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!

Exercise And Play

Often times, when children return from playing, they look quite exhausted and ready for a nap.  The truth is,  playing is hard work!  It's exhausting to the mind and body of the child, and it plays an important role in helping them to become productive and healthy.

The role of play and exercise in the life of a young child will provide them with several benefits. Exercise is a very important part of keeping the young body fit as it grows into an adult body.  Once we reach adulthood, if we've had the benefits of exercise and play, we will tend to continue that habit well into our adult years.

Playground in Charlton Park. You can join in sports related exercise to get those muscles working.(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Play is also good in the form of participating in organized sports, coordinated play times, and being a member of a large group during all of these types of activities.  Playing on this level will teach us how to interact with peers and perform as a team with our fellow players.  In today's business world, these skills are essential. 

What we learn in body language, coping skills, and the interaction of the mind and body during our interaction with others is invaluable.  When we learn this skills to the fullest, not only will  we learn how to get along with others, but we will also learn how to interact better with ourselves and pay attention to the signals of our bodies.

Although interacting with ourselves may sound like a rather pointless exercise, it is actually an important part of maintaining the best sense of health and wellness.  There will always be times when our bodies are trying to tell us things about our physical or mental condition, which we will simply refuse to listen to.

(Photo credit: Tony Trần)

Through exercise and play, we also learn what our limitations are - both physical and mental.  At times of play, you'll see children and young adults push themselves to their limit and beyond.  As children, we are all more able to distinguish between a real limit versus what society itself calls our limits.

As you can tell, the benefits that are gained from exercise and play time as children will benefit us for the rest of our lives.  As adults, we all too often forget how important both exercise and play are. 

All too often, we want to rush children into their daily responsibilities, forgetting that at their age they need play and interaction for their young minds AND bodies. Be sure your kids are getting plenty of active play time which includes physical exercise.