Are you looking for an alternative to the treadmill and weights of indoor workouts? Why not embrace nature and switch up your fitness routine with outdoor workouts? Outdoor fitness fun is an ideal way to enhance your fitness routine and make the most of the outdoors. Working up a sweat in Nature will not only help you strengthen your body but also your mind. Read on to discover how you can find fitness fun in the great outdoors!
1. Get Moving in the Great Outdoors
Exploring Nature
The great outdoors are an opportunity to delve into nature and explore the vast world around us. Expansive meadows, rolling hills, vast deserts, and towering mountains are just some of the wonders that await. Discover fragrant flowers, majestic wildlife, and ancient forests. Enjoy long hikes, breathtaking sunsets, or simply relaxing in a peaceful place – there is something for everyone.
Make Memories
The great outdoors is also the perfect place to make memorable moments with loved ones, friends, or even solo. Pack up the car and hit the road, plan an exciting adventure, or simply savor peaceful moments away from the everyday hustle and bustle. An outdoor retreat can be great for a fresh perspective and the chance to appreciate the beauty of nature and our place within it.
What to bring
No matter where you decide to explore, here are some essential items to bring along:
- Essential clothing and hiking gear, including comfortbale shoes and a rain jacket.
- A camera to capture the moments and breathtaking landscapes.
- Snacks and plenty of water to stay hydrated and nourished.
- Plenty of sunscreen and insect repellant to keep safe and comfortable.
And, of course, extra batteries and chargers in case you need them.
There is no limit to the opportunities awaiting you when you step out into the great outdoors – take advantage of the wonderful world around you!
2. Nature’s Groove: Finding Balance Outdoors
Whether you live in a city or in the countryside, the great outdoors is the perfect place to find balance and bring you back to center. Nature is always changing, and by connecting with mother nature, you can realign your own feelings and energy. Here are some simple steps to groove with nature:
- Go for a walk: Even if it’s just a quick stroll around the block, let the peaceful atmosphere of your surroundings slowly engulf you.
- Observe: Let your eyes wander and take in the beauty of nature. Need some inspiration? Sketch a scene or write a quick journal entry to remind yourself what the outdoors has to offer.
- Indulge: Invite all your senses to do some exploring! Stop to smell the flowers, feel the grass under your feet, and take in the sounds of the birds singing. Let your surroundings impact your bodily sensations and emotions.
This isn’t just a way to fill your free time, but a way to remind yourself of the bigger picture. Nature has the ability to comfort and inspire. And if you ever feel overwhelmed or unable to find solace, this practice can be just the grounding you need to remember to stay in balance.
3. Get Creative with Your Workouts – Go Wild
Here’s your chance to let your creativity loose! Go wild and have some fun with your exercises. Get out of the range of exercises you usually do and explore the world of new and exciting physical activities. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Do an obstacle course: set up your own or find one. Use your environment and objects around you to create obstacles to take on. Be sure to follow safety precautions and challenge yourself!
- Balance drills: challenge yourself to standing on different surfaces like a pillow, bosu ball, and balance board.
- Mix it up: switch up your exercises during your workout and add in specific moves such as skips, hops, jumps, sprints, and dynamic drills.
- Cardio Party: forget the treadmill and take on 6-7 different cardio exercises for 30-40 seconds each. Choose from mountain climbers, burpees, jumping jacks, jump squats, lateral jumps, inchworm/ bear crawl, and more!
You can also check out online exercise videos to get ideas or try an outdoors sport such as volleyball, swimming, or tennis. Go crazy and mix and match different workouts to create a unique experience. Challenge your body and push your physical boundaries while having a blast!
4. Embrace the Benefits of Outdoor Fitness
No matter what your fitness goals may be, outdoor exercise can help you reach them. From burning more calories to reducing your impact on the environment, there are several benefits of getting outside to stay active.
- Burn More Calories – Working out in hot climates can greatly increase how many calories you burn. The exertion of the sun and increased humidity can lead to heavier sweating which, in turn, can raise your heart rate and yield extra calories burned.
- Increase Vitamin D Exposure – When exercising outdoors, you get the boost of vitamin D from the sun which is essential for good physical health. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, keep bones strong, enhance muscle performance, and help stave off cardiovascular disease.
- Decrease Environmental Impact – All the energy used to power the lights and air conditioning set up in a gym costs more energy than going outside. By choosing outdoor activities, you’ll help decrease your environmental footprint and preserve the planet.
Whether you’re practicing yoga in a park, running a set of stairs, or doing calisthenics on the beach, the benefits of exercising outdoors can help you stay on top of your fitness journey. Also, don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
5. Take a Fresh Approach to Fitness: Explore Nature
- Explore nature for a fresh approach to fitness! Take your workout to the great outdoors and get a dose of fresh air and sunshine while you’re at it. A nature-based fitness regime is the perfect method to achieve physical fitness, reduce stress, and enjoy the benefits of nature in an active way.
- Go for a brisk hike, take a swim in a lake, try a spot of bouldering or pick up mountain biking for a new way to get involved with fitness. Exercising in nature is incredibly rewarding and can give you access to unpolluted, natural outdoor spaces that help to boost your energy levels and improve your mental health.
- Climbing hills or inclines builds cardiovascular strength and gives you plenty of fresh air. Fortunately, there’s no sound like the sound of nature that you get when exploring the great outdoors. Get some friends together to form a team and adventure outdoors together.
- Make the most of nature’s fitness centre and use natural obstacles such as boulders for your workouts. These natural obstacles, combined with the changing landscapes of hiking trails, provide a varied workout and enrich your fitness plan in a way that’s hard to achieve inside a gym.
6. Catch the Outdoor Fitness Bug: It’s Fun and Free!
Did you know that outdoors is the biggest gym we’ve got? From walking up and down those hills to doing upper body exercises with some simple tools, you can easily shape up with a hefty dose of fresh air. And did we mention it’s free? Here are some easy yet effective ways to get those outdoor workouts in:
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone: A hike up that nearby hill can get you some serious heart-rate pumping. Keep track of your route with one of the fitness apps specifically designed for tracking outdoor activity.
Bring Your Foursome Together: Part of the fun of exercising outside is that you don’t have to go it alone. There’s something about being in a group that makes the whole experience even more motivating. Teamwork includes spending time together, helping each-other, having fun – and instant gratification.
Cycle Away Stress: Many people have difficulty finding time to exercise – or worse, finding motivation for it. You could consider bike riding – it comes with a healthy dose of stress relief and extra endorphins to up your energy levels.
- Choose a terrain you’d like to tackle.
- Get yourself – and your bike – ready.
- Take your ride at a comfortable pace.
- Using interval training increases intensity.
- Remember to cool down afterward.
Start by taking a short ride around your neighborhood, and you’ll quickly catch the outdoor fitness bug. With some preparation and perseverance, those hills will become your best friends. The key? Enjoy the journey and the fresh air.
The great outdoors offer endless possibilities when it comes to fitness. There’s no better way to get a full-body workout than to fully embrace nature. From low-impact exercises to high-intensity training, outdoor workout routines are a great way to keep fit and have a ton of fun while doing it. So, come on, enjoy that fresh air and get your heart pumping with outdoor fitness fun!