Sun, Sand, and Sweat: Your Guide to Summer Outdoor Fitness

Introduction:

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the urge to escape the confines of the gym is stronger than ever! Summer is the perfect time to embrace the great outdoors and transform your fitness routine into an adventure. Ditch the treadmill monotony and get ready to experience a world of fun and effective outdoor workouts!

Unleash Your Inner Athlete: Explore a World of Outdoor Fitness Options!

Here are some exciting outdoor activities to get your heart pumping and your endorphins flowing this summer:

1. Hiking & Trekking: Lace up your boots and explore nature's trails! Hiking offers a full-body workout, engaging your legs, core, and cardiovascular system. Plus, the stunning scenery provides a welcome mental break.
2. Swimming & Water Aerobics: Beat the heat and get a refreshing workout with swimming. It's a low-impact, full-body exercise that's easy on your joints, making it suitable for all fitness levels. Water aerobics adds a social and fun twist to your aquatic workout.
3. Cycling & Rollerblading: Cruise through the summer breeze with cycling or rollerblading. These activities provide an excellent cardio workout while strengthening your legs and core. Explore scenic bike paths or carve up smooth pavements for a fun and social experience.
4. Beach Workouts: The beach isn't just for lounging! Soft sand creates a natural resistance challenge, making your body work harder during exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups. Beach volleyball adds a competitive element, making it a fantastic social activity.

Beach workouts can burn up to 30% more calories due to the sand's resistance (American Council on Exercise).

5. Park Workouts: Transform your local park into your personal gym! Utilize park benches, monkey bars, and open spaces for bodyweight exercises, plyometrics, and circuit training routines. It's free, accessible, and perfect for a quick and effective workout.

You can follow the below routine for your Park Workouts

• 5–10-minute dynamic warmup (e.g., light jog, jumping jacks, arm circles, leg swings)
• 20 incline push-ups (against bench)
• 30 seconds stepups
• 30 seconds V-crunches (Sit on the end of the bench with your hands gripping edge of seat. Start with your legs outstretched at a 45-degree angle, then pull them in toward your chest, bending your knees.)
• 15 triceps dips
• 10 Bulgarian split squats per side
• 30 seconds incline mountain climbers (hands on bottom of bench)
• 20 seconds box jumps
• 5–10-minute cooldown (e.g., walk around the park, light stretching)

6. HIIT Workout: HIIT responds to High-Intensity Interval Training. HIIT workouts are a great and fun way to do cardio and burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. A HIIT workout can last 15 or 30 minutes and still be super effective if done correctly. And it can be done with equipment or with zero equipment. The most important thing is to raise your heartbeat and recover when needed.

The benefits of HIIT training are several, the most known being the fact that it can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time when done correctly. However, there are other benefits like your metabolic rate staying higher for hours after a HIIT workout, it can help you lose fat, and if you do it with weight, it can help you gain muscle mass, HIIT training can help stabilize blood sugar levels, heart rate, blood pressure and improve oxygen consumption.

But, since this type of workout is a little more intense than the ones mentioned previously, we highly recommend you do them either early in the morning or the evening, when the temperature is not that high and the sun isn’t as harmful as peak hours.

HIIT Workout #1

This workout requires no equipment and can be done on grass or pavement. If needed, you can adjust the number of reps and time based on your fitness level.

• 5–10-minute dynamic warmup (e.g., light jog, jumping jacks, arm circles, leg swings)
• 20 high knees
• 20 squats
• 30 seconds jumping jacks
• 15 pushups
• 20 butt kicks
• 20 walking lunges
• 30-second plank
• 5–10-minute cooldown (e.g., walk around the park, light stretching)

HIIT Workout #2

This workout is great for increasing your heart rate and improving full-body strength. The only equipment you’ll need is a jump rope. Take a 20–60-second break between exercises as needed.

• 5–10-minute dynamic warmup (e.g., light jog, jumping jacks, arm circles, leg swings)
• 50 skips using jump rope
• 15 pushups
• 50 skips using jump rope
• 20 squats
• 50 skips using jump rope
• 30-second plank
• jump rope skipping until failure (as many as you can before needing to stop)
• 5–10-minute cooldown (e.g., walk around the park, light stretching)

HIIT Workout #3

This workout is great if you have access to a soccer field or a basketball or tennis court. Perform each exercise along the painted lines to use as a guide. Repeat the workout as desired and adjust the time as needed.

• 5–10-minute dynamic warmup (e.g., light jog, jumping jacks, arm circles, leg swings)
• 30 seconds side shuffles (both directions)
• 30-second walking plank(both directions)
• 30 seconds side leaps (Jump to the side from one leg, land on the other leg, and repeat.)
• 30 seconds bear crawls 
• 30 seconds standing toe taps (on bench, box, or step)
• 5–10-minute cooldown (e.g., walk around the park, light stretching)

Fun for All Fitness Levels:

The beauty of outdoor fitness is its adaptability. Beginners can start with gentle walks or yoga in the park, while seasoned athletes can push themselves with challenging hikes or interval training sessions.

Embrace the Season:

Summer Bonus: Take advantage of longer daylight hours for evening workouts under the twilight sky. A change of scenery and fresh air can boost motivation and make exercise feel less like a chore.

Staying Safe and Hydrated

Tips for a Healthy Outdoor Workout

Discover essential tips for staying safe and hydrated during your outdoor fitness escapades. From choosing the right attire to maintaining proper hydration, ensure your summer workouts are both enjoyable and safe.

Conclusion:

So ditch the gym walls and embrace the vibrant energy of summer! With a plethora of outdoor fitness options available, there's no excuse to stay indoors. Explore, have fun, and discover the joy of staying fit and healthy while enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors.