Quirky ways to stay active in Northern Ireland

By Rachel Stephens

Published 2nd Feb 2024, 11:26 BST

Staying active doesn’t always mean treadmills and weightlifting, or mundane hours spent at the gym. Thinking outside the box for your fitness this year could keep you active and healthier, without even trying.

We’ve scoured the internet to find some quirky ways to stay active throughout Northern Ireland, from gravity-defying pole and aerial fitness classes, to skate socials across the country, redefining what it means to stay active this year.

Here are our top quirky ways to stay active and have fun at the same time.

Combining strength, flexibility and fun, pole and aerial fitness classes are an exciting way to work out whilst defying gravity. From artistic moves and poses to graceful spins and strength training, pole and aerial fitness classes are a fantastic way to keep active. Classes can be found all over Northern Ireland including Flyaway Aerial Studio, 28 Crescent Business Park, Ballinderry Road, Lisburn; Polercise, 185 Donegall Street, Belfast; Wings Pole Studio, Unit 16, D.C. Business Park, Kennedy Way, Belfast and Inverted Pole Academy, North Building, 155 Northumberland Street, Belfast.

1. Pole and aerial fitness classes:

Combining strength, flexibility and fun, pole and aerial fitness classes are an exciting way to work out whilst defying gravity. From artistic moves and poses to graceful spins and strength training, pole and aerial fitness classes are a fantastic way to keep active. Classes can be found all over Northern Ireland including Flyaway Aerial Studio, 28 Crescent Business Park, Ballinderry Road, Lisburn; Polercise, 185 Donegall Street, Belfast; Wings Pole Studio, Unit 16, D.C. Business Park, Kennedy Way, Belfast and Inverted Pole Academy, North Building, 155 Northumberland Street, Belfast. Photo: Yuri Stopkin / freepik

Break free from conventional workouts and bounce your way into fitness in with trampolining. This quirky way to exercise will have you soaring through the air and playfully bouncing around to stay fit and active. Places to try include Inflata Park Airtastic Belfast and Bangor; Boogie Bounce Xtreme Belfast, Unit 10a Hannahstown Business Park, Belfast.

2. Trampolining

Break free from conventional workouts and bounce your way into fitness in with trampolining. This quirky way to exercise will have you soaring through the air and playfully bouncing around to stay fit and active. Places to try include Inflata Park Airtastic Belfast and Bangor; Boogie Bounce Xtreme Belfast, Unit 10a Hannahstown Business Park, Belfast. Photo: pixabay

Ideal for adrenaline junkies, parkour pushes the boundaries of traditional exercise and invites people to explore their surroundings with precision. With the world as your personal playground, why not give parkour a try this year? Check out what The Playground, Springbank Industrial Estate, Unit 19 Tully Business Park, Springbank Lane, Dunmurry, Belfast has to offer.

3. Parkour

Ideal for adrenaline junkies, parkour pushes the boundaries of traditional exercise and invites people to explore their surroundings with precision. With the world as your personal playground, why not give parkour a try this year? Check out what The Playground, Springbank Industrial Estate, Unit 19 Tully Business Park, Springbank Lane, Dunmurry, Belfast has to offer. Photo: pexels

A novel way to stay active, and the perfect way to spend time in nature, paddleboarding is a must-try for anyone looking to stay active this year. Follow the flow of the water and test your balance with this exciting form of exercise. Options to check out include Get Up & Get On in various across Northern Ireland; Islandmagee SUP, Portmuck Harbour, Islandmagee, Co Antrim and SUP Hub NI at Bangor Marina, 5 Quay Street, Bangor, Co Down.

4. Paddleboarding

A novel way to stay active, and the perfect way to spend time in nature, paddleboarding is a must-try for anyone looking to stay active this year. Follow the flow of the water and test your balance with this exciting form of exercise. Options to check out include Get Up & Get On in various across Northern Ireland; Islandmagee SUP, Portmuck Harbour, Islandmagee, Co Antrim and SUP Hub NI at Bangor Marina, 5 Quay Street, Bangor, Co Down. Photo: unplash

Northern Ireland