Outdoor Workouts: Get Out Of The Gym And Get In Shape Outside
When we think of outdoor workouts usually what comes to mind is going for a jog, riding a bicycle or maybe taking a hike or going surfing. However, enjoying a workout in the outdoors can be much more than that. In fact, you could get rid of your weights or gym membership and get the same benefits if you do the right exercises.
If you are tired of going to the gym or jumping on a treadmill you can switch things up by doing something different.
One of the best ways to workout is by using bodyweight workouts combined with the right cardio exercises in order to burn fat and maintain or even gain muscle. Just because you are not working with weights does not mean that you are not building muscle. In fact, using your own bodyweight is just another way of using strength training.
Using Bodyweight Exercises Outdoors
Although it may seem like a challenge to perform a variety of exercises it is actually much easier. For example, you can go to a park, beach, playground, backyard or your local college or high school track and do exercises like push ups, pull ups, jump squats, traditional squats, lunges and combine these for a full body workout along with cardio.
Apply Strength Training In Your Workouts
The best way to develop lean muscle is by doing exercises that use a range of 8 to 10 repetitions and four sets per exercise. The goal should be to develop lean muscle and boost your metabolism. Doing any type of strength training workouts, including bodyweight exercises, helps the body burn more calories and burn fat along the way.
An Outdoor Workout Plan
Here is a simple workout you can do outdoors that will help you get in good shape.
- Begin with bodyweight squats and perform 10 repetitions.
- Immediately follow this with 10 push ups or as many as you can if 10 is impossible.
- Follow this immediately with 10 jump squats.
- Do mountain climbers (as many as possible for one minute).
- Perform burpees for one minute.
- Perform 10 pull ups or as many as possible. (Skip this if you do not have access to a pull up bar)
- Repeat this sequence 2 to 3 more times for a total of 3 to 4 sets. Rest for one minute when you complete each cycle.
It is important to do this non stop from the first exercise all the way up to the last exercise.
Do this workout 2 or 3 times per week on nonconsecutive days. Allow at least one day's rest.
The workout will take about 15 to 20 minutes but this is all you will need for a bodyweight workout.
Take Your Results to a New Level With Interval Training
Now that you have a strength training workout you can do outside it is time to pair this up with some cardio. You can either do cardio on the same days as your bodyweight workouts or on your "off days."
Instead of doing long boring cardio do interval training. Intervals will have you burning fat at a faster rate than with your typical 30 minutes or more cardio sessions. Your cardio workouts will be broken up in to short intervals that will last 15 minutes.
- Begin by doing a slow walk or jog for 5 minutes.
- Sprint at a fast pace but not full speed for one minute.
- Walk or jog or one minute.
- Sprint again at 80 percent of your top speed for one minute.
- Walk or jog for one minute
By combining intervals with low intensity cardio you will burn more calories and fat than using steady state cardio alone.
As you can see, outdoor workouts are convenient and can be done anywhere, anytime and will help you get in great shape.
