It may not seem like it now, surrounded by rainy days, constant humidity, and a lot of shivering, but the warm summer weather does exist, and will be upon us before we realise it!
Whilst it is a definite bonus to have long, light evenings, clear blue skies, and not having to dress like a mummy in twelve layers just to go to the shop, many of us are worried about showing some skin after a long winter of delicious warming foods and clothes designed to cover any unforgiving areas.
The good news: this is a perfect opportunity to start a positive new habit, and make long-lasting changes to develop your new healthy lifestyle. Another bonus: this doesn’t have to involve relying on the gym and sticking to boring or repetitive workouts.
There are a number of sports and activities, which can improve your activity levels, and increase both physical fitness, mental and emotional health, and can help to reduce and manage stress.
Read on for the top 7 sports to get your body ready for summer!
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Swimming
Swimming is a brilliant exercise, which offers a whole body workout, and is brilliant for both mind and soul.
It is one of the only exercises, which works every muscle in the body, and is something which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, fitness levels, and body types.
All the equipment you need is a local pool, making it accessible, affordable and easy to enjoy!
If you are serious about improving your skills, most pools offer swimming lessons to all ages, and sometimes even interesting extras such as lifesaving.
If you wish you’d always learnt as a child, now is your opportunity to learn a crucial life skill and move your body at the same time.
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Tennis
Every year, we watch the champions of Wimbledon do their thing on the court and marvel at their skill, grace, speed and athleticism.
Then the season ends, and we mostly go back to normal life.
Make a change this year by getting involved in tennis.
As well as being a high cardio workout, tennis also helps to develop the skill, agility, and hand-eye coordination.
It is also a great way to work up a sweat whilst having fun and striving to win!
Just head to a tennis court near you, or even just a flat piece of land; tennis can be practiced anywhere, so no excuses!
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Volleyball
For a sport, which offers something a bit different, volleyball is perfect.
It involves lots of running, jumping, throwing and catching, and so offers the opportunity to work on a number of different areas of the body, improving muscle tone and skill set in a lot of areas.
It is also a lot of fun, and can descend into fierce competition as everyone strives to win!
Strong muscles and good hand-eye coordination are crucial, so you can develop your abilities as well as lose weight and tone up.
Another advantage is that volleyball can be played absolutely anywhere there is a dividing feature – string a scarf between two trees, grab an old ball, and get moving!
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Football
If team games and activities are your thing, why not try out football?
The sport requires an extremely high level of fitness and stamina to allow you to keep moving and running for the entirety of a 90-minute match, and so football training is a great way to get and keep fit.
It is also a lot of fun, so grab a ball and some mates and head to your nearest football pitch to start training your future World Cup team!
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Horse riding
If organised team games make you want to hide away, try something which requires just the two of you: horse riding.
This sport offers an intense full body workout, focusing on fitness as well as balance; strength, agility and skill or you may simply enjoy the challenge of working with your horse on a country hack.
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Squash
For tennis maybe-fans who prefer the reliability of indoor weather and prefer a smaller court, squash is the perfect alternative.
This fast-paced game can be played alone or in pairs, and is guaranteed to have you working up a sweat very quickly!
Squash requires fast movements and decision making, and will have you running around the courts like a mad thing; perfect for building up your fitness levels!
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Dance
Often a forgotten element of the sports world, dance is the perfect exercise for people who believe that they don’t like exercise for one reason: it’s fun.
With so many styles to choose from; from ballet to ballroom, street to salsa, there is bound to be something you enjoy.
Moving your body to the music will make you forget you are supposed to be working out, and you can improve your fitness anywhere. Go into your kitchen, turn up the volume, and see yourself transformed!
