Having a health club membership can be a blessing when it's wet and rainy or the temperatures drop below freezing .You can get a workout in a comfortable, controlled environment. But when the skies are clear and the temperature is a comfortable seventy degrees, it seems a waste to exercise indoors. When spring fever strikes, it's time to take your workout to the great outdoors where you can breathe in fresh air as you tone your body. One of the very best places to do this is at your local park. Here are some ideas on how to workout at the park:
Get a cardiovascular workout
When you workout at the park, dress lightly. It's best to wear clothing that's light in color with a breathable fabric such as cotton. This will keep you from overheating if the temperatures are warm. Be sure to bring along a water bottle to stay well hydrated during your exercise session. The wide open expanses of a park are a perfect setting for getting your heart rate into training zone. Start by taking a brisk walk around the entire perimeter of the park. This is a good warm up. Now, take a second walk around the park, this time varying the intensity of your walk. Start by walking three minutes at a moderate pace and then break into a one minute run or jog. Repeat this along the pattern until you've circled the park a second time. This interval training will burn more calories than will a steady walk or run. Congratulations! You did it. Now, it's time for a five minute slow walk to cool down.
On days that you want a lighter, less intense cardiovascular workout, head to a park that has a hiking trail and take a brisk hike while enjoying nature's intricately woven landscape. This is also an excellent stress reliever after a long day at work. If you have the skill, you can also rollerblade through the park to get your heart rate up. How about a fun cool down? Head over to the swing suit and pump your legs until you feel like you'll touch the sky! Learn to be a child again.
Get a muscle toning workout
Some parks have fitness trails with exercise stations at set points to do muscle toning exercises. If you have access to one of these, take advantage of it. You can get an excellent workout without getting bored since you're constantly being challenged by a new exercise station. Even if you don't have a trail with exercise stations, you can devise your own exercises to do at set intervals to tone your muscles and add variety to your workout. Try doing pushups at the playground. Simply grip a bar on one of the pieces of playground equipment with both hands and push your body away from the bar repeatedly. Follow up with some triceps dips using a park bench to support your arms. You can also do leg lifts while hanging from the monkey bars for abdominal work. Who says you need fancy equipment to get in good shape?
A workout at the park can be a pleasant variation from your normal routine and the fresh air and sunshine will surely make your workout more pleasant. Why not take your workout to the park for a change?
