Though this article is partly for entertainment, there is somewhat useful information in here, I promise. Just bear with me.

The age-old question.

Is “funnest” even a word? After Googling it, I’m still not certain, but for the sake of having an alliterative title, I’ll pretend that it is. But I digress – you’re not here to discuss literary technicalities; you’re here to learn the answer to the question we’ve been asking since the dawn of civilization. What’s the most fun way to exercise?

As someone who takes hybrid athletics to an extreme (with my whole “renaissance athlete” shtick), I would argue that I’m highly qualified to answer this question. My athletic repertoire includes martial arts, running, lifting, water sports, calisthenics, climbing, and more. After all that hands-on research, I think I have the answer for you… but it’s not what you might think. (Or, perhaps, it’s exactly what you expected. But you’ll have to keep reading to find out.)

To answer any question, you have to define the pieces of the question. Again with those literary technicalities… I know.

Fun (adjective): Amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable.

Exercise (verb): Engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness.

Promising contenders.

There was a time when I would have made my case that horseback riding was the most fun. Clearly… who wouldn’t love to fly across a field at 40 mph with the wind in their hair at the expense of a creature as unpredictable as a mob boss? Shockingly, that doesn’t fit everyone’s idea of fun.

More recently, I might have tried to convince you that jiu-jitsu is the most enjoyable. However, I soon realized that not everyone takes pleasure in getting slammed into the ground and chocked by other people’s thighs. Who would’ve guessed?

Certainly, though, everyone has to love surfing, right? You get sun, ocean, and the adrenaline rush of skimming across the water. Nevertheless, not everyone takes too kindly to being slammed into the ocean floor, whacked in the head by a large board, getting sand in every crevice, and suffocating on salt water.

So if it’s not horseback riding, jiu-jitsu, or surfing, what in the world is the answer?

Well, it’s a matter of opinion!

You might be thinking Ok, captain obvious – but what is your answer?

Now, when I decided to oblige Word Press and actually run with their Prompt of the Day, I figured the question “What is the most fun form of exercise?” was meant to invoke some opinion pieces. My goal, however, is to first and foremost provide useful and actionable health, fitness, and sports information, and secondly to entertain you; not to force my opinions down your throat.

So, let me flip that question back at you: What is your answer? If you’re unsure, and you stumbled across this article in a desperate frenzy to find some form of tolerable and bearable exercise, do not fear – I’m here to help you discover how you can find the form of exercise that fulfills you and is, yes, maybe even fun.

Finding the fun.

Finding the fun in fitness is like finding the fun in anything else (because as always, #LifeImitatesFitness). Let’s try a little exercise (the other type of exercise; a thought exercise). Jot down some answers to the following prompts; feel free to make a long list. Nothing is off-limits. These items don’t necessarily have to be sports or exercises.

1. What did you enjoy doing most as a child?
2. What do you find yourself getting lost in or losing track of time when you do?
3. What are some things you’ve always wanted to try that you’ve thought look like fun, but never have?
4. What are some things you wish you could do every day?

Now, comb through the list. How could you turn each of these things into a way to “engage in physical activity to sustain or improve physical fitness”? Some of these things on your list might already be exercise (like walking in nature, playing soccer, etc.), but some of these things might be harder to imagine how they could relate to fitness. However, try to get creative with it, if possible. If your answers are, for instance, reading a book or studying history, could you do either of these while strolling on a treadmill? Otherwise, can you dance around the kitchen while you cook? Have a walking coffee date with friends? Volunteer to play with dogs? Cartwheel into the sunset? Turn your childhood love for monkey bars into an amateur obstacle course racing career? (That last one hit a little too close to home… @Spartan, sponsor me!) Finally, scrap everything from the list that couldn’t possibly be turned into a physical activity.

Hopefully, there’s at least one item left on that list. (If not, you may need to go touch grass and reevaluate your attitude towards life. Harsh, I know.) If the list is longer than one item, pick the most appealing thing on the list. And bam, you’re done – you have your answer. That, my friend, is your most fun way to exercise.