Take your workouts outdoors

Take your workouts outdoors

Now that it is finally getting warming up and the sun is starting to occasionally shine it’s time to mix up your fitness routine.  I know I’m not the only one who gets tired of being indoors for their workout 8 months out of the year.  A lot of people get stuck in the what to do outside workout regime.  Most people resort to steady state cardio when outdoors.  There are many other possibilities for yourself to try to give your workout a good boost.  I recently have been taking my workouts outdoors and am loving the variety and change of atmosphere.  My personal favorite outside workouts are interval training, playing tennis, using the TRX and getting in a total body workout.  Below are some great ideas for you to mix up your workouts this summer season to give a little spice back into your workout routine.

Outdoor Workout Ideas

1. Head to the trails and give intervals a try.  Mix up your pace by going fast for 1 minute than walking 1 minute.  As you get in better shape change your time to 1-5 minutes of a fast pace run and a 1 minute rest. 
2. Sign up for a 5K and start training.
3. TRX workouts- see the picture at right.  There are great TRX exercises and workouts check out youtube for great ideas.
4. Try out an outdoor bootcamp class.  Check your local gyms and papers for classes near you.  You can also check out Hustle & Muscle bootcamp class if your in the Twin Cities area.
5. Bring your weights outside.  Mix it up and bring a set of dumbbells outside to have the outdoor scenery as your backdrop.
6. Go for a bike ride.
7. Break out the rollerblades.
8. Go for a swim at your local watering hole.
9. Try a playground workout.  Check out http://safiretraining.com/playground-workout/ for a workout routine.
10. Take your dog for a walk.  Keep your pooch happy and get an extra workout in for the day by taking your dog for a walk around your neighborhood.
11. Outdoor yoga.  Head to your local beach, or yoga studio and ask when there next outdoor yoga class is.  Most yoga studios will have connections to point you in the right direction.

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more information on fitness and nutrition.

Spring/Summer Workout Ideas

As Spring is here and hopefully the weather cooperates and it soon becomes nice enough to take your workouts outside.  We need to start finding our passion for fitness again.  Have you found yourself stuck inside going stir crazy to get outside and go for a run, bike road, water ski, swim, hike, outdoor tennis, sand volleyball?  Well those are some of the amazing outdoor activities that start occurring around this time of the year.  If you have not yet discovered your passion now is the perfect time to start finding your new found passion.  Below are ways for you to start researching and finding a passion to do for the Spring/Summer months and take it outdoors.

1. Ask a friend what they like to do outdoors in the Spring/Summer time
2. What have you always wanted to try but were to afraid you would look silly doing it?
3. Join a local sports league.  Check with your community center, various local bars, your workplace and ask if they know of any softball, sand volleyball, or tennis leagues that are going on during the summer.
4. Make it a family affair.  If you have young kids what can you do as a family to be active, biking, head to the playground (playground workout coming in a later post), go for hikes, go boating.
5. If you have a trainer ask them if you can take the sessions outdoors from time to time to mix up the routine.
6. Go to your local pool most have aerobic classes or lap swim available for just adults if you are without kids, or bring your kids and chase after them to make it a family affair.  Make sure you wear your sunscreen though!

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more video workout ideas.