Spring into a new fit and active life this spring.
Exercising is a great idea but with the warmer weather conditions, doing it outdoors is an even better one.
When we work out in nature, we resort to natural movements like sprinting, jumping, throwing, pulling, and pushing to try to get super-naturally fit.
According to Web MD, regular cardio, whether it’s jogging, cycling, swimming, or brisk walking, will make your heart stronger. It also helps with blood pressure and cholesterol and can even help ward off some cancers.
Rushda Moosajee, women's trainer and health advocate, says 45 - 60 minutes of brisk walking is sufficient. Start with 3 per week and build it up to 4-5 per week.
If you are looking at ditching the gym during this time, Moosajee shares spring training fitness tips that will help you prepare for the outdoors.
Start with planning your training schedule for the week.
Set little goals for the week; 2 x weightlifting sessions, 2 x lunchtime runs, 1 x hike and 1 x yoga session.
Be prepared by setting out your training kit, pack your bag, make sure it is with you in the car or at work.
Take a selfie, always track your aesthetic progress with visual media. You might not see a difference on the scale immediately, but your body won’t lie.
Plan a spring menu for the week: fresher, crispier and healthier alternatives.
Here are three ways to increase your fitness, freshen up your view, and free yourself from your normal routine:
Beach
Everything is harder in the sand. The inability to create perfect contact with the ground trains every muscle of the foot, ankle, calf, thigh, and hips. The need to deal with a constantly shifting surface below you forces the core muscles to work overtime to keep you stable and upright.
Take a towel, a pair of dumbbells and your body down to your local beach and aim to do 3 to 5 exercises. Repeat this a few times with new exercises, and you’ll soon realise why the beach is much more than a place to relax.
Steps
Taking fitness up a notch sometimes means taking it up in elevation too. Finding a local flight of stairs at a park or a stadium can provide great interval training to the body. All you need is yourself and the willpower to keep driving your knees and planting your feet. Running a series of sprints that end with a walk back down can lend itself to a perfect work to rest ratio.
Hike
Spring is probably the best season for hiking. Gone are the shivering cold temperatures, crispy cold mornings, pleasantly warm days, and beautiful fresh flowers. The trails are generally pretty empty, and accommodations aren't in high season yet.
Scheduling time into your weekend to go for a hike/walk in the woods with friends and family may lead to: lower stress levels, improved mood, and enhanced mental wellbeing. Plus, a reduced risk for heart disease.