Most guys would agree that staying in decent shape is pretty high on their list of priorities. After all, staying in shape helps you look better, it helps you feel better about yourself, it helps you stay healthier, and it helps you live longer. But there’s one problem that plenty of guys find themselves running up against in their desire to stay in shape: they hate the gym. Let’s face it unless you’re someone who really enjoys going to the gym, there are a lot of things frustrating things about it. It can get crowded, it’s full of posers, and it’s hard not to feel like you’re constantly being judged by everyone around you. But that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on keeping fit. Here are a few great ways to stay in shape even if you hate the gym.

Golf

When you think about sports that you could play to stay in shape, golf probably isn’t the first one that comes to mind. People tend to assume that golf is the kind of sport you do when you don’t want to work up a sweat at all. However, that’s not the case. Sure, it’s something of a low-impact sport but it still gets your blood pumping and requires a huge amount of control over your muscles. It often looks simple but involves a lot of dedication and effort. Check out these posts from Stephen Troese to see just how much goes into perfecting your golf swing. Not to mention the amount of walking you’re going to be doing across the course.

Swimming

Another fantastic low-impact workout that a lot of people don’t give enough credit to is swimming. The truth is that swimming might well be the best workout there is. It works out your entire body at once without the kinds of risks that high impact workouts can involve. Not only that but it’s the kind of workout where you can just shut the world out for a while and focus on yourself. There’s something genuinely meditative about it.

Hiking

Speaking of being able to get away from the world, hiking is a fantastic way to keep fit without finding yourself stuck in a cramped workout environment. Being able to get out into the world and enjoy the fresh air while getting a workout is something that really can’t be beaten. It’s one of those workouts where the joy you get from being able to experience the beauty of the world around you can often end up being more enjoyable than the workout itself. Letting you easily combine a hobby with a workout.

Of course, it’s important to remember that there are always going to be times where working out and staying in shape is going to be tiring and frustrating. The truth is that you will sometimes just have to work through that. It’s not always going to be fun but the satisfaction that comes with the results of keeping feet almost always outweigh anything else.

These are only a few ways to stay in shape without going to the gym. Be creative and we are sure you will come up with your own list. Let us know below what activities you are doing to stay in shape.