Seven creative ways to exercise without going to the gym

The festive season is just around the corner and that means plenty of festive meals to indulge in. 

But if you are the complete opposite of a gym rat and require some motivation to start exercising, there are plenty of fun ways to do so! 

Here are some creative ways to exercise without going to the gym.

In case you’re wondering what geocaching is: Just imagine Pokémon Go, except instead of catching virtual Pokémon, you’re searching for treasures hidden all around Singapore.

Some of the caches require you to walk a lot or even kayak to find them, making geocaching the perfect way to work out while having fun. If you’re wondering, brisk walking does count as a moderate exercise, although you’ll need to walk at a pace of 4.8km per hour for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. 

To start, just download the Geocaching app and pick a nearby cache to look for.

Learning a dance is one of the most enjoyable ways to work up a sweat. You get to move your body to upbeat music while working out muscles you didn’t even know existed.

Research has shown that learning to dance for 30 minutes burns between 130 to 250 calories. That’s about the same amount of calories burnt from going for a jog.

There are many different genres you can try – zumba, hip-hop, K-pop and even belly dancing – to kickstart your dance lessons. If you are looking to begin with something more simple, you can try learning a short TikTok dance.

If you’re sick of taking walks around your neighbourhood, you can spice up your walks by going to a maze. Wandering around and getting lost in a large maze will be a great workout for your legs.

To make things more challenging, you can race with your friends to see who will get out of the maze first, or you can give yourself a time limit. Who knew walking could be exciting?

Science Centre’s Mirror Maze and the Hedge Maze at Jewel Changi Airport are some mazes you can visit.

What if I told you that you can burn calories while doing work at your desk? It’s as simple as shaking your legs or playing with your hair while sitting. 

Studies show that fidgeting can help you lose up to 800 calories in a day. It’s the perfect way for you to get in some exercise without even needing to change into gym attire.

No, rock climbing is not just for adrenaline junkies or bodybuilders – it’s a fun activity for all ages and expertise levels.

While climbing the wall can be difficult, the satisfaction of reaching the top after a tough climb is unmatched. 

For an extra fun climbing experience, you can visit HomeTeamNS Khatib’s Adventure HQ. Their Urban Climb walls offer boulders of different materials against colourful backdrops.

With the popularity of Fall Guys, you may have wanted to try out a real-life obstacle course. 

In that case, you’re in luck – Sentosa’s Palawan Beach now has a floating obstacle course, HydroDash!

While you won’t get to sabotage others or shove them off the course, you will have to cling on to the inflatable structures to avoid falling off. 

Cycle when it’s bright, and the sun beats down on you. Cycle when it’s dark, and you run the risk of colliding into something even with lights. The perfect solution to that is cycling indoors.

Cycling is the one of the best ways of exercising when you don’t feel like exercising. A little pedalling and the road is flying past you with the wind blowing in your face.

To get all the benefits of cycling without pesky weather conditions, you can cycle at Funan, the only commercial building in Singapore with a dedicated indoor cycling path.