Get Out and Get Fit

Ditch the gym and make the most of the season, with outdoor activities that may just bring out the best in you

UNLESS YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH to live in a perpetually balmy climate (or are one of the fearless few who will brave the elements no matter what), you undoubtedly had more than your share of indoor workouts in the past few months. But with summer in full swing, that's all behind us-it's time to break free of the confines of the gym and start working out in the great outdoors.

Explore the Area

Plenty of cities and towns have nearby parks and recreation areas that offer bike paths, walking/ hiking paths or other opportunities for outdoor exercise. "Look at your environment and determine what kinds of activities you can do," says Walt Thompson, Ph.D., a spokesman for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Some parks even have workout equipment for doing exercises like pull-ups and step-ups, says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and spokesman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). If the park in your neighborhood isn't fully equipped, he suggests getting creative.

"As long as there aren't any kids on it, use the jungle gym to do various exercises like pull-ups," he explains. "Just climbing around on a jungle gym is good exercise."

Speaking of acting like a kid, don't overlook the resources at local schools, especially when they're not being used over the summer. "Run up and down the bleachers while humming the theme from Rocky in your head," McCall says.

Stay Home

If you have even a small yard, you can create your own outdoor gym. A medicine ball, some exercise bands and a jump rope are all you need to put you through the paces of a good, all around workout (check out acefitness.org for exercise ideas). You can also bring your yoga mat outside and strike a pose-or practice your sun salutations.

And don't forget that yard work can be good exercise, too. "My riding mower conked out last year," Thompson says. "I decided to use my push mower instead-and when I realized how much exercise I was getting I put off fixing my riding mower."

Go Beyond the Basics

Many warm-weather favorites-such as biking, swimming and tennis-provide a great workout. But you can also find ways to get more out of other kinds of summer fun. If you enjoy golfing, for example, skip the cart and walk briskly from hole to hole. If you're up for it, carry your own clubs. To get an even better upper-body workout on the links, be a bad golfer. "You'll have to swing your club that many more times," Thompson explains. Extra putting practice would do the trick, too.

Or how about a nice sailboat ride? While it doesn't count if you're just lounging on the deck, actually participating in sailing the boat is vigorous exercise.

If walking is your thing, look for places along your route to stop and do some body-weight exercises, McCall suggests. "Use a ledge or bench for step-ups, or do some push-ups in the park," he says. It's just like circuit training, but you don't have to be stuck in the gym.

As you enjoy the best weather of the year, you're sure to find plenty of other opportunities for physical activity, from planting flowers to washing your car- it all adds up.

Most important, don't waste a moment of the season. "I urge everyone to take advantage of the good weather," Thompson says, "because the bad weather is going to be here before you know it."
-By Amy Lynn Smith