July is my favorite month because Independence Day has always been my favorite holiday. Growing up in North Dakota you can imagine why I like summer more than winter. Someone asked me the other day, “In your business, do you see a drop-off in exercise frequency in the summer?” The answer to that question is “yes”; But that shouldn’t be the case for us here in Nevada. We still have our standard gym workouts available to us, but we should also be taking advantage of our amazing weather and beautiful surroundings this time of year.
Last month I talked to you a little about walking. Adding daily walks to your routine to help charge up your batteries and to help you carve out a time to be active throughout your day. This month I’d like to build on that and talk about some of (by no means a comprehensive list) the outdoor activities that you can add to your routine that are free or at least very inexpensive. It is available to almost everyone and probably outside of our normal routines.
Putting together a quick list, I found that there is something for almost every fitness level:
- Hiking
- Trail Running
- Parcourses
- Swimming
- Paddle Boarding
- Playing Ball Sports
- Enjoying Local Parks
- Frisbee-Frisbee Golf
- Bike Riding
Outdoor exercise has many benefits: low cost, ease of access and improved mood, just to name a few. Every well-rounded exercise plan needs at least some outdoor activity. If you’re one who likes a little more structure to your exercise/activity plan, here is an option for you.
The following exercise can be performed for 30 seconds, with 10 seconds of transition between exercises. The complete circuit should take just over 7 minutes. The circuit can be repeated 2 to 3 times.
- Jumping jacks
- Wall sit
- Push-up
- Abdominal crunch
- Step-up on a bench or step
- Squats
- Bench dips on chair or bench
- Plank
- High knee/running in place
- Lunges
- Pushup with rotation
- Side planks
Make sure that you prep for your outdoor activity. Dress appropriately and make sure you are ready for any weather changes. You should bring sunscreen and plenty of water. Carry your cell phone in case of emergency and let someone know where you are going. Wear appropriate footwear and bring any safety equipment you may need.
All forms of exercise are equally important. Getting outside isn’t more important than a good resistance training plan. But this time of year, it’s great for us to get outside and enjoy mother nature in all her glory. So, let’s get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and take advantage of these long summer days before they are gone.
–Ethan Opdahl, Fitness Health Coach