Leaving the house doesn’t necessarily mean getting outdoors … we travel from one central-air unit to another, in our heated or air-conditioned vehicles, going from home to the Pilates studio to our office to a restaurant to back home. The hard truth is that the vast majority of us need more excuses to get outside, but with so many suggested wellness practices in our peripheral world, how do we balance and prioritize them for our best selves?
There are countless studies showing that getting outdoors and in nature, or environments with elements of nature, is vital for our cognitive and physical well-being. We all make it a point to get exercise, whether that’s to maintain physiological function, meet booty gains, or fit in our favorite LBDs. So why not combine the two for massive mental and physical benefits? Here are some of our favorite new ideas to keep up with a dedicated fitness routine and get that fresh air.
Hate the gym but miss the bench? Got a small space, and no room for an indoor setup? No sweat … well, definitely break a sweat. Public benches aren’t just for loitering. Take a power stroll to your neighborhood park and claim a bench for the next 20 minutes. Do step-ups, knee-ups, leg lifts, booty lifts, tricep dips, and incline pushups, just to name a few suggestions. Do 12-15 reps of each exercise of choice, for three rounds total. Getting out of the house will minimize distractions, keeping the heart rate up for an effective HIIT.
Hiking? For outdoor fitness? Groundbreaking. We know it’s not novel, but it also doesn’t require all the backpacking-esque gear typical non-hikers associate with a large-scale production. In fact, most urban-adjacent hikes are really just a glorified nature walk, with some incline if you’re lucky. All you need is some supportive, grippy sneakers and a water bottle to get some fresh elevated air, views, and cardio. Plus it’s great for lifting the booty.
This one tends to be more of a production for those who value their haircare, so save it for the hair-washing days. However, regularly swimming is a special kind of resistance training that creates long, lean lines and a resilient respiratory system.
Take your practice outside. If you have a yard, excellent. A balcony? Fine. But feel free to find a spot in a park, or somewhere in nature even more secluded to listen to the birds and the wind and really connect with the earth and your practice. You may find that “flow state” is much more accessible when you’re able to get grounded, on the ground.
Even if the city streets feel chaotic, even the most populated areas have bike-friendly areas and trails that are safe for, if not designed exclusively for, biking. It’s easy to forget how fun this workout is, but when you hop on, it all comes flooding back … just like riding a bike …
If you’re lucky enough to live in a coastal region or somewhere with soft, deep sand, rejoice! Not only can you get nature’s pedi (hello exfoliation) but the sand provides natural resistance, making running or volleyball that much more impactful.
Take off your shoes in a flat grassy area and do a squat circuit! Get those powerful negative ions that counteract all our daily EMF exposure and stress, straight from the earth connecting with your bare feet. This also challenges your stability as you connect with the ground beneath you, forcing you to focus more on form than speeding through it. Cycle in reps of regular squats, jump squats, plie squats, pistol squats, and more, completing three rounds before a stretch and brisk walk home.
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