5 FUN ways to feel fitter in 2022 (absolutely no gym required)
Listen; the gym isn’t for everyone.
But that doesn’t mean you should fling your runners in the bin and call it a day.
With a little experimentation, you can find a heart-pumping, calorie-torching activity that suits your lifestyle (and temperament). And you might even make some new friends in the process.
Here are five gym-free physical activities to try in the New Year:
1. For folks who love the water
Paddleboarding is an absolutely beautiful way to see the city.
You can float up the river on your own or with friends and enjoy the wildlife and sights that our lovely Lee has to offer up close. Check out Cork City SUP (Stand up Paddleboarding) for more details.
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2. For those who love to climb
Even if you think you’re fit, a climbing wall will humble you pretty quickly, but they are also excellent fun.
Awesome Walls is a state-of-the-art climbing facility in Cork City with more than 200 routes. You can try bouldering, vertical climbs, beginner, and more advanced paths.
There’s something for everyone so don’t be put off if you’re a newbie.
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3. For people who enjoy a walk
There’s been a noticeable boom in hiking and hillwalking over the last year.
Influencer and model, Rozanna Purcell has made this activity more popular than ever among Irish people, posting magnificent views of her climbs in Ireland and abroad.
Check out Cork Hillwalkers (walking together since 1982) for inspiration and guidance, then pull on your runners and hit the trails.
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4. For those who fancy a skate
Cork City Firebirds are a female roller derby group renowned for being both inclusive and hardcore.
It’s a pretty physical sport but a tonne of fun. In 2021 the Firebirds opened up their space and created a public skate event. They even weathered the COVID restrictions by training outdoors. Find them on Instagram to keep up to date on future events.
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5. For those who long to fly
Be honest: as a child how many times did you open up an umbrella on a windy day in the hopes you would fly away? Well, there’s an adult version of that and it looks like a lot of fun… and with a far greater success rate: kitesurfing.
Check out the Kite Sports Centre, located near Ballycotton, and fly high off the Cork coast while freeriding, wave-riding, freestyling and wakestyling.
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