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Workouts - Outdoor Training

By Paul Stephen Lubicz – The Wellbeing Manager

Outdoor training is an excellent alternative to conventional indoor training sessions, and provides a great solution to programs that lack variety, challenges or a need a change of pace.

With activities such as running, biking, cross training and swimming, you can design an outdoor program for just about anyone—from beginner to advanced people. In fact, the great outdoors has many tools that can be used for both exercising and stretching. Limitations exist as well. But, you will find outdoor activities to be a fun, fresh and challenging alternative to indoor programs.

Outdoor Training Activities

Running

Running is great exercise for fat loss and fitness, especially to those limited by exercise equipment. Try running on the beach, not only is it great to take in the scenery (half naked bodies and all) but beach work burns more calories due to the greater effort required. Try to use a heart rate watch to monitor yourself during your run. Set weekly goals in terms of distance and time.

Use curbs and trees to stretch calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Vary the route try run/walk interval training i.e. walk for 3 minutes; jog for 3 minutes. Set a goal of reaching a particular distance or total time.

Bicycling, Rollerblading, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball

All of these exercises are great fun and are the best fun outside in the sun. You can train with a friend and before you know it you have already burnt an amazing amount of calories.

Cross Training

Cross training is a combination of exercises completed within one workout or throughout a specific time period. Try mixing up your workout with jogging and biking for specific amounts of time or using resistance bands and rollerblading.

Cross training is suitable for all levels of conditioning it is the intensity and duration that differentiates beginner training levels from advanced. The following is a sample of an outdoor cross training program you can design for you.

Sample Outdoor Cross Training Workout

Duration: 1 hour
Frequency:2 days/week

(Design a circular route that finishes at the starting point)

Activities: Jog , Stretch , Resistance band, Jog, Walk, Cool down/Stretch

Functional Training

The idea behind functional training is that you do not need machines, heavy equipment or health clubs to get a productive workout. Functional training encourages the use of free weights, medicine balls, body bars, hand weights, wooden boxes, balance boards, hurdles, etc. And, you don't need an indoor environment to participate. Parks, stadiums, tracks, open fields, beaches, and tennis courts make great exercise apparatuses for functional training.

Use Your Environment

A wide tree or the side of a building or house can be used for wall push-ups.

Park benches are great for dips and step-ups. Open fields are safe grounds for sprints and walking lunges. Sandy beaches are great for runs, callisthenics and aerobics. Shoot a game of hoop or play a game of tennis--neighbourhood schools often have

Basketball courts and tennis courts for public use. Hills and mountains intensify jogs and bike rides. Curbs and steps are perfect for stretching calves and quads. Let your creativity emerge!

Considerations of Outdoor Training

Make sure you are dressed appropriately for the weather, insist on proper footwear, have sunscreen, water and a towel accessible at all times You may require the use of a heart rate monitor and keep a first aid kit accessible in case of emergency. The last thing you want is an asthma attack, or serious sunburn, heatstroke or other accident that occurred during a workout.