8 Ways to Get That Summer Beach Body Without a Gym

Beach season is only a few months away so it’s time to start shedding that winter coat and prepare your body for the sun. For those of you who don’t enjoy hitting the gym, here are some ways to get in shape without pumping iron or running in place.

Outdoor Aerobics
You’ll find outdoor aerobics classes in parks all across the country. Instructors teach the basics of aerobic exercises like Zumba, dance or yoga without the need for a stuffy gym or studio. The best part? A lot of the time you can find these sessions for free.

Parkour
Watching people hop over railings, scale the sides of buildings and slide around statues might seem a little goofy, but when’s the last time you saw someone doing it that was out of shape? Parkour is actually a great way to burn calories, between 600 and 900 an hour, build muscle and increase endurance. You might want to sign up for an actual class before trying it. The beach won’t be much fun in a full-body cast you have to wear after taking a tumble down a flight of stairs.

Rock Climbing
If your upper body needs a little touching up go outside and start scaling the nearest wall of rock (with a rope, of course). Rock climbing builds upper body strength, burns between 500 and 900 calories per hour and gives you a sexy, chiseled back. When you’re lying on your stomach working on your tan, you’ll want to have a toned upper back for people to stare at, right?

Mountain Biking
If running isn’t something you’re interested in and you’d rather take it a little easier on your legs, consider taking up mountain biking. You’ll see some pretty great views in your travels and you’ll burn over 500 calories every hour doing it.

Indoor Swimming
It’s a little cold to by lying poolside right now, but your local YMCA should have an Olympic-size swimming pool hidden somewhere inside. Swimming is a great way to burn calories and tone your muscles, plus you’ll be getting practice in for when you hit the ocean waters. You’ll burn off anywhere between 400 and 900 calories an hour doing laps. It’s also incredibly easy on the joints so it’s a great form of exercise for every age level.

Boxing Classes
Boxing is great in that it not only helps you lose weight and get in shape, but you’ll learn how to kick butt while doing it. You’ve got a couple different options with this one. You can either join a full-fledged boxing gym and learn how to jab and punch in actual matches, or you can sign up for cardio boxing. Either way, you’ll burn between 400 and 700 calories an hour.

Skiing/Snowboarding
It’s still winter for a little while longer so you make as well make good use of all that snow. Skiing and snowboarding will help you burn over 300 calories an hour. If you’re not near a mountainous region you might be out of luck, but we’re pretty sure shoveling it can help you can in shape too. We’ll let you decide what works best for you.

Walk Everywhere
Some people just aren’t able to engage in athletic pursuits, whether it’s due to injury, being out-of-shape or they just don’t feel like it. That’s okay. Walking doesn’t take much effort at all and it’s something everyone can do to help themselves lose weight. Depending on size and speed a person can lose between 200 and 500 calories an hour just from hoofing it everywhere. Maybe it’s time to consider parking that car for the winter and taking to foot.