Summer is finally here! The constant sunshine and longer days also bring with it the opportunity to get outside and exercise. Rather than spending time in a sweaty gym, you can smell the fresh air and roll around on the grass while seating away the pounds! Like any other exercise session, you always want to make sure you are making your workouts as efficient as possible. The last things you want to do is waste these short lived summer days by making your workouts longer than they have to be. With that being said, I have put together my top 3 list of outdoor exercises that are going to help you boost your metabolism and get that beach body just in time.
Sprinting on the grass. Its no secret that intervals are the best way to target that stubborn fat. Sprinting outdoors is one of the best ways to get the heart rate up to the desired rate. The best thing about this exercise is that you don’t need anything other than a pair of shoes so you can do it anywhere. The short speed bursts ( approx 10-15 seconds) are followed by a rest period ( 45-60 seconds). This helps to boost your growth hormone and testosterone production, which in turn helps to burn fat and build lean muscle. Ideally you want to get in about 8-10 sprints in one workout and don’t forget to warm up and cool down properly.
Push ups. This is another great exercise that can be done anywhere. The cool thing about using an outdoor setting is that you can play around with different angles just by using changes in land elevation. For example, you can make your push up easier by placing your hands on an outdoor bench or harder by placing your feet on the bench and hands on the ground. This makes it easy for any fitness level. I recommend using 1:3 ratio, this means that it takes you one second to push and 3 seconds to lower back down. You ant to do as many repetitions as you can and aim to build on that each time.
Chinups. This is hands-don one of the most effective upper body exercises. You get your whole back involved along with your biceps and core. This compound movement ill help to kickstart your metabolism and boost your ability to build a lean body. Most of us don’t have a chinup bar at home but I bet you have a playground close by. You can use the monkey bars to work on your chinups. Again use a 1:3 ratio and or on trying to add more repetitions each time.
You can use the exercises above to build a circuit based program. Just perform them back to back and give your self a little rest period in between. I guarantee you’ll feel the burn in every muscle in your body as you try and get through the whole workout.
If you are looking for a professionally designed outdoor workout, check out our 8 week Military Outdoor Summer Bootcamp which is starting Wednesday September 21 at 6:00 pm. We have designed a circuit based outdoor workout that incorporates:
Cardio, Strength training, functional exercises, and core stability.
Limited space is available so reserve your spot here ======> BOOTCAMP
Paul Skiba, RHN, Rkin., CEP
Registered Holistic Nutritionist
Registered Kinesiologist
Certified Exercise Physiologist