An outdoor workout is a great way to stay active if you get bored easily by being indoors. Rather than making a trip to the gym or clearing your living room to make space to exercise, try taking your workout outside. Not only is fresh air rejuvenating and great for your mental health, but the great outdoors offers a lot of variety for you to take in the scenery while staying active and working toward your health goals.
Fun Outdoor Workout Ideas
1- Park Strength Training
Many community parks have designated stations with props and outdoor fitness equipment to help you get an excellent strength-training workout. These include benches, low walls, monkey bars, fitness ladders, rope climbers, and balance beams. These options make it easy to build strength while burning fat and try fun but challenging exercise circuits. Grab a friend and do a few sets of bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, step-ups, triceps dips, and more. Aim for a combination of upper- and lower-body workouts.
2- Rollerblading
This will make you feel like a kid again! If maintaining balance isn’t an issue for you, rollerblading is a fun and youthful activity that will work your thighs and buttocks. It’s also a fairly low-impact activity since rollerblading has minimal surface friction. Before taking off, make sure you have skates that fit correctly as well as safety gear such as a helmet and knee pads.
3- Cycling
Spin class at the gym is fun, but so is outdoor cycling! Like rollerblading, cycling is a low-impact workout that is great for fat-burning. It’s also great for exploring new and exciting scenery and for getting around at a quicker pace compared to walking. To optimize your cycling workout, try picking a non-flat terrain that has a series of inclines and declines to pick-up your exercise intensity and to activate different muscles in your lower body.
4- Hiking
Hiking is a wonderful cardio and strength-training workout that targets your legs, abs and buttocks. It’s also great for building up your endurance. Like cycling, you can get a more challenging workout by picking a terrain with plenty of changes in elevation. While on your hike, keep an eye out for the sights and sounds of nature. You never know what you might stumble across! Hiking has mood-enhancing effects and is a great exercise for mindfulness and relaxation. To find a fun hiking trail near you, try visiting AllTrails.com.
5- Swimming
You don’t have to have a pool in your backyard to go swimming. Many gyms and community centers have pools that you can use, though you can also take a dip in the great outdoors while at the beach or a local park with a lake or river. Swimming works all of your major muscle groups, making it a dynamic cardio and strength-training workout. It’s also a great option if you have joint or mobility issues because the water acts as a cushion for your body. And when it gets hot outside, there is nothing more refreshing than splashing around in the water!
6- Park Recreational Activities
In addition to fitness stations, many parks and community centers offer a place to do recreational activities such as tennis, basketball, volleyball, tetherball, baseball and more. You don’t have to be skilled at any of these activities to have fun and get a great workout. Grab a couple friends or family members to enjoy these activities with you and have some fun in the sun.
7- Interval Walking/Jogging
Walking is a great way to get active, enjoy the outdoors and relax by practicing mindfulness. Taking your walking workout outdoors is also beneficial because of the added wind resistance and uneven terrain that both add a bit of a challenge to your stride. For a workout that is even more challenging, try integrating interval training by rotating between a brisk walk and a moderate jog. This will increase your workout intensity and burn more calories.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to add some spark to your exercise routine and see some new scenery, take your workout outdoors for an invigorating change of pace! An outdoor workout is a great way to relieve stress, spend time in nature and lift your spirits. There are so many different options available to you, so you can always keep your workout fresh and interesting – which is a bonus for those of us who often think of exercise as a dreaded chore!
