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Hey, is that you sweating up a storm on the treadmill or doing yet another set of bench presses?
Working out in the gym is fine—it keeps the pounds off and helps maintain a basic level of
cardiovascular fitness. But if you’re serious about sports and fitness, you’ll need a
bigger challenge for both body and brain. How? It’s simple: Get off the machines and take
it outside.
You play outside, so why not train outside? It’s a fun, efficient, and effective way to
blur the line between workout time and playtime. Outside the gym, you must be keenly aware of
your surroundings—slick grass, rocks, unstable ground, and sudden twists and turns in the
terrain. Your mind and muscles learn to work together as a team—after all, your brain needs
a workout too. Paying attention to where your feet tread and what your hands touch adds mental
and physical stimulation that simply cannot be duplicated indoors. It all adds up to a more
challenging and satisfying training session.
You could join a program in which, rain or shine, clients participate
in fitness routines that incorporate mental and physical strength, agility, balance, as well as
aerobic and anaerobic training. But even if there isn’t an organized outdoor program in
your area and squeezing in a daily full-body workout seems impossible, think again. You can
easily accomplish the same cutting-edge results in 40 minutes without any equipment. Here’s
how:
The workout
Warm up with a five-minute jog then spend one minute at each strength-training station doing as
many repetitions of each exercise as you can comfortably fit into 60 seconds. Spend about three
minutes on each cardio (aerobic) drill. Separate each effort with a 30- to 45-second
recovery of easy walking. Do the circuit once if you’re a beginner, twice if you have a
solid base.
Single-leg squats
Stand with your back to a step or incline of a hill. Bend your right leg behind you with your
toes about 12 inches off the ground. Hop your left leg out until your knee reaches a 90-degree
bend when you lower your hips. Keep your left knee aligned over your ankle and lift through
the heel.
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Quick Tips |
- Wear shoes that fit, provide lots of support, and are designed for a variety of terrain
- Play it safe—test your route before you leap. Make sure the props you select are
sturdy enough to handle your weight
- In all exercises, good form and controlled movements are always more important than speed
- Keep your eyes focused ahead to prepare for terrain changes
- Be light on your feet—think rabbit feet, not elephant feet
- Wear proper technical clothing for rain, wind, and cold. There’s no such thing as
inappropriate weather, only inappropriate clothing
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Calf raises
Stand with your feet hip-width apart on the edge of a flat rock or curb. Keep your hands behind
your head and balance on the balls of your feet. Focus ahead and slowly lift and lower your
heels.
Cardio drill: lateral shuffle
Hold your arms out to the side at shoulder level. Bend your knees and shuffle your feet
sideways for 50 yards or more before reversing direction. Emphasize speed and a low body
position.
Commando pull-ups
Hang with your fingers laced together around an overhanging bar or tree limb. Pull yourself
upward until your chin rises above the bar, then slowly lower yourself. Alternate between your
right and left side.
Push-ups
Place palms on the ground, bench, or log directly beneath your shoulders, with your back
straight and feet a few inches apart. Make it more challenging by putting your feet up on the
bench or log for decline push-ups.
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Choosing Terrain |
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Whether you live in the mountains or midtown Manhattan, there’s always somewhere
to train. If you live in a rural area, find an area with a wide variety of terrain—both
hills and flats, with trees, rocks, and obstacles. For those who train in the city,
scope out a route with grass, park benches, street posts, stairs, and the like. |
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Cardio: stair hops
Hop up a set of stairs keeping your shoulders square and feet together; jump with your feet
together on each hop. On the return trip, shift weight from one foot to the other.
Triceps dips
Position yourself with your hands on the edge of a bench or log, your legs straight out in
front of you, heels resting on the ground. Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to
the ground, then press back up.
Cardio: bounding
Take off bounding up a hill or on flat grass. Emphasize high knees and fast, controlled arm
swing. Visualize tackling a slalom course on the return.
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Take a Class |
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Not sure how to get into outdoor exercising? Afraid of getting strange stares while
you do push-ups in the park? Join an outdoor exercise class—they are springing up
all over the country. A good one to try in Northern California: Outdoor Action Fitness.
Participants run trails and outdoor steps at Mount Tamalpais, do push-ups off fallen
tree trunks, and pull-ups from appropriately situated tree limbs. Costs about $35 per
session. 415-383-3186 |
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Kick-outs
Sit on the edge of a stump or picnic table with hands palm-down slightly behind you. With a
straight back, bend your knees and pull them toward your chest. Then extend legs straight out
in front of you.
Back extensions
Recline face down on a flat surface with your legs extended, rest your forehead on the backs
of your hands and keep your elbows pointed out to the side. Lift legs and shoulders off the
surface and slowly return to starting position.
Cardio
Jog easily for three minutes.
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