Outdoor Workouts To Keep You Moving

There are so many perks to working out outside of a gym setting. Perhaps you're not confident enough in your ability yet to workout in such an enclosed setting with regular gym goers? Maybe you just don't want to be cooped up indoors this summer, or, quite simply, you might want to try something a little different and away from the ordinary? Whatever your reason, here we take a look at some different workouts that will get you outside and in great shape for summer.

1. High Intensity Workout

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become a huge fitness trend lately, thanks to the minimal time, maximum effort approach. Many people find it hard to find the time to workout effectively thanks to modern, busy lifestyles. High intensity workouts typically last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes, and burn more calories in that short period than some other cardio workouts. These types of workouts can be taken outside easily, whether it be in your garden or in a local park with friends, as they require no equipment at all and rely entirely on your body.

2. Hiking

Hiking as a fitness activity has a lot of benefits associated with it! Not only does the cardio workout lower your risk of heart disease, it strengthens your core and builds strength in your hips and leg muscles too. To get started, find a hiking route local to you, and search for one with an easy terrain to ease yourself in. If you find you enjoy hiking, work your way up to more challenging trails with hills in them to make your outdoor workout even more intense.

3. Outdoor Bench Workout

If you have a bench in your garden, or you want to venture further afield to the local park, why not use it for an entire body fitness workout? Benches can be used for step-up exercises which work the legs in a low impact way. They can also be used for box jumps to strenghten the lower body and core, as well as for bicep dips and push-ups to work the arm muscles. Using a picnic table will also work for these types of exercises too! 

4. Cycling

If you're a fan of cycling, why not check out local cycling routes and make the most of the sun this summer? Cycling is particularly great for those who want do exercise but can not do high impact sports due to back or joint problems. The mixture of cardio, and the continuous movement of the legs, works to aid weight loss quickly! If you are a little bit nervous about getting out there, why not try to find routes that are off the road to begin with, or in a familiar area, and then work up to longer and more adventurous journeys.

5. Outdoor Yoga

If you're a fan of yoga already, why not expand your horizons and try outdoor yoga when the weather improves? Yoga is great for both body and mind, and the added extra of being outside allows you to 1.) make the most of the good weather and 2.) enables you unlimited space to connect with the environment around you, which is part of the ethos of yoga.