Summer is almost over! The temperatures are still nice and comfortable, so it’s time to lace up your sneakers and head outside. Get the most out of this warm weather and add more variety to everyday life with an exciting outdoor workout!
During the upcoming colder months you’ll certainly spend most of the time indoors, and exercising in nature will provide a nice change to your boring routine.
The fresh air oxygenates your muscles and reduces fatigue, so it’s a perfect way to experience physical, and mental wellness as well.
Another benefit of outdoor workouts is mindfulness. When you train in nature, your awareness of the surroundings increases. You experience your surroundings with all your senses, shifting full focus on training.
The beauty of outdoor workouts is the myriad of choices, variety, and personal preferences. Relax on the balcony with some easy isometrics, or work up a sweat in the park. Jogging with music is an ideal cardio session for clearing your head, while various sports and strength training are perfect for hypertrophy and strength.
Lastly, your outdoor workout ideas should include functional training with compound exercise and movements to condition your entire body. On top of that, your core has to stay engaged all the time. And don’t forget, functional training requires more calories, so you can burn more fat and reach your desired weight goal faster.
The advantages of outdoor training:
- Rejuvenates the body and mind
- No need for a gym membership or equipment
- Functional bodyweight exercises improve core strength and stability
- A big dose of the much necessary vitamin D
- Reduced stress
- A fun new variety and challenge in your fitness journey
- Boosts motivation and mood
My Outdoor Workout Routine for Best Results
Alright, an outdoor workout does seem really appealing, but where to start?
Don’t worry, I will now cover my own personal outdoor routine, so you can copy it straight away!
This is a circuit training routine, it’s perfect for beginners as well as for advanced fitness enthusiasts. You can modify the difficulty of individual exercises to your liking, and you can always increase the number of circuits. Beginners should aim for 3 complete circuits, and if you’re a pro go for 4 to 6 circuits.
There is a total of 5 exercises per circuit. One exercise lasts 50 seconds. Set the right pace to stay in a fat burning zone, and go slower if an exercise feels difficult or faster if it feels easy. Just remember, proper form is more important than speed. Take a 10 second rest before beginning the next exercise. After each completed circuit, recover for around 90 seconds.
Warm up at least 5-10 minutes before each workout. Start you warm up with a light jog, and move towards a few stretches to loosen your muscles and get the joints moving. Okay, here we go!
1. Jump Squats
One of the best compound exercises are squats. Including the jumping part will place an extra amount of tension on your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Turn out your knees and hands slightly.
- Go into a squat with you back straight, and on the way up explode and jump as high as you can. Repeat for as many reps possible in a 50 second time frame.
2. Burpees
An amazing exercise that works almost every muscle. Plus they’re good cardio!
How to perform:
- Start from an upright stance into a squat close to the ground. Push the hips down, and keep the back straight.
- Place your palms firmly on the ground at shoulder width level, jump both feet backward into a plank position. Bend your legs slightly and push your feet off the floor.
- Push your legs off the floor and extend into a jump. Stretch your arms up at the same time. Land back in a standing position. Repeat for 50 seconds.
3. Push-Ups & Superman Rows
Here you will be focusing on chest and back development. Combining push-ups and superman rows, you’ll work all parts of the desired muscle groups with ease.
How to perform:
- Start by getting down on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body until the chest is near to the ground.
- Push yourself back up, now without pausing lie down with your arms by the sides.
- Arch the back, raising your legs, head, and upper body off the ground, bending your elbows and performing a classic row. Repeat.
4. Step Ups
Great for your glutes, leg muscles, and core stability. Find a stable area outside, like a small wall or large stairs.
How to perform:
- Keep your arms bent during the whole movement. Step up with your right leg so that your whole foot is firm and stable on the wall or stairs.
- Push up from your heel, pulling you left leg up towards the chest. Try to rely on your front leg muscles as you come up.
- Lower your left leg back down to the ground and repeat for the other side.
5. Plank
To finish this off, let’s put your core to the test!
How to perform:
- Place your elbows just below the shoulders. Tuck your toes, and extend legs back.
- Keep the whole body tight, forming an apparel line to the floor.
- Hold this position and breathe slowly. Hold for 50 seconds, or longer.
That’s it, the first circuit is done! Rest for 60-90 seconds to recover, then start over.
Finished all circuits? Now you are ready for a cool down. Run an easy lap and perform some stretches. Great job!
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