8 Summer Activities That Help You Burn Calories
Burn Calories
Say goodbye to your cabin fever days! Summer is here along with a host of outdoor activities that are not only fun but also highly efficient in helping you burn major calories and maintaining your beach body without even hitting the gym.
All you have to do is try these 8 summertime sports and activities and tone your body from head to toe while enjoying the sun, sea and nature !
Beach volleyball
One of the most popular beach games that merges strength training and cardio into a fun activity, is volleyball. It’s a terrific way to get your heart pumping while toning your legs and butt and strengthening your upper body.
The fact that it is played on uneven terrain, in the sand, makes it even more challenging and more efficient in terms of burning extra calories.
Average calories burned per hour: 400-500
Swimming
This refreshing activity is a great way to cool off on hot summer days and burn calories at the same time. It’s a total body workout that engages the chest, arms, core, upper leg muscles without putting pressure on the joints.
For added resistance, swim in the ocean. The motion of waves and current will make your whole-body work harder and torch calories no matter the swimming style. It will strengthen your muscles and lower back and improve your posture.
Average calories burned per hour: 425
Stand up paddle boarding
This is another popular summer activity that engages your core and back while toning your biceps and triceps. It may not seem that easy to stand on a board while floating on water but once you learn the ropes, it will become your summer sport go-to.
It is also an excellent workout for your obliques and abdominals and efficiently helps you improve your balance skills.
Average calories burned per hour: 350-450
Horseback riding
Moving on from water-related activities to ground-based ones, we give you horseback riding. Equestrianism allows you to take the reins and torch some considerable calories while enjoying an impressive ride.
The challenge comes from engaging your core and inner thighs in order to stay stable and upright. The glutes and hamstrings will also feel the burn when the horse picks up its pace into a full gallop.
Average calories burned per hour: 150-200
Hiking
Hiking is not only an efficient way to get rid of major calories but also a great way to connect with nature and recharge your batteries. You get to perform a challenging cardio workout and trade the treadmill routine for a beautiful landscape.
Depending on your pace and the trail you pick, you increase the intensity of the exercise, engage all your muscles and ultimately the number of calories you burn.
Average calories burned per hour: 300
Biking
Riding a bike is something you never forget. Even if you haven’t done it in a while, it’s never to late to do it again, especially if you aim to say goodbye to some significant calories in the process. Biking engages your glutes, thighs and hamstrings and can turn into a serious cardio exercise if you amplify your pedal stroke.
Outdoor biking is even better because you have to adjust to different surfaces and manage to keep yourself balanced in the process.
Average calories burned per hour: 400
Sightseeing
Getting rid of calories while exploring some of the world’s top attractions? What can be better than that? For the untrained eye, sightseeing may seem like a simple walk in the park, but it can actually turn into a great way to work you’re your entire body.
From walking miles and miles to carrying bag packs and climbing hills, when you visit a city or a town you engage your hamstrings and glutes and efficiently strengthen your lower and upper body in a fun way.
Average calories burned per hour: 150
Gardening
Gardening is a great way to turn your garden and your body into the envy of your neighbors. That’s because raking, shoveling, planting and weeding work out your entire body, from your glutes and legs to your back, arms and abs. Sometimes, even more so than standard exercise.
Relieve the stiffness you may feel from time to time by doing some back extensions or forward lunges.
