Spring it on!

Longer days, warmer weather, the threat of Summer clothing – there are many reasons why Spring is the perfect time to crank your activity up a notch and make maximum MOVEs this month.

First, a quick note about MOVEs… In case you don’t know, MOVEs are a measurement of your daily physical activity. The more often and faster you move, the more you accumulate. To be active you should aim for 750 MOVEs per day. Our free app, Places Locker counts the MOVEs you earn through all your activities, whether at the gym or out and about (including daily household chores), and sets weekly targets based on the previous week’s MOVEs. It even pairs with a range of fitness wearables so that all your activities are logged in one place.

Places Locker is free for all members (including pay-as-you-go), so as you squeeze more MOVEs into your day, measure your progress and watch those MOVEs add up!

Read on for ideas on how to sail into summer feeling amazing.

 

Step on! Walking is great all-round exercise and an easy way to introduce more activity into every day, whatever your current fitness level – it’s recommended for the elderly, injured and athletes alike. May is National Walking Month so why not increase your daily steps and see how many you can notch up by the 31st? Put on a pedometer, fasten your fitbit, or activate the activity app on your phone get stepping!

Try walking to work, doing the school run on foot, or going for a stroll after dinner to get those steps up. 10,000 steps per day is a sensible target for adults, but you’ll see benefits if you increase your daily average by just 2000 – from weight loss to fighting dementia. It can even save your life. Conveniently, 2000 steps take roughly 30 minutes, which tallies with government guidelines on daily exercise for adults.

Jog on! Short on time or just want to earn MOVEs faster? Jogging/running is the obvious next step (no pun intended…). Now the evenings are light and the weather is improving, running is even easier to fit into your fitness routine so you can really increase your MOVEs. Depending on your intensity, 30 minutes will earn you 500-1300 MOVEs, compared to 300 for fast-paced walking. A bit of friendly competition can really help motivation, so try joining challenges like those on Places Locker, Strava or Nike Run Club where you can see what your friends have achieved – then smash it!

Hit big! Racquet sports are real MOVE makers – did you know squash can earn you 1000 MOVEs in half an hour?! With the French Open at the end of May and Wimbledon on its way, you may be thinking about dusting off your tennis racquet and getting back on court to earn around 650 MOVEs in 30 minutes. Tennis is great for all ages and abilities as you can take it at your own pace. But if you’re feeling a little rusty, try these exercises to help you get match fit again.

Dive in: Maybe you’d like a more refreshing activity to keep you cool as the weather heats up? Swimming is ideal as it’s easy to go at your own pace while getting a full body workout. No matter how fast you swim or which stroke you choose, propelling your body through the water tones and builds lean muscle mass, while working your heart and lungs – and will earn you 500 MOVEs in 30 minutes. Plus all Places Members (including pay-as-you-go) get FREE use of Swimtag, swim tracking technology to count your lengths, learn new strokes, set targets and join challenges.

So with all these ways (and many more!) to maximise your MOVEs and spring into fitness, what are you waiting for? Find your local Active Place and SPRING IT ON!