Many forego their gym memberships in the summer and opt instead to head outside.  I highly encourage spending time outside during the warmer months.  Walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming and playing with the kids can all be excellent forms of physical activity.  Being outdoors allows us to get our daily dose of Vitamin D and helps to improve our mood and outlook.   Getting outside for your cardiovascular work can be perfect, but let’s not forget about strength training.  Strength training helps to boost metabolism, build muscle, improve posture and reduce the likelihood of injuries.  Don’t have a gym membership?  Love being outdoors?  Here’s an outdoor workout you can add to your next walk or run.

4 Easy Outdoor Workouts For Summer

1. Squats: When waiting for the light to change, try adding a few squats. Place your feet hip width apart (or wider if it’s more comfortable) and sit back as if you were sitting in a chair. When you bend, you’re aiming to have your back and shin angle parallel.  Press through the feet and squeeze your glutes to come up.

2. Push ups: Look for a bench or a railing and try doing some elevated push ups. Place your hands shoulder width apart and place your body in a straight line. Bend at the elbows and lower your chest to the bench/bar, press through the hands and straighten the arms to come up.  Keep the back straight and the core engaged throughout.

3. Wall snow angels: Place your hips, shoulders and head (chin parallel to the floor) against the wall of a building. Bend your knees and bring your arms out to your sides with your palms facing out. Pull your shoulder blades down to engage the lower trapezius and scapular stabilizers.  Keep the shoulders down as you bring the arms up a few inches.  Return to the start and repeat 10-15 times.  You should feel the muscles around your shoulder blades engaging.

4. Walking lunges: With nice tall posture, take a big step forward and bend both knees. Aim to have both knees bent at around 90 degrees. Push through the front heel to pull you up and step forward with the other leg.  You should feel the legs and hips working.

You should not feel pain or discomfort with any of these exercises.  If you do, reduce the number of repetitions, make the range of motion smaller or ask a professional to help with your form.  Our winters are so long and it’s so rejuvenating to get outdoors.  Let’s take advantage and get our cardio, strength and outdoor time in one session.

Happy Outdoor Training!