Is Ice Skating the Best Winter Workout?
When the temperatures start dipping below the freezing point, it’s never easy to hit the gym and if you rely on outdoor sports like football and soccer to keep you fit, it’s certainly a problem during the winter months. The same goes for kids as well, but that’s where ice skating comes in. Opinions may differ about whether the sport is the best option, but no one will argue that ice skating is at least one of the best ways to keep your kids active and fit even during the winter months. Just in case you are not sure why it is so, check out the following points.
It’s Fun!
Fun is that important ingredient that we often forget about while talking fitness, but when it comes to ice skating, getting your winter exercise in can actually be a fun time for the whole family. Sure, ice skating is also a very competitive sport, but it doesn’t have to be! Take your entire family to a local skating rink and just have fun skating or learning to skate together. If you already know how to skate, you can teach your kids and bond in the process.
You May Find a Hidden Talent in Your Kids
They say that you will never know how good you are at something unless you have tried it a few times and that’s true in the case of ice skating also. In addition to having loads of fun together, there’s a chance that one of your kids might be a natural talent. Although having fun while staying fit is the primary goal here, if he/she has a knack for it, this might just mean that great things are waiting in the future.
Age No Bar
Ice skating in its basic form is not taxing on the joints, so almost anyone can join in on the fun and get some exercise in the process. However, if the older members of your family don’t already know how to skate, it’s better to not push them into it, or at least make sure that they learn with a professional trainer first. The chances of falling and getting injured on the ice are not to be ignored.
The Workout is Serious
While it’s fun, it’s also a cardiovascular exercise that works your muscles at the same time. Therefore, if staying fit is your objective, time spent on the ice skating rink is more than enough for the winters and may continue to be so even beyond the winter months.
It’s not as if everyone likes ice skating, but those that do, usually fall in love with it. If you or your kids are serious about going back to the rink after the first session, do make sure that the ice skates are good ones because that affects the experience a lot.
There are lots of brands and styles out there, so try a few on for size.
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