Today, I am sharing with you ten joyful movements that you can try in 2021. Before we start, you might be wondering what is a joyful movement. As stated in this article, joyful movement is an approach to physical activity which encourage us to genuinely enjoy how we move our bodies. Too often, exercise is viewed as a way to burn off some calories or as a way to punish our bodies for what we eat. Joyful movement aims to celebrate all that our bodies are able to do while taking pleasure in each and every movements. Now that you know what joyful movement is, keep reading to find some joyful movements that you can try in 2021.
1. Yoga
The first joyful movement that you can try in 2021 is yoga! This is probably my favorite on the list. There are so many contradictions around yoga, especially in the Christianity world, however, yoga is such a powerful, safe and enjoyable way to move our bodies. It truly embraces what joyful movement is all about. If you haven’t yet, check out this post to learn more about yoga.
2. Go for a walk
This is probably the easiest way to move your body. It can be a 15-30 minutes walk around your neighborhood park or just walking your dog down the street. It truly does not have to be anything fancy. Walking has several health benefits such as boosting your immune function, easing joint pain and so many more. This post from Harvard health provides a few surprising benefits of walking, definitely check it our if you would like to learn more.
3. Swimming
One of my main goals for 2021 is to learn how to swim! No, I do not know how to swim. I actually started learning during my freshman year in college, however, the project fell through. I am so ready to start learning and actually swimming!!!! Swimming is such a great way to move your body. Also, it has so many benefits such as lowering the risks of cardiovascular diseases, increasing your energy levels and so much more. This article provides more benefits of swimming, so check it out if you are interested.
4. Hiking
Hiking is another favorite of mine! I LOVE hiking when the weather is nice! I genuinely take pleasure being in the mountains, lost in nature and breathing in the fresh air. Hiking is such a great way to get your body moving while “detaching” from the world and resetting. It has so many positive effects on your overall health.
5. Dancing
Who doesn’t love a good, spontaneous dance party? I know I do! Dancing can be anything from Zumba, to Salsa, to like I previously mentioned, a spontaneous dance party. Dancing has so many great benefits such as increasing your muscular strength, improving the condition of your heart and lungs. Check this article to read more about the benefits of dancing.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HiiT)
This one might be a little odd to you because usually, some people don’t enjoy high-intensity interval training . However, a lot of people, including me, do enjoy Hiit; hence I included it in this list. Hiit can be seen as hard and painful; that is why it is so important that you like it in order to do it. Or else, you’ll be miserable during trainings or give up after your first training. If you truly like Hiit, it can be such a fun and intense way to move your body.
Cycling
I love both indoor and outdoor cycling. This one might be a hit or miss for some people. Although, some people learn to truly enjoy it. I’ve always loved outdoor cycling; however, the first time that I went to a cycling class, I hated it. My legs were SORE, I was in so much pain. I decided to give it a try a couple years later and now, I love it. Cycling increases muscular strength, especially in your lower body. Next time you’re at the gym, put your favorite album on (my go-to for cycling is Homecoming by Bey) and give cycling a try! It will instantly boost your mood up!
Jump Roping
I think that most of us have jumped rope at least once before, especially as a kid. I have so many great memories of jumping rope back in my country, Haiti. Now, I do it as a form of exercise and I love it. Jump roping strengthens your bone density as well as improving your heart health. You can include it as warmups into your daily movement routine or just by itself just to move your body!
Rock Climbing
I’ve personally never tried rock climbing before, however I have a friend who loves it. From what I’ve heard, rock climbing is really a fun way to move your body while truly enjoying it. It can be intimidating at first, however, once you go for it, you might never look back! Also, I am determined to try it this year!
Jogging
The last but not least joyful movement that you should try in 2021 is jogging. Jogging is a great way to move your body! I definitely love an early morning spring and summer jog. Especially I’m jogging with my mom! We have so much fun while getting in the fresh morning air. There’s always something new to see on our jogging route. We usually jog by the river and it is seriously the most beautiful, peaceful and somewhat relaxing thing ever. Definitely give it a try during the warmer days!
And here you have it beautiful people, ten joyful movements to try in 2021. I truly hope that this post was very helpful to you and gave you a new outlook on exercise. Moving our bodies is something that we should all be aiming to do on a daily basis because our bodies truly deserve it. Let’s make it our goal to, from now on, show our bodies some love, not because we want to lose weight or because we don’t like the way we look. But because our bodies are our home and we must take care of them.
Letβs be friends on Instagram @smileymaruth , I post a lot of encouraging, motivating, inspiring words on my stories and feed. I also share my meals and workouts on there regularly.
With love,
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