Fun Outdoor Exercise Options
By Lynn Bode, CFT

Summer brings with it many wonderful things: long hours of daylight, warm temperatures and the opportunity to finally get back outside. But it also can include very busy schedules and limitations on your fitness routines. If you are someone who regularly works out at a fitness club or exercises in their home, you may find it more difficult to keep up your activity level during the summer months. And, who can blame you? Exercising indoors can be less than motivating when you prefer to spend time playing outside.

To help avoid completely abandoning your fitness routine, try to add in some outdoor activities that truly are fun while also providing calorie burning benefits and overall fitness benefits. Below is a list of some fun activities you can try out as a beginner or improve your skills on if you are already familiar with them.

Swimming

Advantages: You get to stay cool while being active. Even beginners who can't "officially" swim strokes, can perform water activities that keep them fit.

Calorie Burning Potential: A 150 pound person can burn 360 calories in 30 minutes!

Tips: If you don't know how to swim, consider enrolling in an adult swim class at one of your local pools or instead try out some alternative water workouts that don't require swimming skills. Visit: www.workoutsforyou.com/water.htm for some suggestions.

In-line Skating

Advantages: Inexpensive to get started. All you need is a smooth, safe path to skate on. So, that means you probably can try out some new scenery practically every time you put them on, which will help keep things more fun and motivating.

Calorie Burning Potential: A 150 pound person can burn 563 calories in 30 minutes!

Tips: Be sure to get all the necessary safety gear (e.g. wrist pads, knee pads, etc.). You also might want to purchase some sport specific socks to help avoid blisters that can especially occur with a new pair of blades. Consider borrowing or renting a pair of in-line skates to first get a feel for them, help determine your right size and ensure you really will enjoy this activity before you purchase your own skates.

Ultimate Frisbee

Advantages: Great non-contact sport. Burn calories and stay fit while having fun with others. It allows you to use some of your competitive juices and also offers the added benefit of meeting new people.

Calorie Burning Potential: A 150 pound person can burn 360 calories in 30 minutes!

Tips: Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact team sport that mixes features of soccer, basketball, and football. The rules are simple for beginners to quickly learn it. To find a team near you, try this link: http://www.ultilinks.com/links.html

Cycling

Advantages: All you need is a bike. You can cycle most anywhere. It is an appropriate activity for beginners and you can continually advance with your workout. It's a low impact workout.

Calorie Burning Potential: A 150 pound person can burn 380 calories in 30 minutes!

Tips: For extra motivation to keep you interested in sticking with the workouts, try signing up for a friendly race. For example, there are Century races that provide a real challenge. Training for them all summer long is a great way to stay in shape.

Water Skiing:

Advantages: Enjoy lake fun while also burning a lot of calories, and building upper and lower body strength.

Calorie Burning Potential: A 150 pound person can burn 270 calories in 30 minutes!

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About the author: Lynn Bode is a certified personal trainer specializing
in Internet-based fitness programs. She founded Workouts For You,
which provides affordable online exercise programs that are custom
designed for each individual. Visit: http://www.workoutsforyou.com
for a free sample workout. Fitness professionals take your business
online, visit: http://www.trainerforce.com