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Summer Holiday Season
06-Aug-09
Life’s a beach…
During the summer holiday season we are all looking forward to giving our minds a well earned rest from the stress of daily life but our bodies on the other hand will be screaming out for a break from sitting in the office chair. Harpers Fitness has some top tips to keep you active this summer.
Your summer holiday is the perfect time for you to get more active. There are no work distractions, leaving you with plenty of free time on your hands, which could make a positive impact on your health, fitness as well as your waistline.
Here are some of Harpers Fitness top holiday exercises to keep your body fit and healthy this summer.
Fancy a dip?
Swimming offers a fabulous whole-body workout with strength, flexibility and cardiovascular benefits, swimming burns around 9.5 kcal per minute so just 10 minutes of comfortably paced breast stroke will burn nearly 100 calories…and to burn more swim faster and go for more swims.
Take part
Many hotel complexes organise regular activities throughout the day. Why not take part in the morning or afternoon’s activities or both! Even if you're not competitive or much of a mixer, you can still develop a great pair of legs, and get a great CV workout from having a little one-on-one (I mean on the tennis court!). You'll be burning around 8.7 kcal for every minute and you won't even think of it as exercise, as your focus will be on the ball, not on yourself.
Beach football
If you fancy a bit of fun with your friends, then beach football is the perfect activity for you. Football in the sand is great for developing firm legs and a bum to die for. The uneven surface of the sand will make your legs work like never before and definitely engage your glutes to the max. Expect to burn in excess of 9 kcal per minute with this exercise.
Walk your way to happiness
Romantic sunset strolls along the beach will not only get you ‘in the mood’ but they are also great for offering your bum and legs a good work out too. You will burn 20-50% more calories than you would walking on normal land.
Frisbee
Playing a game of frisbee is a great holiday activity for all the family. Even if you've not played frisbee for years but as soon you pull one out of your bag everyone’s on their feet and keen to play. Frisbee works everything from legs, waist, arms and shoulders. You’ll burn around 6 calories a minute at lower intensities. Not bad for a lower-level exercise!
Out and about on two wheels
There's no better way to see the sights than on two wheels. Cycling allows you to cover large areas in a short time and get a great CV workout, burning anything from 5–12 calories per minute, depending upon how hard you work.
Scuba
Fancy something a little more adventurous? Maybe you’re holidaying somewhere a little more exotic, if so give scuba diving a go. You get to see a completely different view of the world by taking to the water and exploring the world beneath the waves. Not only will the experience be fantastic, but you'll also be burning 12 calories a minute.
Snorkelling
If the deep's not your thing, you can still enjoy what nature has to offer underwater by snorkelling your way around the shallows. There'll still be plenty to see (especially in the tropics) and you'll be burning off over 6 calories a minute.
Volleyball
Why not top up your tan and get fit at the same time! Volleyball is great fun and a fantastic workout for arms, legs and core muscles. You'll be burning more than 9 calories a minute if you play it with moderate intensity.
Dancing
If all else fails to impress you, get your glad rags on and go out for a boogie! Depending on how you dance, you'll be burning anything from 5-15 calories a minute and get a great workout for your whole body.
Adding a little activity to your holiday doesn't have to become an all-consuming bore or chore.
This year, why not make the effort to do something. You'll be so glad you did when you come home both looking and feeling great.
