MONTREAL — Want to change up your boring, ol’ workout routine?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
READ MORE: 10 songs to motivate your New Year’s fitness resolution
Whether it involves hopping on a pogo stick or doing crunches upside down, Global Montreal Morning News fitness contributor Suaad Ghadban loves finding new ways to work out.
Here are 5 unconventional workouts to spice up your routine:
Run backwards
Yes, you read that right.
Sometimes the best way to move ahead is by going backwards — literally.
Ghadban pointed out running or working out backwards uses 30 per cent more energy than moving forward at the same speed.
“Research has found that this uncommon technique — where runners strike on the front of the foot and launch from the heels — might also save your knees by creating less impact on the front of the knees,” she said.
The biggest drawback?
Not quite being able to see where you’re going, of course.
Om…doga
Most dogs get their exercise by chasing chew toys in the backyard or by going on regular walks with their owners.
If you want your dog to get a little more cardio, then you can buy a dog treadmill or send your pooch off to doggy bootcamp.
Then again, “if your dog is more mellow, then you both may enjoy doga, which is yoga for dogs,” said Ghadban.
“Both human and dog have work to do: In some poses, dogs help their humans get a deeper stretch, while at other times, humans hold their dogs’ limbs to support them in certain positions.”
It’s a great way to get a burst of the happy hormones that come from de-stressing with your pet.
Hang out upside down
Have you ever looked at a bat hanging upside down and thought, yeah, that seems about right?
Well good news, friends, it turns out there’s a workout for you.
It’s called “inversion,” and it’s basically just your normal core exercises, only you do them upside down.
“One of the main benefits of an inversion workout is that it relieves stress on your joints and your spine, which can actually help to increase your range of motion,” said Ghadban.
“It also ups the intensity of your core workouts since you’re both pulling more body weight and working against gravity.”
Something to try out the next time you’re at the gym?
Ghadban added anyone with prior injuries should check with their doctor before trying any inversions.
Bounce around
If ever there was a workout tailor-made for hipsters, it’s jumping around on a pogo stick.
It’s vintage, it’s weird and it requires buying a piece of old-timey equipment invented at the dawn of the 20th Century.
But it’s also a pretty decent cardio workout, burning up to 600 calories an hour — about the same as easy running.
Not to mention, since it’s basically just bouncing around on a stick with a spring, it’s low impact, which means it won’t be as hard on your joints as jump roping.
Karaoke workouts
This one definitely felt like it needed a video.
Some people may need a few drinks before they’re ready to go on stage and belt out a karaoke number, but, let’s face it, that kind of liquid courage is frowned upon before a workout.
With nothing more than water or a power drink in their systems, some people head to yoga, spinning or fitness classes ready to exercise their vocal cords as well as the rest of their bodies.
“To ensure that participants focus on the workout and not on winning the gym class version of American Idol, some instructors will only open certain songs up for audience participation,” explained Ghadban.
By the way, you could also belt out a tune while you exercise on your own — dance and sing like no one’s watching, right?
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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