30 fun ways to exercise

We've put together plenty of fun ways to exercise from at home work outs for beginners to new challenges you could try through the month. Either way, make sure you're rewarded for your efforts by asking your friends and family to sponsor you.

1. Discover a new route on your bike 
You can burn between 450-750 calories per hour of cycling as well as tone muscles and focus your mind.

2. Walk your dog (or volunteer to take your neighbour’s dog for a walk if don’t have one)
Get outside and let your dog take the lead on helping you get your daily exercise in.

3. Master a skipping-rope routine
There are plenty of jump rope work out tutorials for beginners online. Click here to get you started.

4. Play frisbee at the park
Introduce a bit of halthy competition with your friends and family with a frisbee competition.

5. Attend your local gym
Change up your work out playlist and hit the gym. Ask instructors how to use those machines you've been avoiding and get your friend to come along for extra motivation.

6. Go Swimming
Swimming helps improve your flexibility, your balance, builds muscles and enhances your endurance.

7. Host a dance party
Get sweaty, burn calories and move your entire body on the dance floor.

8. Use the stairs instead of the lifts
A simple way to get extra steps in. 

9. Carry out household chores
On average you'll burn around 165 calories per hour of general household chores. 

10. Try a new sport - ice skating, fencing, martial arts, ballet etc.
Why not use your Exercise Challenge as an opportunity to try something new? You never know, you may want to keep it up long term.

11. Go paintballing with your friends
Healthy competition is fun and exciting. Get the adrenaline pumping with a paintballing day with a group of friends.

12. Master the art of yoga
Increase flexibility and relieve stress with a yoga session. Find your local class today and give it a go.

13. Join a running club
A great cardio exercise which can be social too. Join your local running club for extra motivation.

14. Attempt rock-climbing
Rock climbing is both fun and physically demanding. It combines both strength training and cardio in a single work out, 

15. Hike a mountain
Reconnect with the great outdoors whilst getting your daily exercise in. Inspire your walk with our top hiking routes.

16. Hula hoop (you’re never too old!)
Burn calories and tone muscles by using a weighted hula hoop. You can even do it whilst watching TV!

17. Join a team sport
There's no greater motivation than working as a team to achieve a goal. Meet new friends whilst taking on a sport you enjoy.

18. Set up a circuit at the park
Turn your park into your own gym. Set up stations for press-ups, sit-ups, burpees and skipping, and rotate around each one for set times.

19. Run to work
Save money on your commute whilst burning calories as you ditch your car, bus or train for exercise instead.

20. Try boxercise
Boxercise is an exercise class based on the training concepts boxers use to keep fit. There's plenty of classes across the country for all levels.

21. Go bowling
According to research, during a three-game series, the average person walks more than half of a mile. A great idea for a weekend activity with your friends.

22. Orienteering in the countryside
Test your navigational skills and get from point A to B with a group of friends using a map and compass.

23. Host a sports day
Get your friends and family involved for a sports day. From egg and spoon races to tug of war, this is a fun way to get in your exercise for the day.

24. Attend a gym class you’ve never done before
Discover all the local gym classes in your area. Why not try a zumba or spin class if you've never tried one before.

25. Try out a Youtube Pilates tutorial
There are plenty of great tutorials online and pilates is just one of many ways to increase your flexibility and tone muscles.

26. Squat, crunch and lunge in the comfort of your own home
Don't let bad weather stop you from exercising. Set yourself a 30-min challenge of squats, crunches, press-ups etc.

27. Introduce weights into your exercise plan
Adding weights will help tone your muscles even more!

28. Take on your favourite celeb fitness DVD
Use your celeb fitness idol as motivation for your daily exercise!

29. Teach a friend new exercises
Share your new (or existing) skills with a friend. Work out together and set each other new challenges

30. Go spinning
This is a popular exercise class for a reason. Burn calories in this high-intensity cardio class.