The weather is nice, so get outside and do some exercise. If you live someplace where the weather can be awful during the winter, this is even more of a reason to enjoy the great outdoors now that it’s summer.
Cardiovascular exercise is best done on Terra Firma, not on Movens Apparatus (that’s Latin). And your outdoor exercise sessions do not have to be limited to traditional cardio. You can do calisthenics, circuit training, strength training and every other kind of workout outside. Grab a couple of pairs of dumbbells or a barbell and some weight plates and go into your backyard.
And for Pete’s sake, don’t go on vacation to the beach only to go find a gym where you will pay for the opportunity to workout inside. However, if you are someplace where there is an outside gym, go for it. I have been two places – Jamaica and California – where there were open air gyms, and it was awesome.
Are you interested in adding some spice to your regular walking routine? Invest in a weight vest and take a walk around the neighborhood. A weight vest is a great investment and can be used when doing every exercise imaginable, from simple to complex.
If you really have to do machine-based cardiovascular exercise indoors save it for a rainy day, literally. I recognize that some people need and enjoy their cardio for both mental and physical reasons, but try to minimize the machine stuff and find an outdoor activity that you enjoy.
Now, it’s been a while since I recommended swimming, so here it is. I recommend swimming. Highly. It’s summer. When you go to your pool this summer get in the lap section and try swimming a few laps. There is no better exercise than swimming outside on a nice day.
Swimming will do all the things for you that you want from exercise, but it is hard work. That’s why it’s good for you. You can’t read or lean on rails or cheat in any way when you swim. You can’t chat with a buddy or flirt with a cute gym member or waste time in any way when your head is in the water and you are trying to stay afloat and moving.
Get out and get some fresh air. And exercise.
Going out to exercise with a lot of people (attending i.e. boot camps, training camps or whatever camps out there) makes you feel like you are not really exercising since you will be enjoying it because of the company of others.
This article is great now I know that it is more fun to exercise outside than inside the gym. I guess i have to try it.