Summer's winding down, but you can still take advantage of the season's perks --including its entertainment. Today IWOWNFIT is going to talk about those sports that are good for summer and can burn more calories at the same time. Still, keeping track of calories burned per hour is a good measure of how intense a particular exercise is, a smart bracelet or watch would come in handy.
Swimming
Calories burned per hour: 400 to 900
Nothing makes people happier than going swimming during the hot summer. Different strokes work various muscles and burn different amounts of calories. The butterfly stroke may burn between 660 and 976 calories an hour, depending on your weight and physical capabilities. Swimming laps can burn between 600 and 888 calories per hour. Other swimming strokes that burn a significant number of calories include the backstroke and breaststroke.
The US Census Bureau reports that two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity such as swimming can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses. Along with this, swimming is linked to better cognitive function, lower risk of type 2 diabetes, lower risk of high blood pressure, and lower risk of a stroke. People are typically able to exercise longer in water than on land without increased effort, and minimal joint or muscle pain.
Cycling
Calories burned per hour: 400-1100
Cycling is a great way to ease back into exercise, working the heart, abdominals, legs and buttocks with a low level of impact on joints. Indoor cycling classes burn 675 calories in 30 minutes. The sprint cycling techniques used in these so-called "spinning" classes boost cardiovascular activity for rapid results.
Cycling can be a relaxing exercise for the whole family, taking a scenic route and riding with the family. You can also use it as a part of cross-training.
Jumping rope
Calories burned per hour: 500 to 1050
Jumping rope is an excellent cardio exercise for improving physical fitness, bringing benefits to the whole cardiovascular system. Boxers do it to warm up, but after a few short minutes of this activity, you’ll be considering it more than just a simple preface to your workout. It’s simple, but effective, and works the entire body, as well as helps you with hand-eye coordination.
Before you begin using a rope, measure it to your height. When you stand on the middle of the rope, the handles should extend to your armpits. Cut and adjust the length as necessary. When jumping rope, the upper arm clamps the body, relying on the forearm and wrist to swing the rope. It's important to note that just like running, jumping rope also needs to be warmed up and stretched.
Soccer
Calories burned per hour: 500 to 1400
Still have World Cup fever? You might enjoy translating that passion to a pitch near you. In soccer, you’ll walk a bit, jog a bit more and sprint occasionally, but the key thing to remember is that you’re always moving. The large dimensions of the playing surface mean there’s plenty of ground to cover, and you’ll certainly find yourself in lots of foot races. You’ll get a chance to jog backward and from side to side, keeping your body limber and fit. Remember, groin and hip flexor injuries are common in “the beautiful game,” so stretch longer than you might for another sport.
Soccer works some of the largest muscles in your body, says Pasternak. "Your quads, hamstrings, and calves are trained while you run, and as you move laterally [side to side, or in zigzag directions as you chase the ball around the field], the muscles around your hips—your adductors and abductors—get toned," he says. That lateral movement is key for runners, as that area tends to be weak from moving forward in only one direction. Pasternak says soccer is also a great summer sport to practice working out in an optimal heart rate zone, when your body is working at a prime calorie-burning level. Other ball games such as basketball, football, tennis, volleyball and so on are usually full of competition/confrontation, which can arouse the interest and fun of sports in summer.
Running
Calories burned per hour: 600 to 1500
Walking and jogging are great, but upping your pace will mean more calories burned and more toning of your muscles. An all-round workout, running boosts cardiovascular fitness and strengthens back and abdominal muscles, as well as the lower limbs, working both the legs and the buttocks. For the best calorie-burning potential, try to keep your speed above 8 mph. A 30-minute run will beat out a short bike ride of two hours or under for calories used.
Running in nature, whether on a trail or even in a residential area offers a constant change of scenery that will make you happy to step off the treadmill. Also, try to run at the beach so that more calories will be burned than you do on the flat road. Using an activity monitor with built-in GPS and heart rate tracking, like the IWOWNFIT P1, will help you train in that zone and keep track of steps and distance covered.
Get moving and feel the burn with these calorie-busting activities to enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle or a weight-loss program.
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