Sports Supplement 2014: Active Alternatives

The word exercise can still send a cold chill through many of us – instantly transporting us back to the ritual humiliation that was school PE, and all the associated traumas it entailed. Changing rooms that smelled simultaneously of feet and Impulse body spray, girls that instinctively knew how to pitch a hockey ball directly above your shin guards and a scary teacher marauding about in some questionably short shorts.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We’re adults now. We can drive and buy alcohol and stay up all night if we want to. We can also eat whatever we want, whilst at the same time watch our metabolism slow down before our very eyes.

You can probably see where this is going. Just because you hated PE at school and you don’t think of yourself as sporty, doesn’t mean there isn’t an exercise out there for you.  

Trampolining
Not just for kids, trampolining is actually a pretty hardcore workout. All that bouncing about not only burns some serious calories, but also enhances balance and strengthens and tones. It’s also really fun and the perfect antidote to sitting listlessly in front of a screen all day. Jumping is becoming big business, with American franchises High Heaven and Gravity (gravityedinburgh.co.uk) opening dedicated trampoline parks in Glasgow (theglasgowactivityzone.com) and Edinburgh respectively this summer. In the meantime Edinburgh Leisure offers adult sessions at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Friday nights. (edinburghleisure.co.uk)

Swimming
Whether you want to hone your technique or start from scratch, swimming classes are a great way to get back in shape. It’s cheap, good for your joints and this time round no one will make you retrieve a brick from the bottom of the pool dressed in pyjamas. If you’re feeling brave there are also a number of open water swimming clubs around, although these only tend to run in the summer months, for obvious reasons. (scottishswimming.com)

British Military Fitness
Like a modern day Private Benjamin, British Military Fitness is about us mere mortals being whipped into lean, mean exercise machines worthy of the Great British Army. It sounds unpleasant, but there’s a lot to be said for turning up and being made to exercise. Taking place in a park near you, participants are squatted, press-upped and downright terrorised into getting fit. I jest, there are actually lots of games involved and the hour long classes are generally pretty sociable. (britmilfit.com)

CrossFit
Originating in California (where else?) CrossFit is a strength and conditioning programme that’s part aerobics, part strong man contest. The concept is that combining strength training and cardio is the holy grail of fitness and yields the fastest results. One minute you’re doing squats, the next you’re flipping over tractor tyres. Not for the faint hearted, CrossFit inspires such devotion from its members that it has been likened to a cult. There are classes across the country – go to map.crossfit.com to find one near you.

Tai Chi
For those that like their exercise a little more sedate, Tai Chi might just be the answer. This ancient art form is technically a martial art, but it’s got more in common with meditation than karate. This gentle series of slow movements is credited with relieving stress, improving circulation and aiding concentration. Classes are often held outside and you can find a list of approved teachers at www.taoist.org.uk.

Bikram Yoga
If you like your exercise high intensity, chances are yoga isn’t at the top of your to do list – Bikram yoga may change that. Performed in a room set at 40 degrees centigrade (140F), this fast-paced practice is seriously challenging. Classes last a full 90 minutes and the same 26 poses are performed each time, but don’t be fooled – it never gets easier. Find out your local classes at hotyogaedinburgh.com for Edinburgh and bikramglasgow.com for Glasgow.  

Bouldering
Bouldering is rock climbing’s thuggish older brother. No ropes or harnesses here, this form of climbing is about as simple as it gets. Low walls that are set with ‘problems’ – coloured routes that you have to conquer using a combination of brains and brute force. The walls are set low so when you’re finished it’s just a case of jumping off on to the mats below or down climbing. Most indoor climbing centres feature a bouldering room and you don’t need any special training to get started. Check out alienrock.co.uk or eica-ratho.co.uk for the capital and tca-glasgow.com for Glasgow.  

Track Cycling
Thanks to Sir Chris Hoy track cycling has enjoyed a bit of a revival in recent years. For those reasonably proficient on a bike and looking for a new challenge, the velodrome named after he of the giant thighs is the place to be. It’s more difficult than it looks, so there’s a mandatory initiation to get through, but after that you’re free to whizz round the track for as long as you like (or your thighs allow). Find out more at emiratesarena.co.uk/cycling

Roller Derby
If you like your exercise with an edge and a generous portion of feminism, roller derby is the one for you. This all girl team sport is most definitely a contact sport, as two teams of five girls on roller skates head in the same direction around a track. The aim is for a nominated player to lap members of the rival team, and much pushing and swearing ensues. No crappy uniforms here, the women involved tend to rock a punk vibe and choose roller derby aliases such as ‘Clitty Clitty Bang Bang’ and ‘O Hell No Kitty.’ Full details on the Auld Reekie Roller Girls can be found at arrg.co.uk and the West Coast equivalent at glasgowrollerderby.com

Skiing
If you’d like to learn to ski without the hassle of leaving town, just head to your nearest dry slope. Edinburgh has a slope at Hillend (midlothian.gov.uk/info/200131/snowsports_centre) and Glasgow one at Bearsden (skibearsden.co.uk), and whilst they might lack some of the glamour associated with, say, Aspen or Val d’Isere, they’re a pretty convenient alternative. You can hire all the gear, get a lesson and give your thighs, glutes and core a pretty thorough workout, all without leaving the city limits. But if you want a more authentic experience there’s always the indoor snow slope at the Snow Factor in Glasgow (snowfactor.com), which comes with the added bonus of an on site bar for the full après ski experience.