Exercise Outdoors This Summer

With warm weather creeping our way, the time is ripe to reinvent everything from our looks to our weeknight dinner menus. As the outdoors become more welcoming, we can also take advantage of the sunshine to reinvent (or start for the first time) our exercise routines.

 Adapt Your Exercise to the Outdoors

Many popular exercise routines can be easily adjusted for practice outdoors. Whether you jog on the treadmill, use a rowing machine, run stairs, practice yoga, dance, swim, or perform some other form of physical activity, you can probably revise your workout a bit to take advantage of the fresh air in warm weather.

Try running the track at Cleveland Heights High School or taking a jog through any of the neighborhood’s parks. Do yoga on a mat in the backyard to really relax and take advantage of the calming effect of nature. Work your exercise routine into other fun summer activities by swimming in the neighbor’s pool, dancing at free concerts at Cleveland parks, or rowing on the lake.

Take Up a New Outdoor Sport

Warm weather is an excellent time to experiment with new exercise routines altogether. Consider outdoor exercises that burn calories and are fun for the whole family, such as Frisbee golf, volleyball, badminton, rock climbing, hiking, biking, and even trampolining.

If you have a loved one who likes to take walks or golf, take advantage of the opportunity to join them. Play fetch with your dog at one of Cleveland’s dog parks, or try your hand at climbing trees for the first time in (who knows how many!) years.

Get an Effortless Summer Workout

The best thing about summer workouts is how effortless and enjoyable many of them can be. Remember that everyday activities – like chasing your kids around the park – burn calories and can help build strength and agility.

Try gardening, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges, washing the car, and getting other activities done around the outside of the house and remind yourself that you are killing two birds with one stone – chores and workouts done at the same time!

If you are looking for other ways to combine productivity with a calorie-burning routine, consider extra outdoor projects. Scrub the siding, repaint window trim, pull weeds by hand instead of spraying weed killer on the lawn, build a window box, mulch the bushes, put in a patio, or power-wash the porch.

Whatever you do, don’t let this summer pass without getting outside and taking advantage of the opportunity for fresh air, exercise, and a healthier lifestyle. After all, this season makes it more enjoyable than any other!