Essential Tips for a Fit Summer

Written by: Amy Ramos, PTA

Summer weather has arrived!  How can you skip the gym, spend time outside and still get in a workout?  Whether your summer day includes time at the beach, a day in the park or even working in your yard, these tips will ensure that you maintain your fitness.  

Tip #1:  Keep it simple.  Choose activities that don’t require additional equipment or a lot of time.

Tip #2:  Recruit those around you to join in the fun, it increases your motivation.

Tip #3:  Switch up the exercises daily to keep things interesting and more challenging!

Tip #4:  Combine cardio exercises with strength training exercises to get maximum health benefits in less time.

Tip #5:  Warm-up for 5 minutes with brisk walking, slow jogging or other light cardio to elevate your heart rate slowly and prepare your body for the workout.

Outdoor Workout Ideas:

*Choose one exercise from each group to make a circuit of 4-6 exercises performed 1-2 minutes each.  Repeat circuit 3-5 times.

Cardio exercises:  (1-2 minutes of one of the following)

Jumping Jacks, high-knee run/skip, mountain climbers, burpees, skater side to side jumps, etc.

Upper Body Strength exercises:  (1-2 minutes of one of the following)

Push-ups, tricep dips, crab walk, overhead press with knee raise, push up to plank arm crawl, etc.

Lower Body Strength exercises:  (1-2 minutes of one of the following)

Alternating/walking lunges, body weight squats, squat jumps, high step ups on bench or stairs, side steps with squat, etc.

Core Strength exercises:  (1-2 minutes of one of the following)

Plank/side planks or any variation, crunches, lying leg raise/bicycle, seated side to side twists, etc.

Get Summer 2016 off to a healthy start! 

Stay tuned for next week’s blog on……Outdoor group fitness opportunities near you!