3 Enjoyable Workouts for People Who Hate Working Out

by Danielle Acoff

Photo:

@yellabella

Danielle Acoff is a professional dancer, model, actress, and yoga instructor with a passion for holistic health. She has worked in entertainment for 12 years and uses yoga, meditation, and her love of all things movement to keep her balanced in a high-pressure industry. Keep an eye out for her articles about everything from self-care to developing a home practice to fitness tips and more. 

Every doctor (and human) will agree that regular exercise is a critical component of healthy living. Well, summer is quickly approaching, and if you’re like me, the thought of pedaling at a wall in a gym is not enough motivation to get there. Luckily, I've found the solution: Trick your mind and body into exercising with these fun and challenging classes that will make you forget you’re working out. Who knows? You may even develop a new hobby or passion. 

Aerial Hoop Class

The benefits:

  • Improves upper-body strength by targeting your core and upper body
  • Releases tension in the muscles and joints when upside down, and also releases all those happy endorphins
  • Burns 300 to 500 calories in an hour

My class pick: Aeroform Arts

The review: Walking in, I immediately felt like I had run away with the circus (in a good way) with hoops and other apparatuses hanging from the ceilings and a room next door full of blue gymnastics mats. We started the class with a slow warm-up on the floor and proceeded to the hoops. The child in me was ready to swing around, but then we lined up, and one by one, we started heavy-duty conditioning! Hanging from hoops still low to the floor, we began shoulder, arm, and core workouts using the hoop. Then, on to the fun stuff. We were taught level-appropriate moves and linked them together in a hoop flow combination. I loved every second of it! My first hoop class already had me feeling like a pro; feeling weightless and spinning in circles was more exciting than I could’ve imagined. I definitely gained a new love of aerial arts and have added it into my weekly workout. 

Dance Cardio

The benefits:

  • Full-body intense muscle conditioning with music propels you to burn more calories.
  • Constant cardio is the perfect way to create long, lean muscle. 
  • It improves cardiovascular endurance and stamina.

My class pick: Swerve Studios

The review: How can you say no to starting your day with a dance party? When I first got to the class, I looked around and saw women of all ages, from a beautiful a pregnant woman to a teacher who was full to the brim of energy. As I looked around at everyone's smiling faces and surprising grooves, I realized dance is something we all did as children, so why not bring that joy back and burn the calories all in the same hour? I walked in, dropped my bags, and followed along (maybe lip-synced) for a full hour of nonstop moves, and walked out beaming and bobbing my head. Cardio dance for the win!  

 

Trampoline

Benefits:

  • Most proven method of eliminating cellulite 
  • Facilitates natural detoxification 
  • Builds lower-body power and strength  (think beautiful legs and buns)

My class pick: Body by Simone 

The review: Let me start by saying, the studio is absolutely beautiful. There's nothing like a beautiful studio to get you in the mood for class. I walked to my trampoline in the middle of the class and noticed it was a lot lighter than I expected, and right away, I had the urge to jump up and down like a 5-year-old. The class starts with a simple, upbeat, dance-inspired warm-up off the trampoline. The great music selection makes the warm-up feel like a class in itself! While you would think jumping up and down would suffice, you actually get to dance and jump along to a class that makes your heart race. The trampoline protects your joints all while you're jumping and breaking a sweat with a smile on your face! This class is the ultimate cardio without you even noticing how hard you're working. 

Join THE/THIRTY’s Facebook group, and tell us your favorite workout that puts you in the best mood!

 

 

This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used in the place of advice of your physician or other medical professionals. You should always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider first with any health-related questions. See our full health disclaimer here.

Related stories