Live in Swindon and wondering how you can ‘up’ your fitness stakes this winter?

Well, lucky you – Swindon is a town in which there’s no shortage of physical activities to take part in. You’re certainly spoiled for choice, from pole dancing and padel to various martial arts classes.

If golf is your thing, there are 9 and 18-hole courses to keep you busy. In fact, Ryder Cup star and 2006 PGA Champion David Howell and Martin Sell, 2002 Amateur Championship runner-up, are no strangers to the area.

@SwindonWeb: “They both learnt how to play the beautiful game playing the courses around Swindon and are a credit to the golfing facilities the town has to offer.”

Here’s a list of some other activities in Swindon for you to consider:

Bag a padel court at Basset Down

Book one of our three padel courts at Basset Down and find out exactly how fit padel will get you. A cross between squash and tennis, it’s certainly an action game and one in which you’ll improve both your muscle strength and cardio fitness. We offer training sessions and games to suit all ages, from the very young to those over 70. There’s also a special membership scheme with great benefits for regular padel players.

Perk up with some pole dancing

Gone are the days when pole dancing was only performed in lap dancing clubs. Today you’ll find it in gym clubs such as Foxies Xtreme, such is its fabulous muscle toning and strength-building abilities (not to mention excellent calorie burner). Start with simple moves such as the Cheerleader and Attitude Spin, then build up to an entire Aerial Dance.

Make yours martial arts 

From kickboxing and karate to Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu, there’s no shortage of martial arts clubs to join in Swindon. The town’s Ju-jitsu club trains juniors and seniors at Oliver Tomkins Junior School. The Karate club is at Broad Hinton Community Hall on Tuesday and at Noremarsh School on Friday. Junior kickboxing is on Tuesday nights at the Independent Martial Arts School in Gorse Hill.

Get ready to run

Running clubs and events – there’s no shortage of either in Swindon. An exercise that can be much more fun when you team up with a running companion (or several), there are plenty of clubs to choose from. Just make sure you choose one near you and at your level. Not only will running help you get fit and lose some weight if you need to, but it’s also a real happiness booster. And that’s something we could all do with during these long, dark winter nights.

Get rowdy with rowing

If you prefer your physical activity to be more water-based, then you may want to try a session or two with Swindon Rowing Club. Based at Coate Water Country Park, the club shares the water with canoeists, kayakers and fishermen. It’s a 1000-metre straight lake which allows for the possibility of building up speed. Members of the club are at various ability levels and go from teenagers up to the over 70s age group.

Image source: Wrag Barn Golf & Country Club, Swindon Free Swindon Image on Unsplash