GTFOutside!

      Not everyone goes to the gym to workout, working out at home can be very effective. But, just like the gym home work outs can get a little dull. Now that nice weather has arrived a third option is now open, exercising outside.

   Outdoor work outs are a nice option because like working out at home, it's free. You can go to a park, beach, or your own backyard and use the environment to aid your workout. There are some set ups for outdoor workouts that can be found online. The basic lay out off all seem to be;

1) Stretch and warm up for about 10 minutes.
2) A cardio activity for 3-5 minutes
3) A strength activity for 2-3 minutes
4) cardio for 8-10 minutes
5) strength for 2-3 minutes
6) repeat steps 4 and 5 till you're a sweaty mess.

  The cardio options while outside are pretty much anything you could do without equipment indoors. So, jogging, jumping jacks, jump rope, oblique twist, or skaters. The strength exercises are along the same lines, you can increase your options if you're willing to bring along a resistance band or dumb bells. Exercises that are good with no equipment are push ups, squats, or lunges. If there's a bench, play ground, or trees with strong, low hanging branches you can add in pull ups, chair dips, and bench press ups. Your options are only limited by your skill level and your creativity.

   An added bonus to an outdoor workout is that the uneven ground forces your body to stabiles itself. This means that you burn more calories with and outdoor workout than you would doing the same exercises indoors. Just make sure to wear your sunblock.

Tara