Exercising at the gym can get boring. Let’s face it. Not everyone is a die hard gym fan and finding the motivation to get on the treadmill every day is hard.

We’re the first to admit that our exercise routine goes in waves, and that the recommended daily aerobic activity is just not happening as often as it should. However, we have found that if we mix up the routine a bit, getting our body moving is a lot easier.

Since we are an Angeleno, we’re lucky to have year-round awesome weather that allows us to take our workout into the great outdoors pretty frequently, but we’ve also found some other great ways to get into shape.

First up, dancing. Whether you take yourself to the club to blow off some steam or dance around your living room, throwing on music and moving is awesome. If you really love it, try finding a dance studio that offers monthly memberships in lieu of a gym membership. We love The Dance Doctor here in Santa Monica because of all the different styles of dancing we can try.

Next, the great outdoors! Take a walk, go hiking, jump on your bike, or even roller blade if you’ve still got a pair! Being outside in the fresh air will get those endorphins going, and surrounding yourself with nature is always good for the soul. We will usually check out Runyon Canyon for a local hike, or take a drive to Temescal Canyon for something different.

Last but not least, how about trying a new sport? We recently discovered community tennis courts and have been making it a point to play a couple of times a week. They’re free and tennis works out muscles we didn’t even know existed. We’ve also shot a basketball around lately which is another free activity that we can do at the park.

What ways do you exercise for a little extra fun outside of the gym?

-Sasha Huff