Have you ever felt that your fitness routine has become boring or just don’t like going to the gym? Well, you are not alone. Many of us have these feelings if not already experiencing them every day. You might even be one of us already.
A regular exercise routine can be tedious. Developing or finishing a solid workout can often be boring, and that number can really take away from the fitness experience. If you feel the same way, here are some of the best outdoor activities that allow you to get fit and have some fun at the same time.
First, let’s talk about why exercising outdoors is great. It’s a very simple answer — outdoor activities can be exhilarating, and it’s a wonderful feeling. Adrenaline and endorphins are both released when you’re exercising.
Finding an exercise routine that you can truly embrace can be tough. The gym can be too scary, dull or disinteresting. You need to find a way to stay active that doesn’t feel like work. Outdoor activities might be the answer to this problem, turning workouts into thrills.
‘I’m too busy.’ ‘I’m not fit enough.’ ‘I don’t know what sort of exercise to do.’ These concerns are entirely normal – but they are no reason to avoid trying.
Time: Certain outdoor activities can fit into your schedule in 20 minutes or less. For example, you can take a 20-minute hike or a 10-minute bike ride.
Fitness Level: We have plenty of outdoor activities available at different levels. You won’t have to be an athlete to start.
Diversity: There is something for everyone out there; whether you’re into mountain biking or rafting, we’ll provide you with alternatives so that you can land on your dream activity.
Before we go into the details, think about what makes you tick. Do you live for the next discovery, the hush of a forest, or the grind of a new challenge? Keep that in the front of your mind, as we go through this list of outdoor fitness activities. There’s something for everyone.
Don’t wait! Discover the joy of outdoor fitness today. Choose an activity from our list, grab your gear, and start your adventure. Your path to ultimate fitness and fun begins now. Click here to explore more outdoor fitness tips and get started!
Top Outdoor Activities for Ultimate Fitness:
1. Hiking:
Why it’s good: Hiking is good for your health because it makes your heart strong, trains your muscles and boosts your hormones. It also serves as an escape from the concrete jungle.
Start small: find a trail in your area that meets your current fitness level. Try out shorter, easier hikes, and slowly work up to steeper trails as you increase your stamina.
2. Biking:
It’s great because: Bike riding is a great cardiovascular workout, as well as working the leg muscles, it saves money, gets you to places and is fun to do.
Beginners: stick to the flat and smooth paths. Then, go for more varied terrain as your confidence grows.
As your confidence grows, more varied terrain can also help to motivate you)
3. Kayaking:
Why it’s great: Kayaking is a full-body workout that uses your arms, shoulders and core. It’s also wonderfully meditative and beautiful.
● Take up kayaking: Start by renting at a local lake or river ○ You can take a beginner lesson to get a feel for it.
4. Running or Jogging:
Why it’s great:Running is the most efficient exercise you can do to improve cardiovascular fitness, lose weight and boost your state of mind.
Getting started: Keep initial distances short and speeds slow. Download apps to jog your jogging, and join clubs to find fellow enthusiasts and track your route.
5. Yoga in the Park:
Because: Why wouldn’t an hour of stretching and strengthening in a beautiful grassy meadow or rugged countryside further enhance the already potent stress-buster benefits of yoga?
Gather your gear: Find or start outdoor yoga classes in your area, or just bring a mat to your favorite park and follow an online video.
6. Rock Climbing:
Why it’s great: Rock climbing gives you an amazing full-body workout as well as enhances your problem-solving abilities and helps you stay in the ‘zone’.
1. Get started indoors! The best place to learn some basics before heading outdoors is one of the many indoor climbing gyms. Many of these places have beginner courses.
7. Swimming:
Why it’s good: It’s a full-body, low-impact workout. Great for any injury-prone athletes.
Beginner’s guide: Get in the water, someplace local such as a YMCA pool or outdoor lake or beach. Do easy, easy laps and add distance and intensity later.
8. Team Sports:
Good things about it: Soccer, basketball and volleyball are recreational sports which are great because they are fun, social and do great things for one’s coordination and cardiovascular health.
How to do it: Find a local league or assemble a group of friends to play regularly. Having others involved can make it feel like exercise.
9. Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP):
Why it rocks: It’s a fabulous way to tone your core and improve balance, and you get to pootle about on the water.
1. Start out renting a paddleboard for an afternoon and take a lesson. If possible, choose still waters to learn on.
10. Geocaching:
Why it’s awesome: Geocaching turns exercise into a scavenger hunt, essentially rewarding fitness (walking or hiking, specifically) with the added bonus of finding an elusive hidden cache.
Laying the groundwork: Get the mobile app, pick a stash and take your first steps.
After all, remember what it is that you ‘dopey’ to in the first place – new trails to discover, paddling a lake, playing a team sport? Whatever it was, there is an outdoor activity that can capture that excitement and energy and apply it to a physical activity that will help to build a reservoir of increased exercise and fitness.
Staying fit doesn’t have to be drudgery, lifting or boring: these outdoor outings will get you moving and loving your body (and the process of reinvigorating it) at the same time. Lace up, get geared up, and go out. Adventure awaits. Sweat is the fat crying and the mud loves your body. Get out there.