You’re a fitness fanatic, and you love working out. But sometimes, your body needs a break from the gym. So why not take your fitness activities outside?
You’ll get all of the benefits of a tough workout without feeling like you’re doing the same routine over and over again. Plus, outdoor workouts can have some pretty awesome mental health perks, too.
Here are some outdoor fitness activities to get you started:
Hiking: Pump up your heart rate on the trail. To find a good hike, try AllTrails, which has over 50,000 user-submitted trails in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere.
Bike riding: The best way to get fit is to ride a bike, according to a new survey of fitness experts. The activity won over more than two-thirds of respondents in a poll by the British Heart Foundation, which is encouraging people to take up cycling as part of its annual campaign.
Yoga in the park: Yoga and meditation are known to have many benefits on the mind and body. They can be practiced indoors as well, but doing them outside will give you a whole new experience. Try yoga in the park with friends or family members and feel how you connect with each other while connecting with nature at the same time. If you want some quiet time alone to reflect on things, practicing mindfulness meditation on your own outside is an amazing way to relax and recharge your batteries.
Running: Running outdoors is much better than running on a treadmill. The most obvious advantage of outdoor running is the natural environment. It’s quiet, peaceful and you can enjoy nature at its best. There are many beautiful parks and paths for anyone who wants to run in a natural environment.
The second advantage is that you can run further without getting tired. It’s much easier to run outside than inside because there is more space and fresh air. People are more motivated when they are exercising outdoors, so they tend to exercise longer and harder than if they were exercising indoors on a treadmill in front of a television set.
Surfing: People often think of surfing as a slightly lazy sport. After all, it does involve lying on a board and waiting for a wave to come along. But the reality is very different. Anyone who has tried surfing will know that it’s incredibly hard work, particularly if you’re a beginner. You have to paddle out past the waves, lie on your board and wait for the right wave, then paddle like crazy to catch it, get up on your feet, balance and surf – all the while trying to avoid being hit by other surfers or rocks!
Surfing is a fun way to improve your fitness and tone your muscles. You don’t need to be particularly strong but you do need good balance and coordination. You’ll use your arms for paddling and your legs for balancing and turning as you ride the wave in. Surfing can also be great fun because you can meet new people or go with friends and make a day of it.
Swimming: Swimming is an aerobic activity that can burn up to 400 calories per hour! It’s an excellent low-impact cardiovascular exercise because it places no stress on the joints or bones. People use their arms, back, shoulders and legs when swimming, which tones muscles in those areas of the body. If you have heart problems, you should be cautious when swimming as it may put a strain on the heart if you overdo it.
Don’t forget to check out our article on why drinking 2 gallons of water is a must.
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