According to the calendar, summer officially lasts 94 days this year–but we all know Chicago weather is unpredictable at best. Don’t lollygag and let the warm temps waste away; these out-of-the-ordinary activities will get you off the couch and building a sweat in no time.
Houston, we have a problem
Has your gym routine grown stale? Get a breath of fresh air at Chris Houston’s outdoor Fit Camp. Master-motivator Houston will have you jumping and kicking your way to a better bod in no time. His 90-minute, circuit-style classes aim for a total-body experience. A typical class includes strength training, core exercises, cardio boxing and flexibility work. Plus, Houston reserves an indoor space in case of inclement weather, so lose those excuses; just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can sleep in. Registration required: 6 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays. $15 per class. Daley Bicentennial Plaza, 337 E. Randolph St. 773-704-0493.
Find yourself in the great outdoors
If you’ve lived in Chicago for more than a year and still have trouble navigating the city’s grid, it’s time to get some help. While the Chicago Area Orienteering Club won’t quiz you on the fastest routes to North Beach, it will clue you in on the finer points of reading a map, using a compass and determining a location based on your surroundings. Sign up for a meet at a local forest preserve, and you’ll get a map and instructions to find the fastest path to pre-determined checkpoints. If you end up getting lost and circling the woods “Blair Witch”-style, at least you’ll get a good workout. (Don’t worry; club members will come retrieve you.) Next up’s an advanced outing: 7 p.m. June 21. $8. Churchill Woods, South St. Charles Road a half-mile west of Route 53, Glen Ellyn. Check chicago-orienteering.org for more.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s you on a trapeze!
The circus is coming to town. (Get more info on Cirque Shanghai at metromix.com.) Before you kick the cubicle and run away to join the show, you might want to find out if you’re any good. AMEBA dance company offers acro-aerial classes covering acrobatics, tumbling, low trapeze skills and other high-flying tricks. Next mini-session runs 4 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays June 19-July 27. $110. Niles North High School, 9800 Lawler Ave., Skokie. Or call 773-580-6887 for more upcoming classes at the company’s Belle Plaine Studio (2014 W. Belle Plaine Ave.). One word of advice? Don’t quit your day job.
Want a sharper image?
Sure, you could cruise through your bikini-prep workout in a state-of-the-art, air-conditioned health club while a machine calculates what a calorie-burning champ you are. But what about getting fit the old-fashioned way–the really old-fashioned way? The Chicago Swordplay Guild offers instruction in European fighting arts circa 1350-1650. Beginner classes introduce proper posture, movement and striking methods for the longsword and rapier. (Relax, you’ll practice with stick-like props until instructors are sure you won’t impale fellow fencers.) The next 11-week longsword session begins July 1; the next rapier session begins July 8. $100. Pulaski Park, 1419 W. Blackhawk St. More info: chicagoswordplayguild.com.
Put your best postworkout face forward
Need to catch your breath? Call a time out (you’ve earned it) at Edgewater newbie Salon Echo. The spot’s sea serum-based Hi-C facial ($115) works to combat skin damage caused by summer sun and sweat–and kicking back while a technician massages away the day isn’t so bad, either. Plus, this salon’s environmentally friendly, so you can relax both your conscience and your body. All products here are organic or organically derived, and 85 percent of the building is made from recycled, reclaimed or sustainable materials. 1134 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. 773-989-2358.
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