Outdoor Fitness – Survival skills not required

When you think of the typical gym, most of the things you are doing come from outdoor activities. Take, for example, indoor cycling classes, running on a treadmill, and even lifting weights, they are all indoor examples of outdoor activities. During the summer months, there is an opportunity for you to reclaim the great outdoors as your “adult playground”, where you can exercise for free and feel great doing it.

Whatever your goals are, you can likely achieve them outdoors. For cardio, you can run, cycle, and swim outdoors. For flexibility, you can take a mat to the park and stretch, or practice some yoga. For strength, you can use playground equipment and park benches for step-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, and dips. Best of all, survival skills are not required; you will be able to get fit without learning how to trap and cook rabbits.

For more structure you might consider one of the many Bootcamp classes offered, or join one of the retail running store running or walking groups to add some social time into your fitness plan.

Whatever you do, the most important factor is to enjoy it. Any program that is not enjoyable on some level will be short-lived at best. A close second though is to make sure you are safe. Here are some tips on how to safely make the most out of your time outdoors this summer.

1. Wear sunscreen. Whether you use clothing with a high natural sun protection, or you slop it on in lotion form, protect yourself from the cumulative damage of the sun.
2. Dress appropriately. For moisture management, cooling, or heating, make sure you have the right clothing to do the job. While high-tech gear is great, you don’t need it to get started.
3. Wear the right shoes. Depending on your activity, your shoe needs will vary. A good rule of thumb is to wear better quality footwear as the time spent on your feet increases and as the impact increases. For example, walking for 20 minutes on a flat trail does not require the same quality of shoe as running for three hours on concrete.
4. Be seen. If you are running at dusk or dawn, or at night, wear reflective clothing or some kind of lighting system when riding your bike and while running or walking.
5. Keep the volume down. If you wear an MP3 player, keep the volume at a level that will allow you to hear traffic or someone running up behind you, or a dog. This is both for safety as well as for the health of your ears.
6. Buddy up. Whether you are running, or especially if you are swimming at the lake, do it with a friend. You will be more likely to keep to your program, and you will be safer.
7. Hydrate. Important for any time of year, keep your nutrition up, and especially your hydration. You only need water for activities less than an hour, but for anything more than an hour, use a sports drink that has some electrolytes in it.
8. Tell someone. If you are going out for a long mountain bike ride, a trail run, or a hike, let someone know where you are going and when you’ll be back, or better yet bring someone along (see #6).
9. Be known. Bring identification and money with you. In case you get lost on a long run or the weather turns fowl, you can hop in a cab or buy a sports drink. If you don’t want to bring your driver’s license or other ID card, photocopy it, cut it out, and fold it up. Put it all in a re-sealable sandwich bag and you’ll be good to go.

The great outdoors are a great addition to your quest for fitness. Regardless of where you live, you have an abundance of parks, trails, bike paths, and water in which to play and get fit. Make the most of your summer by taking advantage of the great resources all around you.