Swimming is also a great way to improve core strength ( 5). In particular, swimming targets upper body muscles such as your lats and traps and the muscles in your chest and arms ( 4). When swimming, you use almost all your muscles to stay afloat and push against the resistance of water. Whether you’re swimming in a pool or a lake, you’re getting in a full-body workout.

And paddling targets your arms, shoulders, and back ( 3). It requires good core and lower body strength to maintain your balance. Stand-up paddleboarding has gained massive attention in the last few years thanks to its full-body benefits. In an hour of casual downhill skiing, a 170-pound (77-kg) person will likely burn around 385 calories ( 1). These activities also can help improve your balance ( 2). In fact, skiing or snowboarding can be a great way to improve your cardiovascular health and strength without really noticing it, since you’re having so much fun while you’re doing it ( 2). Outdoor activities aren’t just for warm weather. For example, a 170-pound (77-kg) person can burn around 693 calories during a 90-minute hike ( 1). Because hiking usually involves walking on uneven terrain, you’ll activate a variety of muscles to stabilize your body.Ī typical hike can last a few hours, meaning you can burn some serious calories. Hiking is an excellent cardio exercise that will help strengthen your lower body - such as your calves, hamstrings, glutes, and quads - as well as your core. Here are 8 outdoor activities you can try to get in a good workout. Staying active outside can be a lot of fun and add more variety to your workout routine. Just be sure it’s stable and can support your weight.įor the ultimate cardio burn, try jumping rope, running up stairs, or sprinting.Ĩ other outdoor activities for weekend workouts A park bench can be a great workout tool. Most high intensity workouts can be done outside with minimal equipment. laps around park (Include sprints to increase heart rate.).stairs (Find a long staircase to run up and down.).soccer field sprints (Sprint along short side, jog along long side.).100-meter sprints (Use the distance between streetlights if you’re unsure how far this is.).fast-paced skipping until failure (as many skips as you can do before needing to stop).100 skips using jump rope at moderate pace.100 skips using jump rope at light pace.If you’re looking to improve your cardio, here’s a great high intensity cardio workout: 30 seconds standing toe taps (on bench, box, or step).30 seconds bear crawls (Check out this article for a how-to.).30 seconds side leaps (Jump to the side from one leg, land on the other leg, and repeat.).30-second walking plank (both directions).30 seconds side shuffles (both directions).Repeat the workout as desired and adjust the time as needed. Perform each exercise along the painted lines to use as a guide. This workout is great if you have access to a soccer field or a basketball or tennis court. jump rope skipping until failure (as many as you can before needing to stop).Take a 20–60-second break between exercises as needed. The only equipment you’ll need is a jump rope. This workout is great for increasing your heart rate and improving full-body strength. 5–10-minute cooldown (e.g., walk around the park, light stretching).5–10-minute dynamic warmup (e.g., light jog, jumping jacks, arm circles, leg swings).

If needed, you can adjust the number of reps and time based on your fitness level. This workout requires no equipment and can be done on grass or pavement.

This can include some light cardio and dynamic mobility exercises.Īdditionally, when you complete your workout, be sure to spend a few minutes cooling down with some light stretching or walking to allow your heart rate to return to normal. Remember to properly warm up before starting exercise. It’s ideal for outdoor workouts since it requires little or no equipment. High intensity interval training (HIIT) combines strength training and cardio to raise your heart rate quickly. Before lacing up your running shoes, consider which exercises you’ll be doing, your goals, and the equipment you have available.

Day one outdoors