Now it’s finally time to go out. With due caution, you can regain possession of your routines and go back to doing some healthy outdoor training.
During the lockdown you adapted. You tried to stay active, but it’s hard to train running in 5sqm. of the garden, or burn fat on the sofa-fridge journey and vice versa.
If you gained a few extra pounds during the quarantine, don’t worry. Now, you can go back to your workouts, or take the opportunity to get started. Physical movement is the best solution, to counteract accumulated stress, lose weight and regain muscle tone.
Discover the benefits of outdoor fitness and let yourself be carried away by the wonderful shades of color that light up the summer. It lasts so short that it is better not to waste a minute. Here are 5 easy-to-learn bodyweight exercises to burn fat and stay fit. Go out and try them today.
5 exercises for your outdoor training circuit
Finally, the time has come to leave the home. To facilitate the performance of the exercises, imagine a circular path: define a portion of the lawn where you can perform the individual bodyweight exercises and use benches or trees as boundaries of the training area.
The initial number of repetitions of the individual exercises depends on your level of preparation. Remember not to overdo it, better a little consistently than to overdo it once and then give up. Do 10-15 reps per exercise and repeat 3 or more times, depending on your starting level.
You want to get back in shape, it’s understandable. However, for the first week, don’t go beyond 15 reps per exercise. You will be able to increase the intensity progressively over the following weeks.
Before starting with the warm up exercises with a brisk walk, or a light jog of 10 minutes. Are you ready? Come on, let’s see the exercises together.
# 1 Lunges: Get your outdoor workout off to a good start
Start with lunges to strengthen and tone your thigh muscles and gluteus maximus. It helps you improve your balance and trains the stabilizing muscles of the ankles and back.
Stand up, hands on your hips, back and head straight. Take a long step forward by bending the knee, but without crossing the line of the foot. The back leg flexes without placing the knee on the ground. In the push-up phase, keep your back straight and when you return to the starting position, contract your glute and repeat. In the flexion phase, inhale, while in the return phase, exhale.
# 2 Abs: perfect for exercises in the park
Cross and delight of any self-respecting outdoor workout, the abdominal exercise is important and must be done correctly. Lie on the ground on your back. Gather your legs bent at 90 degrees. Keep your eyes pointing upwards so as not to strain your neck muscles and keep your hands folded on your chest or along your body.
Flex the trunk creating an angle of 30 ° between the back and the support surface. Remember to keep the lumbar region close to the ground and to breathe: when you contract, exhale, when you relax, inhale.
5 exercises for a healthy outdoor workout
# 3 Pushups: a must-have classic
Mistakenly called pushups, they bring to mind grueling military training. But it is not necessary to wear yourself out with this exercise, on the contrary it is good to learn its correct execution and always proceed step by step.
Lie face down on the floor, place your hands shoulder-width apart and fully extend your arms. Lower your body until your elbows form a 90 degree angle. Push up with your hands until you return to the starting position.
# 4 Plank: Ideal outdoor exercise to improve posture
Same position as the push-ups, but the forearms rest on the ground and form a 90 ° angle, where the elbows are in a straight line with the shoulders . Then, lift yourself off the ground while keeping your back flat like a plank.
Keep your hips aligned and your glutes contracted in line with your back. Remember not to let your head dangle and not to bend your knees. The legs must remain straight and slightly apart.
The plank works on the development of the core , in particular the abdominal muscles , but also strengthens the back, legs, buttocks and shoulders: it is the ideal exercise for those who sit for a long time in front of the PC. Helps improve posture and relax contracted muscle groups.
Start holding the position for 10-15 seconds maximum, and do 3 sets with a 2-minute break. Then, you can increase, up to maintain the position even for 1 or 2 minutes. Give yourself time to progress slowly.
# 5 Squat jump: Simple but effective outdoor exercise
Workouts don’t have to be too complicated. We often equate the difficulty of making a movement to its effectiveness, but this is not always true. The squat jump , in its simplicity is the best ally for legs and buttocks .
Bend your legs until your quads are parallel to the floor, without going beyond the line of your feet. From this position , jump as high as you can , then return to the starting position. It is a great exercise for toning the buttocks , streamlining the legs and improving their muscle mass.
At the end of the circuit you can repeat it, or conclude with a cardio cool-down activity , such as a 20-minute walk or light run. Finally, do some stretching exercises to loosen up the muscles.
The benefits of outdoor training
The benefits of exercising outdoors are manifold. Training in the green of a park, or in the paths of the woods, is definitely different than doing it indoors:
- improves psycho-physical well-being;
- reduces the risk of depression;
- improves self-esteem;
- helps you release tension and stress;
- strengthens the respiratory system thanks to clean air;
- strengthens the immune system;
- promotes concentration;
- produces endorphins, resulting in a good mood and a feeling of well-being;
- activates vitamin D, thanks to exposure to the sun, essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
Finally, outdoor training is cheap , can be done without equipment and requires no special skills, other than the common sense not to overdo it.
Get out of the house and enjoy some exercise in the fresh air. You have spent the last 2 months waiting to be able to regain possession of the green spaces that smell of spring. Now, you can keep fit and get back to your good habits. If you want to know more and try other exercises, discover the psychophysical well-being of Cardio fitness and how to train to always stay in shape.
