10 Ways to Get Moving Ahead of Sport Relief

We love the theme of this year’s Sport Relief campaign; ‘Whatever Moves You’.

To the gratitude of many in the office, we were excited to discover that we aren’t expected to run for miles or attempt a Greg James 'Peddle to the Peaks' style mega challenge.

Despite taking our hats off to the ultra-adventurous and sporty types amongst us (not mentioning any names….Jess), we are ecstatic that getting active for a good cause doesn’t have to involve too much sweating.

Feeling inspired to get moving to raise money, we have discovered some excellent activities that are fun and also considered to be exercise! We hope the following list inspires you and you manage to give some of them a go.

1. Ice-Skating: Tamworth and Milton Keynes have some excellent ice-skating facilities that can be fun with friends, family or as a romantic activity. Check your fitness tracker on your mobile phone or other device and you’ll be shocked to discover that your time spent gliding on the ice has been an excellent calorie burner and a great way to get yourself up and moving.

2. Den-building: Do not mistake this activity for being a child-only zone, although, we can pretty much guarantee that the little ones in your life will enjoy this. Whether you choose to grab all the pillows and sheets you can find and build a cosy indoor retreat, or head outside to build a structure from twigs and leaves, we know that den-building can be active work! For a proper guided bush craft experience, why not check out an activity centre near you? For those who reside close to the Heart of the National Forest, Conkers Visitor’s Centre hosts amazing bush-craft activities and birthday-parties to get your den building and survival skills up to scratch.

3. Cleaning Challenge: Doesn’t it feel good to know that mundane household activities could actually be equivalent to a gym-workout? Fun-fact, a decent hoover from top to bottom can burn off up-to 300 calories! With that said, turn up the radio and get ‘dusting’ some moves!

4.Ping-Pong: If you are lucky enough to own a ping-pong table or be on holiday somewhere that has a games room, then keep reading! Despite appearing to stand still and only move your arms, this little leisure activity gets your heart racing whilst introducing some fun and friendly competition. For those who want to take it up a level, why not introduce a game of ‘Around the World’ and get a big group of people moving?

5.Shopping: For those shopaholics amongst us this deserves a big cheer! Walking around the supermarket or the shopping centre will soon sky rocket your step count and that’s before factoring in the added weight you are carrying with all those bags. Toned arms, toned legs and a good calorie burner are achieved all in a day’s work. Primark here we come!

6. Gardening: Ok, so as we currently stare out of the window and are met by a wintry scene, this one may seem slightly ambitious; however, they do say that summer gardens are made in winter, right? Why not tidy up the garden a little? Get researching seeds to plant in winter that will blossom come spring and be in full bloom by summer. Trust us, the hard work will not only help towards your summer body, but your summer garden will also thank you.

7. Dancing: What better way to have fun whilst keeping fit than dancing? Grab your friends and apply your best lipstick and hit the dance floor. Not only will you look a million dollars, you’ll feel it too.

8. Home Work-Out: If you have a PlayStation, Dance-Matt or Wii-Fit this one’s for you. Why not host a family challenge or get your friends and neighbours to come round for a fun filled evening? There are also several fantastic apps that will inspire fun active games that you can take part in from the comfort of your own home.

9. Hop, Skip and Jump: Head to Home Bargains or another ‘bang for your buck’ store and pick up a cost-effective skipping rope. Just ten minutes a day of skipping can be a great and effective way to get moving and get fit. If you own a hula-hoop or a trampoline at home, now is your chance to make the most of these. Again, just short bursts of fun movement will spike your energy levels and lift your mood.

10. Declutter: Been closing the door on a room you know you should really declutter? Been brushing things under the carpet? Is the underneath of the bed a hoarding ground? Now’s the time to declutter ahead of Spring. By the time you have sorted through old stock, taken out the bin, hoovered and dusted and got everything back in minimal and new working order, you will be ready for a sit down!

Time To Get Moving

Of course, walking, cycling and swimming are still in the running (pardon the pun) and there are many ways to make all of these fun. Why not try out an aqua aerobics class, hire a tandem bike or set yourself photo challenges on a nature walk?

Whatever you decide to do, be sure to download the Sport Relief App to track your progress, to donate and to keep yourself motivated.

There are also ample opportunities to contribute to walking the 1 billion steps. Whether you want to take time out alone, or rally your colleagues to brave the great outdoors, taking on the step-count challenge is an easy activity to implement and its budget friendly too!

Please don’t forget to share and tag your ‘whatever moves you’ posts with us at #bbtraining, as we would love to see how you are all supporting Sport Relief. After all, you never know who you might inspire!

On that note, it’s time to get moving to raise money. Have fun!