Hop on the other foot 20 times
- Climb the monkey bars and then go down the playground slide. Climb back up the playground slide.
You get the idea! Look at objects in the world around you and make exercise just a form of playing – just like kids do!
If you have more questions about how to make fitness fun, then ask them now at Facebook.com/GetFitGuy page, and remember to stay tuned for a special joint episode with Mighty Mommy where we’ll tell you about a Belly Burn project you won’t want to miss!
Park Push-Upsopens IMAGE file and Running in the Parkopens IMAGE file photos from Shutterstock.
About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.