As we come to the end of the peak of summer, and the humidity and blazing heat starts to become more bearable, the idea of an outdoor workout might start to seem a lot more appealing, and doable, to enjoy these last few weeks of sun.
And who says a busy timetable leaves no room for a quick outdoor workout? Alasdair Nicoll at The Fitness Group, the UK’s leading training provider, has provided five of his top exercises to try outdoors – even whilst out on your lunch break if you’re short on time.
Triceps Dips on a bench
This is a great exercise for your triceps, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced. Plus, there are plenty of variations to help strengthen your arms.
How to do it: Sit on the edge of a bench with your feet flat on the ground at shoulder width apart, holding on to the bench either side of your hips. Gradually walk your feet away – straightening your legs will make the exercise more difficult, and bringing them in closer will cause less resistance. Lift yourself off the bench, bending your elbows and lowering yourself towards the ground, and push yourself back up to seated position, without lowering onto the bench. Repeat 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps.
Pull Ups
A slightly more challenging exercise that you can gradually build up strength for over time.
How to do it: Using either monkey bars or pull up bars (provided in many local parks), grip the bar with both hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Pull your chest up towards with bar while drawing your elbow toward your lower back. If this is too difficult, try it backwards – jump up to grip the bar, and slowly lower yourself down over 4-6 seconds. Repeat 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps.
Stroll your way to fitness with a walking outdoor workout
Walking lunges
These are an excellent lower body exercise, specifically focusing on strengthening your thighs and glutes.
How to do it: Start with your feet together and take one foot a step forwards. Lower your back knee towards the ground whilst bending your front knee over your foot in front. Hold this position, not lowering fully, to keep tension on your muscles. Push back up and step back together before repeating on the opposite side. Repeat 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg.
Plank
The plank is a fantastic isometric exercise to challenge all elements of the muscles within your core, with a couple of variations.
How to do it: For beginners, it might be more comfortable to opt for the high plank, positioning yourself as if at the top of a press-up, with your arms locked at the elbows holding you up at an angle. When comfortable with this, progress to the low plank position, resting on your forearms. Hold for as long as you can before moving on to the next exercise.
Press Up
Press ups are a brilliant exercise to challenge our chest and triceps muscles in an outdoor workout, and can be completed almost anywhere with multiple variations based on experience. If you’re a beginner, practice the position against a wall, gradually progressing to a bench and then eventually progressing down to the floor in a standard press up position. You can also do the press up on your knees to help build up upper body strength with less resistance.
How to do it: On all fours, place your hands underneath your shoulders, stretching your legs out behind so your feet are at shoulder width apart. Keeping a tight core, gradually lower yourself towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them at about 45 degrees from your body. Press yourself back up, as if trying to push the floor together with your hands, and repeat. Repeat 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps.
