With summer well and truly upon us, you’ll want to be making the most of the outdoors, yet you won’t want to skip on your exercise regime! Summer is the perfect time to ditch the gym and get your fitness fix in the beautiful weather. Many studies discuss the health and wellbeing benefits of both exercise and getting outdoors, so the two together is undoubtedly the perfect combination! Here are ten great exercise ideas you should definitely give a go outside, whether it’s at the beach, in the woods or simply in your garden.
Basketball
Basketball is excellent fun in the summer (whether you’re a great player or not)! There are plenty of health benefits to this sport, including building up muscle; improving coordination and balance; plus burning lots of calories. If you don’t have some willing friends or a team to join, basketball can be just as fun to play by shooting some hoops alone. As well as this, if you have kids, basketball can be an ideal day-out for all the family to enjoy in the summer!
Battle Ropes
Battle ropes are often used in the gym, yet if you invest in some, they can be an excellent exercise tool to practice at home or outdoors too. But why use a battle rope? Well, for starters you can lose some weight and tone your muscles. As well as this, they are a very enjoyable and unique method of exercise (that way beats another long treadmill session)!
Yoga
Yoga has a tonne of fantastic benefits for our bodies, including developing core strength, posture, flexibility, toning, and fitness levels. As well as this yoga helps our minds by allowing us to relax. Yoga is also linked to meditation and breathing practices that can help us to destress and focus on the present. Yoga is a fantastic practice to do outside as another of its principles includes feeling more connected to our bodies and the earth too. Looking for the perfect yoga mat to use outside? Check out my favorite portable yoga mat from BalanceFrom that I use for inside and outdoor classes by clicking HERE!
Paddle boarding
Stand-up paddleboarding is a super fun exercise to do in the summer. Lots of people also try it while travelling. It works by using a paddle to move across the water while standing up. You are using your whole body to do this exercise, will burn calories and improve your core. Paddleboarding is a low impact exercise, which means that it is beneficial to the body without being too strenuous or harsh on your muscles and joints.
Rowing
Rowing is an excellent exercise for the summer because it’s therapeutic being on the water (and more fun than the rowing machines at the gym)! You will get a great cardio workout, tone muscles, and burn lots of calories. This is another perfect activity that you could give a try as a family or in a group of friends.
Skipping
Skipping ropes are a super versatile piece of exercise equipment that you can so easily carry to the park and start doing some reps! One key benefit of skipping is that it’s a great form of cardio which will keep your heart nice and healthy. If you skip regularly, you will also tone the muscles in both your lower and upper body.
Swimming
Swimming is, of course, the go-to summer activity to both keep cool and get fit. If you're near a beach you can head here, if not simply hit the pool! Swimming works all the muscles in your body and has the added benefits of being very relaxing for the mind.
Tennis
Hitting the tennis courts during summer can be a leisurely day out as well as a super form of exercise. If you play tennis, you will be improving your strength and flexibility as well as increasing your coordination and endurance. Tennis can be a little difficult at first if your not used to this kind of hand-eye coordination sport. Practice makes perfect and before long you’ll surely get the hang of it!
Bike Rides
If you don’t already have a bike, you might want to consider investing in one for some summer exploring. Bike riding is a great muscle work out and is also very good for increasing your general aerobic fitness levels.
Body Weight Exercises
You don’t have to be in the gym to do your bodyweight exercises, why not go to the local park instead and start working on your push-ups, squats, lunges, and burpees in the sunshine!
Whenever you are doing any exercise in the sun, ensure that you keep yourself as hydrated as possible so not to overheat and make yourself ill. You might also need to take a towel as you’ll likely be breaking a sweat!
*contributed post*
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