La Niña winters are great if you love snow camping, skiing and sledding.
But what if your idea of a good time requires temperatures warm enough to wear shorts?
You might think you have only two options: A plane ticket to Hawaii or staying bundled up until June (or maybe July). In reality, however, there are plenty of ways to free your knees right now without leaving town.
Here are 15 ideas for spending some quality times in shorts this winter:
1. Indoor kayaking
For two hours on most Monday nights in February and March, members of the Tacoma Mountaineers practice their kayaking skills in the Peninsula High School Pool. “It’s stupid kayak tricks,” said Gary Peniston of the Mountaineers. “We have a lot of fun.” While experienced paddlers like Peniston perfect and create advanced maneuvers, newbies fine-tune the basics of rolling. Participants must bring their own clean gear and kayak. The pool opens at 6:45 p.m. Cost is $10.
More info: TacomaMountaineers.org
2. Gyrotonic
Rachel Friedman’s cozy Motion in Balance Studio in Olympia is a good place to try Gyrotonic, an activity that uses a wood contraption with straps and pulleys for workouts that use elements of Pilates, yoga, tai chi and dance. The activity is good for stretching and relieving nagging muscle pain, Friedman says. Classes are $30 for groups or $50 for private sessions.
More info: MotionInBalance.biz
3. Hot yoga
You can find temperatures exceeding 110 degrees in most hot yoga studios. You’ll definitely sweat, so make sure you hydrate before you go. You’re also sure to feel refreshed after an hour to 90 minutes of loosening and strengthening your muscles.
More info: There are many hot yoga studios around the South Sound and most offer special discounts – sometimes 10 or 12 visits for $10 – for first-timers.
4. Waterslides
It always feels like summer inside the Federal Way Community Center’s swimming area. The facility has a two-story water slide, a “lazy river” you can float with an inner tube, a lap pool and other places to play. Entry fees are $8 for adults (18-61), $5 for seniors (62 and older) and teens (13-17) and $4 for youth (3-12).
More info: ItAllHappensHere.org
5. The gym
You might feel restricted in the gym in the summer, but these places can feel like a warm oasis in the winter. From basketball and volleyball, to weightlifting, fitness classes and indoor tracks there are plenty of warm activities.
More info: There are dozens of gyms around the South Sound, but not all are created equal. Accoutrements like sports courts, pools and indoor tracks definitely aren’t standard, so call ahead to make sure they have what you want.
6. Aquazumba
Eccentric former pro baseball player Manny Ramirez made international news last month when it was revealed he’s training for a comeback by doing water aerobics. He’s not the only familiar face in the pool. One of North America’s most popular fitness activities, Zumba, is also getting wet. Olympia’s Briggs Community YMCA is one of several local gyms offering these Latin dance workouts in their pools.
More info: Visit zumba.com for a list of AquaZumba classes.
7. Freestyle boxing
You better wear shorts if you try freestyle boxing, because you are going to sweat. Participants can burn 800-1,000 calories per hour trying this activity that requires rapid footwork and punching a heavy bag.
More info: One of the most popular local classes is taught by Kim Axtman at Tacoma’s Allstar Fitness and draws participants from as far away as Lacey. AllstarFitness.com/tacoma.htm
8. W.W. Seymour Conservatory
Temperatures approach 70 degrees all winter inside this botanical conservatory at Wright Park. With more than 200 tropical plants you’ll at least find it easier to imagine you’ve escaped to a warm and exotic destination. Visitors are encouraged to pay a $5 donation. Gardner Leslie McCoy says the conservatory is hosting a champagne and chocolate night Friday. Tickets are $20 and available at the conservatory and the Metro Parks Main Office.
More info: MetroParks Tacoma.org/Conservatory
9. Home fitness
Sometimes in the winter you just don’t want to leave the house, but there is no shortage of exercise programs you can do right in your living room. P90X – an intense, $120, 90-day regime – might be the king of these home workouts, but you can find cheaper and equally enjoyable programs.
More info: Most cable subscribers can find workouts free On Demand. FlirtyGirlFitnessLive.com offers yoga, Pilates, boxing, dance and pole dancing classes live online for $5 per day or $15 per month. Xbox and Wii dancing games might look like kid stuff, but you’ll definitely break a sweat.
10. Crossfit
CrossFit is one of the hottest workout programs in the country at the moment. It combines strength, cardiovascular, plyometrics, balance and other elements of fitness into a rapid-fire, constantly changing workout. Classes are offered for all fitness levels and include activities such as Olympic weight lifting, pull-ups, running, jumping, push-ups and more.
More info: Crossfit.com offers a directory of CrossFit clubs.
11. Indoor rock climbing
The South Sound has plenty of fake rock walls for you to scale inside the comfortable setting of climbing gyms. For $12-$15 you can get access to gyms in Olympia’s Warehouse Rock Gym or Tacoma’s Edgeworks Climbing or Vertical Club. Shoe rentals and belay devices cost an extra $5-10 and belay training is required unless you use the bouldering walls. The Vertical Club only offers bouldering.
More info: EdgeworksClimbing.com, VerticalWorld.com, WarehouseGym.com.
12. Post hike massage
It’s definitely not wise to go hiking in the mountains without about three layers of clothes during the winter, but your tired muscles will definitely be ready for a massage afterward. Just outside Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford’s Wellspring offers massage therapy ranging from $45 for 30 minutes to $140 for two hours. Appointments are recommended, but drop-ins are welcome if there are openings. For $15 visitors can also use the resort’s hot tub.
More info: WellspringSpa.com
13.Skating
Each winter it’s common for flocks of kid, and even adults, in shorts to take to the hardwood skating floor at Pattison’s West Skating Center in Federal Way. The rink has public skates most days and a speed skating team with such notable alumni as Olympic short-track ice skating medalists Apolo Anton Ohno and J.R. Celski. Admission ranges from $4-$7 depending on the day and skate rentals are $1-$2 depending on the type.
More info: PattisonsWest.com
14. Spin class
Taking a spin class at your local gym is a great way to work up a serious sweat and burn a tone of calories. But be warned, don’t expect to simply show up and grab a bike during the winter. Northwest cyclists pack these classes during the inclement months to get in their workouts so arrive early.
More info: Call your local gym for class times.
15. Apres-ski hot tubs
OK, let’s face it, there are few winter shorts activities in the Northwest better than capping a day on the slopes by soaking your weary legs in the bubbling 100-degree waters of a hot tub. Washington isn’t exactly brimming with slopeside hot tubs like Whistler or Tahoe, but there are options.
More info: A few recommendations, Alta Crystal Resort, AltaCrystalResort.com; Ashford’s Alexander’s County Inn, AlexandersCountryInn.com; and Packwood’s Mountain View Lodge, mtvlodge.com.
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497
craig.hill@thenewstribune.com
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