Turning Nature Into Your Gym

With the weather getting nicer, we are all trying to spend every second outside that we can! This can cut into our gym time though. Why be inside a gym when you can be outside? We get it! We don’t take it personal (as long as you promise to come back)! BUT did you know that you can work out outside? What a concept. The weather has taken its toll on my body! I took a few days off of the gym and realized I can’t do this all summer. I needed to figure out a way to have a fun workout while enjoying the weather and also finding places to go, and I did! 

Running

There are plenty of scenic routes to run in whitewater! If you are a long distance runner, behind wells is a road that goes into the country, behind the skate park, and down to the business center. This one mile stretch is perfect for any distance runner. Another great place is a run around the lake near downtown!

If you’re not a distance runner like me, it gets a little tricky as to how we can get our cardio in. A good place I found is the grass lot next to Peck Street. This square lot is the perfect square to get in your quick steps. What I have been doing is sprinting one side, jogging the next, then repeat for 5 minutes. This helps me feel good about my running but also not tired from the distance.

Stair Steppers

The steps at the lake downtown are small but mighty. A good exercise to get your glutes burning is to sprint up the stairs, then jump squat each step (and make sure to get really low!). Other exercises you can do with a flat surface would include the million different types of lunges and squats. Another great idea for a leg workout would be to run hills

Arms

Last but not least, arm workouts. If you find any elevated surface, you can do arms. One of my favorite workouts is arm dips. All you need to do is find a ledge and basically do a backwards push up (if that helps the imagery?). Otherwise you can lift dumbbells outside if you have your own, or do pushups and planks.

Lastly, remember to stretch after all workouts! I cannot emphasize this enough because it is that important. Stretching will help your muscles heal correctly. Imagine stretching after a hard workout, with the warm breeze and birds chirping…how magical.

Working out outside can be so refreshing and can be a nice switch up your gym routine. Always remember to bring a water bottle and make your workout fun! If you have any special places you like to work out, let us know!

Don’t wait for the opportunity, create it

Alexis Kisgen