Fresh Air, Strong Body | Outdoor Workouts to Energize Your Routine
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We all know that regular exercise is a necessity for a healthy lifestyle, but traditional exercise doesn’t have to be the solution. If you appreciate the need for fitness and want to make it an adventure instead of an obligation, consider incorporating the outdoors into your get-fit routine.
Most of us spend plenty of time indoors, so taking an extra step toward healthy living by moving some fitness activities outside will keep your mind active and engaged. And even if the sun isn’t shining brightly, you’re bound to get important vitamin D. A changing natural landscape is the perfect venue for solitude and personal reflection, but an alfresco setting can also help create better connections with human and canine companions. If you’ve ever tried talking to your gym buddy over the sound of machines only to be glared at by a nearby treadmill jogger, you understand. Assembling a group of adventurous friends to engage in outdoor activities will encourage everyone to test their physical limits while feeling safe and encouraged. The same can be said for your pup: bring Fido along next time you pound the pavement for some bonding time and added security. As with any outdoor activity, remember to stay hydrated, wear reflective clothing and headlamps, and bring along a cell phone or GPS.
Some cities host weather-resistant exercise equipment—such as pull-up bars and inclines for sit-ups—in their parks. Use your city’s free and accessible equipment for a comprehensive workout, varying walking or running on paths with stops along the way to create your own complete circuit training course. Check with your city’s parks and recreation department to learn more about the availability in your area.
If you’re looking for specific guidance for utilizing the outdoors as a workout venue, fitness guru John Colver created a program profiled in his book, Fit by Nature: The AdventX Twelve-Week Outdoor Fitness Program. In it, he addresses exercises for different seasons, staying safe in the elements, and caring for injuries, while also including routines that recommend using benches for resistance and small pieces of wood as weights—both simple tools easily found in any city or suburb. If you like Colver’s concept, consider adventure racing, which combines at least two endurance disciplines such as white-water rafting and bicycling.
Outdoor Activities
Walking and running are easy lunch-break activities, as is outdoor yoga. As long as you have a flat surface, you can strike a tree pose anywhere—from the beach or beside a lake to a mountaintop or in a field—and connect with nature at the same time. If you live near the ocean, look for local classes on the beach or in the water (SUP Yoga). Activities such as backpacking, canoeing, horseback riding, kayaking, and rock climbing all blend fitness with fresh air.
If you reside in a region with moderate, year-round weather, take advantage of the opportunity. In places such as Hawaii, Southern California, or Florida, you’ll find warm waters for stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, rowing, windsurfing, and swimming. If you are vacationing in a warmer climate, outdoor tourist activities such as zip-lining and snorkeling can be a great way to see the sights and experience all a destination has to offer. The same is true for vacations in winter weather; hit the nearest slope for snowboarding or downhill skiing, or any snow-covered field for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
However you chose to elevate your heart rate, the outdoors is calling. So, lace up your supportive shoes and step outside.
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YHL Written by Maresa Giovannini
Photography provided by Getty Images, jacoblund/iStock, ArtistGNDphotography/E+, piola666/E+, swissmediavision/E+