Working Out in the Summer Has Many Advantages and a Slew of Options!

Here are some of the best exercises to consider for your summer fitness routine. All of these types of activities can take advantage of the warm weather and outdoor environment. This can be a nice diversion from having to primarily train indoors as is the case in the colder winter months.

Swimming

This is a full-body workout which is low impact in nature and is especially refreshing in the summer. Participants have the option to swim laps in an outdoor pool often in specially marked lap lanes classified as slow, medium and fast or they can take to natural bodies of water like a lake, the ocean, a quarry or a river.

Brisk Walking, Running or Jogging

All of these options are a fantastic way to enjoy the outdoors and improve cardiovascular fitness. You can explore new routes in parks, along the beach, or through scenic neighbourhoods with specially designed paths available in many areas. The other big advantage is to do it with a partner or with small groups of people as this will enhance adherence and make you exercise on a regular basis.

Cycling

Biking is a low impact, eco-friendly and fun way to get around in the summer. While one can ride as a specific workout it can also be done to go to work, to school or to go shopping thereby killing two birds with one stone. There are often numerous bike paths available designed to utilise making it a safer cardiovascular workout than riding on busy roads. Or you could join in with a group of cyclists who do it together in a peloton.

Hiking and Trail Running

These activities build endurance, strength, and balance and can be very therapeutic. The mind-body component of fitness is a by-product due to the beauty of nature while still contributing to a great workout. And if doing this with one or more participants it has a strong social component.

Outdoor Yoga, Pilates and Group Fitness Classes

These types of activities are social due to the group atmosphere and have the added benefit of providing a range of fitness benefits like improving the strength, flexibility, relaxation and cardiovascular components of fitness. As they are done in an outdoor setting participants can connect with nature and enjoy a social benefit of working out with others.

Outdoor Gyms, Vitaparcours or Calisthenics

In some areas you can find outdoor gyms sometimes called vitaparcours with a circuit style approach to exercise. They are best described as fitness trails incorporating a series of exercise stations. If you cannot find a vitaparcours or a specially designed outdoor gym use a playground with bars and consider incorporating exercises like pull-ups, dips, and hanging leg raises for a full-body workout. Also bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, burpees or lunges are very suitable ideal for outdoor workouts in parks or even in your own backyard.

Rowing, Kayaking, Canoeing and Paddleboarding

Working out on the water can be a great change of pace. It promotes an upper body work-out and often has surrounds that enhance a mind-body workout. Another advantage is that it can be done with a partner or several others. Paddleboarding is a newer fun water activity that works your core, legs, and arms as you balance on the board and paddle through the water.

Multi Activity and Interval Training

To challenge yourself you might want to Incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your summer workouts. You could run, swim or cycle hard for a short burst followed by a slower less intense short session and then repeat it several times. Or you could try interval training with a set of intense cardiovascular exercises like sprinting or jumping jacks followed by rest or low-intensity periods. Another interesting activity would be to try a mini triathlon form of training mixing up activities like running, swimming, cycling, kayaking, etc within the same workout. As the saying goes “variety is the spice of life” and this can apply to fitness as these optional ways of training might give you the results you are after.

Outdoor Sessions with a Personal Trainer

If you are the type of person who needs motivation and challenges consider signing on with a personal trainer who can set up a varied and well-rounded outdoor fitness program. The PT will have his own combination of strength, cardiovascular and flexibility equipment and design a program suited to your needs. The PT might even employ resistance bands for strength training, stretching, and mobility work or set up agility drills using ladder runs, cone drills, or shuttle runs.

Outdoor Sports and Beach Activities

Participate in a range of recreational sports like soccer, football, tennis or basketball at local courts or fields to stay active. Beach volleyball, beach cricket, frisbee throwing or beach soccer are also excellent ways to get active on the sand while adding in a social element of having fun with friends. Afterwards a swim would be an ideal way to cool down and end the workout session.

Always warm up properly, stay hydrated, and protect yourself from the sun when training outdoors. Consider having a workout buddy or more than one to help you stay committed and on track. A well-rounded fitness routine that includes a mix of strength, flexibility, cardiovascular, relaxation and balance exercises will help you stay fit and enjoy the summer to the fullest. Remember as well to tailor your exercise program to your fitness level and goals. Don’t try to do too much too quickly and follow the principle of “make haste slowly” in order to avoid injury and a disruption to your fitness program.

Dr Richard Baka

With a Ph.D, a Masters Degree and a Bachelors degree all in sport and exercise science, as well as a staggering 40+ years in the fitness industry, Richard is a great asset to Gray’s Fitness, serving as our Company Ambassador. In 1995 he was named the Australian Fitness Leader of the Year by the Australian Fitness Network.

He has previously taught university subjects including personal training, resistance training, swimming and adolescent fitness. He can assist customers with fitness equipment queries for gyms, personal training companies, accommodation sites such as body corporate unit developments, hotels and resorts, aged care facilities, sporting clubs, schools, universities, physiotherapy practices and allied health medical centres.

Some of Richard’s accolades are as below:
1. Serving as an adjunct fellow and key researcher in the institute for Health and Sport at Victoria University.
2. Publications in many academic textbooks, journal publications and newspapers including the Melbourne Age and the Herald-Sun.
3. Organised numerous fitness conferences, aerobic championships and other specialised health and fitness promotional events.
4. Previously been an aerobic instructor, gym owner and corporate fitness consultant.

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