New year, new you: 7 unusual (and fun!) ways of keeping fit

We've all been there: you start the new year with the best of intentions, but after four or five trips to the gym you've remembered all the reasons you utterly hate it, the main one being – it's boring! Some people love the repetitive grind of a 50km cycle, but for us normal folk it just isn't interesting enough to keep one coming back week in, week out. Fortunately your friends at Lucky Voice are here to help, with seven awesome ways of keeping fit that are fun enough to guarantee repeat workouts...

Dog Yoga

Yes, you read that correctly – dog yoga! Or, as it is known in the industry – doga. Taking place every Saturday at The Courtyard Theatre in Shoreditch, you and your dogi (genuinely the term they use) can look forward to making friends with a few other zen pups and their owners during an hour and a half of fun doga led by its creator, Mahny Djahanguiri.

[Insert joke about downward facing dog here]

dogamahny/doga

Singing

Breathing exercises to help you nail karaoke

People often underestimate the calorie burning potential of a good old fashioned sing song. Belting out a few of your favourite tunes can burn upwards of 130 calories per hour, and if you throw in a few disco diva dance moves – which we thoroughly encourage you to do! – that can rise to 400+ calories/hour. It's also good for your mental health – reducing stress, boosting self confidence and strengthening the immune system.

Lucky Voice has an online subscription service that's like a karaoke version of Spotify, providing users with access to over 10,000 contemporary and classic karaoke anthems directly from their Apple device or laptop. You can grab a free 14-day trial here: luckyvoicekaraoke.com/free-trial

Pole Dancing

Unusual ways of keeping fit

Pole dancing is a great way of burning calories and toning up muscles, all while feeling like a veritable sex bomb. It also helps improve flexibility, upper body strength and self-confidence, not to mention it's an incredible conversation starter down the local! 

Pole People offer a number of introductory taster sessions: polepeople.co.uk/timetable

Tag Rugby

Try Tag Rugby unusual ways of keeping fit

There's nothing quite like the fugitive adrenaline rush of avoiding people as they try to tackle you in a game of tag rugby! The non contact form of the traditionally violent sport is great fun for players of all skill sets and ages, with leagues for complete beginners and seasoned pros alike. There's also a strong social element to most leagues, so you can look forward to making new friends over a few beers once your game of egg chase is finished. 

Try Tag Rugby has leagues all across the UK: trytagrugby.com

Fencing

Fencing unusual ways of keeping fit

If you've always dreamed of cutting the dashing figure of d'Artagnan from The Three Musketeers –and let's face it, who hasn't? – fencing could be the perfect way of staying in shape. The explosive movement involved in fencing is great for burning calories, with typically 400+ calories/hour worked off in your standard training session. You also get to own a sword #JustSaying

London Fencing Club offers a 6 week beginner course: londonfencingclub.co.uk

Mountain Biking

Swinley Bike Hub

There are few more exhilarating ways of keeping fit than bombing around on a dirt bike! There are normally a few smaller dirt bike/BMX tracks in major cities where you can learn the basics, but for the pulse pounding joy of biking down a proper dirt trail you'll likely need to head to the countryside proper. 

Swinley Bike Hub is located in the Bracknell Forest and offers bike hire as well as lessons for all ages and abilities: swinleybikehub.com

Trampolining 

Trampoline Park

If jumping around a trampoline park like a crazy person doesn't appeal to your inner child then you are truly dead inside! Flipout have a number of parks up and down the country and run regular fitness classes that can burn up to a whopping 1,000 calories. 

flipout.co.uk/flip-fit

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