The summer heat and sunshine gives us the ability to get outside and switch up our workouts. Of course, running outside and hitting the gym are always reliable and challenging ways to stay fit and fabulous. This summer, we challenge you to get out of your fitness comfort zone! Finding new outdoor fitness activities will prevent you from hitting a plateau with your results and keep you entertained. Not sure how to bust out of your workout rut? Try any of these 7 fun fitness activities this summer and stay active in new ways!
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Hit the water!
Swimming is one of the most effective total body around. Bonus, the water will keep you cool while you exercise and you can work on your tan! Head to your local pool or recreational center during non-peak hours and try various swim strokes. Include plenty of kicking and your body will get toned from head to toe! Don’t have a lap pool nearby? Even larger community or kid pools can provide you the water resistance needed to get an effective workout – just keep moving at a constant pace!
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Channel your inner kid with a playground workout!
Take your kids or head over to the local playground on your own, and bring your exercise shoes. Use the monkey bars to tone your arms with pull-ups, the parallel bars for dips and body rows, climb up ladders to work your total body, incorporate some squats and lunges, and you’ve worked every inch of your fit body! You can even add in some laps around the playground, chasing your kids or working on your speed between exercises. Before you know it, you’ve worked out and it just feels like play time!
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Make it game time!
Get the family or some friends together and play! Kid games like tag, hop scotch, and hula hooping are serious (and hidden) workouts! Hula hooping is one of the most fun and effective way to sculpt toned, sexy abs. An innocent game of tag will scorch mega calories with the constant sprint burst and hopping along the hop scotch course will tone your legs and booty.
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Lace up and hit the field!
Sports are an enjoyable way to spend time with friends and family while getting a great workout in (sometimes without even noticing!). Summer is a great time to get a crew together to play basketball, kickball, tennis, and soccer. There are plenty of online resources to help you find local recreation leagues and tournaments; it’s a great way to meet new people, socialize, and exercise!
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A workout with a view
Hiking is one of the best outdoor activities for a toned body. Hiking is an effective cardiovascular workout that seriously works your legs! Find a nearby trail or metro park and map out your course – preparation is key to a great hike. Be sure to pack plenty of water, a snack, and sunscreen. Bring a buddy or your dog and enjoy beautiful scenery while working your entire body!
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Grab some water guns, water balloons, or bring out the sprinkler and enjoy a good old fashioned water fight!
Chasing kids or friends around and running from incoming water balloons will provide a major calorie burn as you sprint around the yard!
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Grab your helmet and wheels and head outside for a bike ride!
Enjoy nature trails, cityscapes, or whatever else you have around you as you tone your legs, strengthen your core, and get your heart rate pumping! Be sure to keep an eye out for traffic and pedestrians, too!
These 7 outdoor activities will keep you entertained and healthy all summer long. The key to consistency is finding something you love, so give each of these activities a try to find out what keeps you moving in an enjoyable way that doesn’t even feel like exercise. So, what are you waiting for? Get outside and get moving!
Manon McGovern, creator of The Traveling Trainer, is a fitness and weight management specialist who loves sharing her passion for a healthy lifestyle. She studied Exercise Science at The Ohio State University and started personal training and teaching group exercise classes to introduce herself into the fitness world. She enjoys personal training and teaching Yoga, Spinning, KickBoxing, and strength classes. Now working... Read More
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