29 Sep Enjoying the Outdoors While You Can

With summer officially at a close and winter just around the corner, you might want to start thinking about squeezing in some more great outdoor activities that you won’t be able to enjoy once the snow starts falling.  While using indoor exercise equipment such as treadmills and elipticals is certainly a great way to stay in shape, it is still a whole lot of fun to get outside and enjoy nature at its best.  Here are a few outdoor sports you might want to enjoy while you still can.

Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is an excellent way to experience the great outdoors while also building muscle strength and working on coordination and balance.  Rock climbing also helps improve mental focus as well as increase flexibility.  Of course, you need to take special care to implement the proper safety measures when going rock climbing.  In addition, it may be possible to enjoy rock climbing indoors if you live near a gym or other activity center with a rock climbing wall.  Still, the thrill and beauty of outdoor rock climbing cannot be replaced.

Hitting the Water

Another outdoor activity you can enjoy in order to stay fit and get some fresh air is to go kayaking or canoeing.  With just one hour of kayaking, you can burn 400 calories while also building your upper body strength.  Of course, most people don’t spend just one hour in a kayak – the activity is so much fun that you might find yourself spending hours on the water at a time.

Playing Volleyball

Volleyball is commonly associated with the beach, but you don’t have to hit the sand to play a game of volleyball.  Many parks have volleyball nets and you can even purchase a net for less than $50 at a store.  Gather some friends and family members together and enjoy the final few warm days playing a game of volleyball.  Not only will you burn calories, you will also improve your reflexes, your strength and your agilitiy.

Biking Mountains

Mountain biking is a great way to get your outside in the midst of some beautiful scenery while also working your cardiovascular system and building your leg muscles and upper body strength.  Make a daylong event of it and allow yourself to get lost in the beauty of nature while getting a great workout.

Skating

Whether it is rollerblading or rollerskating, putting some wheels on your feet is a great workout opportunity.  While skating does not provide the same level of workout as running, just thirty minutes of skating can burn up to 280 calories.  In addition, it is a low-impact activity, which means it won’t wear on your knees or other joints.

The ideal situation is to use indoor workout equipment for your regular workout routine while interspersing some outdoor activities.  Once the winter snow begins to fall, however, you will have to start looking toward great winter sports activities if you still want to enjoy what nature has to offer.