Spring has all but arrived, and after the cabin fever of the past months, who can blame you for wanting to get outside and enjoy the wonders of the season? Now is the time to take up your old favorite hobbies — or find new ones to love.
What can you do to celebrate rebirth and restore some blood flow to winter-weary limbs? Here are five fun pastimes that are perfect for warmer weather.
1. Head to the Range
How are your marksmanship skills? It doesn’t matter if you prefer archery, skeet or target — many ranges contain spots for various sharpshooting activities.
If you develop confidence in your skills, why not show off your abilities in a contest? Many organizations have competitive competitions — you could win a monetary prize to go with your bragging rights.
2. Climb Every Mountain
Hiking offers a full-body workout and the immunity-boosting benefits of forest bathing — who doesn’t want to improve their germ-fighting ability after the past year? Plus, you ease mental stress and boost your mood just by looking at pictures of nature. Getting out there and immersing yourself is even more therapeutic.
If you live for a challenge, you can make your weekend outings even more exciting by learning techniques like bouldering. It’s similar to rock-climbing, only you don’t use ropes and carabiners — only a mattress to catch you if you fall.
Before heading out on the trail, always tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to return. Ensure you take plenty of water and snacks like trail mix. Carry a compass — you can’t always rely on your phone’s GPS if you wander too far off the grid.
3. Get Into Uniform
Do you want to make new friends in your community? Do you miss the thrill of competition from your high school and college days? Why not join a recreational volleyball or softball team when they start up in the spring?
Reach out to your local recreation center and find out what they offer. Many areas provide leagues that advance to championships. There’s no age limit on the desire to bring home the gold, and you can improve your physical fitness while meeting new lifelong pals.
4. Rake and Hoe
If you weren’t one of the many who got into the gardening craze back in 2020, make 2021 your year to earn your farmer stripes. Growing fruits and vegetables at home makes you more self-sufficient. Plus, you can guarantee that your family’s meal is free from unwanted pesticides and genetically modified products when you harvest them from your backyard.
You can save money and increase your sustainability quotient by building a compost bin and learning what household scraps you can repurpose to fertilize your roses and tomatoes. While it isn’t legal in all jurisdictions, you can save on irrigation costs if your region lets you harvest rainwater.
If you’re more ambitious, why not get your neighbors involved? You could start a community garden and enjoy tons of fresh produce to share. If you don’t want to go to that extreme, you could always arrange to swap some of your sweet potatoes for your neighbor’s green beans.
5. Roll in the Mud
Are you looking for an incentive to get in shape for swimsuit season? Why not train for an adventure race now that vaccines will see COVID-19 restrictions lifted soon?
You don’t have to do a triathlon to get various training activities in your competition these days. Events like Tough Mudder have you climbing over ropes and slithering through slimy pits. You’ll get gloriously messy.
What if you don’t feel like spending your hard-earned cash on a one-day event? Why not build an American ninja-style obstacle course in your backyard? You and your kids can have no end of fun while getting more fit.
About The Author:
Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out @TModded for regular updates!