[Video] Outdoor Workout - No Equipment Required

Walking, jogging, or running are all great ways to work out outdoors, but there are plenty of other exercises you can do outside as well. If you have access to a playground or park, you can often use equipment there (benches, monkey bars, etc.) as workout equipment - use it as your own outdoor gym!

But if not, there are lots of other things you can do without any equipment at all. Yoga and Tai Chi are great relaxing workouts to do in the great outdoors.

Or you can do a number of free form exercises like those in the video below, including lunges, pushups, and more.

This workout does include a short warmup and cool down, and requires no equipment at all, so you really can do it anywhere - even on the beach during summer vacation - so you have no excuse not to work out!

Why You Should Consider Exercising Outdoors

Exercising outdoors brings with it a whole host of advantages, along with some disadvantages. Depending on where you live, exercising outdoors may not be an option during some parts of the year. In the Northern Plains and Northeast of the United States, you have bitter cold and snow in the winter that prevents you from exercising outdoors. In the desert Southwest, the extreme heat in the summer has the same effect.

However if you walk or run, you’ll get a better workout if you exercise outside because:

• Your ankles flex differently due to the varied surface, so you use more and different muscles.
• You use different muscles going downhill, something you can’t do on a treadmill.
• You’ll burn more calories due to air resistance. Expect a 2% to 10% increase in the amount of effort expended. 
• Your frame of mind will be better.

Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

While the first three are physical advantages, the last one is psychological. Virtually every study performed has shown that those who exercise outside scored higher on tests that measured vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure and self-esteem and lower on tension, depression and fatigue after walking outside when compared to groups walking indoors. Plus on a sunny day, you get your Vitamin D!

Known as the sunshine vitamin, health benefits derived from getting Vitamin D naturally include:

• Preventing cancer – recent research suggests Vitamin D slows the growth and progression of cancer cells.
• Reducing hormonal problems – Vitamin D influences how certain hormones, such as insulin, rennin, serotonin and estrogen react thus improving blood pressure, diabetes, depression and sleep, while reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.  
• Combating obesity – Vitamin D deficiency can interfere with the hormone leptin, which is what tells the brain you are full and should stop eating. People deficient in Vitamin D are twice as likely to be overweight.
• Reducing inflammation – Vitamin D strengthens your autoimmune system, thus reducing the risk of the body attacking itself as it does with diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

And you can save money by exercising outdoors! You don’t need a gym membership which initially saves you money, but that is only the beginning – you save even more money by not burning fuel in your car to get to and from the gym.

You can exercise anywhere. There are very few places where you can’t walk or run, making it the almost perfect exercise when traveling for business or pleasure. Just be sure to pack a pair of walking, running or cross trainer shoes and your workout clothes.

With the availability of sidewalk, trails and paths, plus the obvious health benefits and savings, you have no excuse to not exercise outside. Just lace up your shoes and get going!

[Video] Outdoor Morning Yoga Session

This 8-minute yoga sequence is designed to wake your body up and get you moving in the morning. It's great for relieving morning stiffness and improving flexibility, and it's so quick and simple that it's a really good one to keep in mind while traveling. You can do this wherever you are! If you don't have a yoga mat with you, a towel or blanket works too.

Enjoy this one in the grass, on the beach, or wherever life takes you this summer!

5 Best Outdoor Workouts

This time of year, it's hard not to want to spend all day outdoors! And why not, when you can do any of these great workouts without having to go inside at all!

Exercising outdoors is actually even healthier for you than doing so indoors.When you exercise outside, your body enjoys many benefits which simply are not possible when you work out indoors.  (See below for some of these benefits.)

But you may be thinking, “What are some of the better outdoor workouts?” After all, not all exercises are the same, and not all workouts work well outdoors. To harness all of the total body benefits that exercising outside can deliver, try the following 5 fun outdoor workout programs.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 - Prevention magazine suggests playing tennis for an outdoor workout. 

You burn between 450 and 550 calories per hour playing tennis, and you enjoy the benefits of socializing as well. From your head to your toes, you involve all major muscle groups, and tennis is an inexpensive sport available to men, women and children of all ages. Outdoor tennis courts are available pretty much everywhere, and usually for free. You can always find someone at your skill level by checking with local tennis organizations.

2 - Men's Fitness recommends hill sprints as an excellent way to shred body fat, burn calories improve your level of conditioning, and develop lean muscle mass.

This metabolic workout uses bodyweight exercise principles to strengthen your entire body. You can expect to burn between 200 and 250 calories in just 2.5 minutes of hill sprinting.(Expert Tip: this is a secret tactic that professional athletes use to burn significant amounts of fat and drop body weight in a very short period of time.)

3 – The Women's Health website lists jogging in sand as the perfect outdoor exercise.

The increased resistance delivers a 1.6X higher calorie burn than simply jogging on a grass or dirt path. Another benefit? Sand goes to work on your feet and toes, removing unsightly dry, dead skin. While you are at the beach, throw in a couple of games of beach volleyball to burn even more calories - and have a great time while you're at it!

4 – Body weight training is perfectly suited for the great outdoors.

You use the weight of your body as resistance, building lean muscle mass while burning fat and calories. Nothing more than your body is needed, but you can accentuate your workout with monkey bars, benches, chin up and pull up bars and other park equipment. Play on the jungle gym like you're a kid again, and reap the fitness benefits!

5 - Yoga and Pilates in the park.

Group workout at the park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Everyone has a favorite park or outdoor environment they like to go to relax. Pilates and yoga are excellent for relieving stress while also building muscle and burning fat. You may even be able to find a class that is taught outdoors in the summertime. When performed outdoors in the sun, you benefit from fresh air and all of the wonderful sights, smells and sounds that Mother Nature has to offer.

Exercising outdoors has been directly linked to an improved self-image, fewer feelings of stress, anxiety and depression and a higher calorie burn than working out indoors. Get outside today, and try any or all of the above outdoor exercise plans to grab those benefits for yourself!

Fun Summer Workouts for the Whole Family

These days, after what seemed an endless winter, it finally feels like summer! Summertime is all about feeling the sun on your face and getting some fresh air. But, many people stay inside and miss out on what nature has to offer. Here are some fun ways that you and the family can get out there and get healthy.

Even better than enjoying a summer day is enjoying it with someone else. As parents we try to send the kids outside but may not go out ourselves. But the sun is good for everyone and you can have even more fun outdoors.

Getting Outdoors

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Create a family activity day at least once a week. This is the time when all of the family spends time together sharing a fun activity outdoors. The name of the game is injecting some physical activity into your day.

Let everyone choose a fun activity that they like. Place them on a list. Each time you have an activity day, take one suggestion from the list. But, what activities can you do as a family that will be rewarding physically and mentally?

Here are some fun summer workouts to start with:

* Bicycling – If everyone doesn’t know how to ride a bike, this is the perfect time to learn. Bike riding builds up the leg muscles and also your cardiovascular fitness. You can ride and talk about your day. Go to the park and have a leisurely ride, enjoying the summer breezes and blossoms along the way.

* Basketball – All you need for this is a hoop and a ball. Have a family pick-up game after dinner or after work. You can divide into teams and play for points. Even better, play games to see who has to do the most chores that week!

* Hiking – Explore your local area with your family. Even though you are having fun and exploring, you are burning tons of calories on a hike. And, you get to learn about nature. Combine it with a camping trip for a fun weekend getaway the kids will love.

* Swimming – You don’t even have to have your own pool. If there is a neighborhood pool or one at the gym, use it. Doing laps is an easy way to gain muscle tone all over your body while you have fun. Take a water aerobics class as a family. There is no shock to your joints so it benefits both young and old alike.

* Backyard games – One of the often neglected parts of the house is the back yard. Act like a kid again. Play kickball, volleyball, soccer, flag football and many other games that will make you sweat and give you great memories to hold on to.

There are lots of activities that the family can do this summer to gain fitness and have some fun. Start with those above and add to the list with your own fun ideas!

Want A Great Fun Workout? Ride A Bike!

I loved riding my bike as a kid. We would ride all around town, through the woods, and even sometimes back and forth to school. Bike riding kept us lean and healthy. As an adult, bike riding offers many benefits for the body, as well. Purchase a bike today and feel like a kid again!

Enjoying in Papuk riding bike (Photo credit: Wikipedia)1. Bicycling is good cardiovascular exercise, building strong muscles and a strong heart. Every body needs between thirty and 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three days a week. Purchasing a bike with several speeds will allow you to increase your fitness level as your cardiovascular function improves. Begin by riding at an easy speed over even ground. If a challenge is what you desire, simply change your terrain.

2. Bicycling is kind to the joints. Women often experience joint pain especially in the knees as they get older. Bike riding offers exercise without the stress of impact on the joints. The aerobic benefit is comparable to jogging or running without the strain. Make sure that the seat height on your bike is adjusted to allow your legs full range of motion with each revolution. Full range of motion also promotes better circulation to the lower extremities which do the majority of the work in moving the bicycle.

3. Bicycling whips those leg muscles into shape. For muscular endurance, stick to a flat terrain, but adjust the speed of the bike as your strength improves. To avoid cramping, stretch thoroughly before and after each bike ride.

If you are looking to increase muscle definition, vary your terrain. Off-road biking on dirt trails helps to flex leg muscles as you keep the bicycle under control even on uneven ground. Steep hills are great for working the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Cycling (Photo credit: tejvanphotos)4. How’s your bicycle seat? I don’t mean the one on the bike. :-)  The gluteus muscles also reap rewards from bike riding. For maximum power, raise your body about an inch off of the seat as you pedal. Squeeze your butt to control the pedaling motion. After a mile or so, those glutes should be on fire.

5. Bicycling also increases your balance. Learning to ride a bike is all about staying upright. To do that, you have to find a balance between your body and the bike. Maintaining that balance strengthens the core muscles of the abdominal region. Tightening the core muscles keeps you from falling off of the bike. The lower abdominals pull your legs back towards your body from the bottom of the cycling revolution. The lower back is also kept pain-free by a strong balanced core.

Riding a bike is not just for kids. The physical benefits only increase as you get older. Besides, bike riding is just plain fun. Especially in this gorgeous spring weather we're having. So, grab a bike and get moving!