Outdoor workouts are a great way to break up the monotony of your normal indoor fitness routine. Not only will you be able to achieve the same effective workout, you will also receive the additional benefit of fresh air and vitamin D. You also don’t necessarily need an abundance of outdoor workout equipment. Outdoor cardio workouts can be done without any equipment, and outdoor HIIT workouts can be done with just your body weight. If the weather is good, there isn’t much difference between working out indoors or outdoors. If you are not sure what types of outdoor workouts would be best for you, check out a few of our favorite ways to reap the benefits of outdoor workouts.
Outdoor Cardio Workouts
Cardio workouts might be the most popular way to workout outdoors. Running, cycling, hiking, walking, and jogging are just a few of the ways you can achieve a great cardio workout outdoors. One of my favorite outdoor workouts includes hill sprints.
Hill Sprint HIIT 30+ Minute Workout
Hill sprints are a great way to test your conditioning. Find a hill that isn’t too steep and takes you about 30-60 seconds to run up at a quick pace. If you can’t run all the way up the hill in under 60 seconds, stop short of the peak, and end your sprint at that point. Walk back down the hill and repeat the sprint once you get to the bottom.
- Warm up:
- Light run 5-10 minutes
- Workout:
- Sprint 30-60 seconds
- Walk back
- (Repeat 10 Times)
- Cool down:
- 5-min jog
Jump Rope HIIT 15 Minute Workout
A jump rope is one of the most effective and convenient pieces of equipment you can use without needing a large amount of space. They are also great for outdoor HIIT workouts. If your capable of using a jump rope continuously, this is a great tool to have available if you need a get a quick workout in.
- Basic Jumps – 1 Min
- Alternating foot hops – 1 min
- High knees running In place – 1 min
- (Repeat 5 Rounds)
Outdoor Muscle Developing Workouts
Kettlebell Workouts
Just like a jump rope, a kettlebell can be easily moved to an outdoor area for a great addition to your outdoor workout activities. All the same exercises that you perform indoors with a kettlebell can be easily performed outdoor on a stable and secure surface. Give this workout a try the next time you take your kettlebell outside.
- Kettlebell Swing – 20 reps
- Kettlebell Goblet Squats – 20 reps
- Kettlebell Front Lunge with overhead press – 10 each side
- Kettlebell split stance rows – 15 each side
- (Rest 1 min)
- (Repeat 5 Rounds)
Body Weight Workouts
If you have been around your local parks, you may have seen some community workout stations where you can work on training your body to perform different body weight movements. While these are good options to have, your local park may not always have this type of equipment available. The good news is that you can create an intense calorie burning workout indoors and outdoors with body weight training. Check out our YouTube channel for body weight workouts you can take outside!
Taking your workouts outdoors has been shown to help people create an optimal environment for enjoyable and effective exercise. In some cases, working out outdoors can lower the levels of perceived exertion(1) making it easier for exercisers to push themselves to intensity levels they would otherwise not reach in a traditional indoor workout environment. Being more comfortable with outdoor workouts will also give you the opportunity to mix up your workout routine so you don’t get bored with your exercise program. It may also help exercisers increase their enjoyment and consistency which could increase the odds of long-term health behavior change.
(1) “The Great Outdoors: How A Green Exercise Environment Can Benefit All”. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3710158/. Accessed 26 March. 2020.
