Winter sports combine fun with calorie burn and strength building

Winter sports such as ice skating, snowboarding, and snowshoeing are enjoying a boom, in part because they’re a perfect way to have fun and make friends.

Ice skating: This is a sport that can be adapted to almost any age and level of ability. Whether you like to skate in pairs, race, or play ice games, you can have a good time learning and improving your skills. Women account for 60 percent of skaters.

It can be an inexpensive, family-friendly sport that makes you feel graceful and athletic, especially when skating to music. Basic skating can burn 225 calories in 30 minutes. As you naturally bend your knees and lower your center of gravity to glide forward, you firm your legs, hips, buttocks, and abdominals.

Learners can wear flexible knee pads to avoid bruised knees from falling.

Snowboarding: A little like downhill skiing, but it’s easier because your feet are locked in and there are no ski poles to worry about. Seven million people tried snowboarding last year, about two-thirds of whom were men.

To begin, it’s important to take a lesson or two. You’ll learn how to lean your weight forward, push up off your butt to a standing position to start, and maintain balance on the downhills.
Snowboarding burns 260 calories every 30 minutes and tones thighs, calves, and glutes.

Snowshoeing: If you can walk, you can learn to snowshoe, which probably accounts for the growing popularity of the sport. Men and women try snowshoeing in roughly equal numbers. It’s fun because you take in the beauty of the snow and great view as you trek solo or with friends. It burns 260 calories in 30 minutes and tones thighs, calves, and glutes.