Uncommon Workouts to Kickstart Your Summer

Are you tired of your old gym routine? We don’t blame you. The treadmill, track, and weight room can be so monotonous. In San Diego, the weather makes for some awesome opportunities to get outside and try something unique. There are also plenty of classes out there to completely transform your fitness. Check out these five ways to get out of the gym into an all new workout this summer.

Try Mermaid Fitness at the Hotel Del Coronado

Yes, you read that right. The famous and iconic Hotel Del invites you to channel your inner mermaid this spring and summer for its new fitness class. You’ll get to rent a shimmering mermaid tail and dive into a 45 minute blend of swimming, cardio, core stability and strength. It’s more difficult that you think to perfect that dolphin kick! The class is held every Friday and Saturday at 8am in the Beach Village Pool, and it’s only $25 (which includes the tail, towel service, and discounted parking). Local residents with ID can take the class for $15. The class is for ages 18 and over, however guests 12 and older can attend with an adult. Mix up your gym routine with this totally unique experience––when are you going to get the chance to be a mermaid for a morning again?

Culture Shock Dance Center

Ask any dancer––no matter the style, dancing for a whole hour is a killer workout. But, it’s one of the most fun ways to meet your exercise quota for the week. And with so many different styles of dance out there, it’s easily one of the most unique ways, too. Of course you can start with the basics like ballet (and there are plenty of ballet barre workout studios out there), jazz, contemporary, and ballroom. Or you can take a bit of a risk and try a style completely new to you. At Culture Shock Dance Center, class styles include belly dancing, breakdancing, one called Heels where you learn to dance in high heels and another called BRO-lesque, which they liken to the dance moves you might see in the Magic Mike movies. There is ladies’ burlesque dance classes available too. While you can crunch all day in the gym for rock-hard abs, it will be far more fun to work those muscles out during a stellar dance sequence!

La Jolla Cove Swim Club

Skip the lap pool this summer, you’ve got the ocean! Anyone who’s tried swimming distance in open water knows that it’s no easy task, but that’s why it makes for an excellent workout. Swimming is already one of the most intense full-body cardio workouts there is, next to running, and training in the ocean is a great extra challenge. Plus, it gets you out of the gym, out of the chlorine-saturated water, and into nature! The La Jolla Cove Swim Club in an informal club that regularly swims between the Cove and La Jolla Shores. That’s a prime place to swim, given that it’s an ecological preserve. Boats keep their fair distance, and plenty of fish and marine life call La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores home, making it a destination for Scuba divers and snorkelers alike. Grab a mask and snorkel of your own, add some fins, and start swimming!

Leash Your Fitness

Dogs need their exercise too, and just going for a walk sometimes isn’t enough. Owners of big breeds and extremely energetic dogs probably know already that some pets need a workout of their own. The good news is that you can work out together! That’s right––no need to kennel the dog while you head to the gym, hire a dog-walker when you’re pressed for time, or sacrifice your own workout goals to jog around the park with your dog for the umpteenth time. Leash Your Fitness is an outfit in San Diego that offers group events that also include furry friends. The schedule features workouts like "Butt, Gut and Strut With Your Mutt", "K9 Core and Conditioning" and Dog Yoga. Fitness can be a lot more fun with the dog around!

Pole Dancing San Diego

Pole dancing blew up as a fitness trend in the last few years, but surprisingly, it’s not one of those fads that faded away. It’s still really popular! Many women find pole dancing to be a lot of fun, and it’s certainly a unique way to get a workout. Plus, with enough practice, there are some really cool tricks to learn on the pole. Fun Pole Fitness, located in North Park San Diego, offers classes for beginners and skilled dancers alike, so you can try it out no matter your strength or skill level. Classes are $30 each and the first class comes with free stiletto rental. Men are welcome too!

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