Patrick Fitz-Gibbon

Ways to Get Fit Outdoors

We look at alternative ways in which you can get fit outdoors and how certain activities can increase your overall fitness.

Sweating in the gym is not very nice and there are far nicer ways to get fit that can be done outside. We will look at some ways which are perhaps more unusual than the “normal” things that people would think of as ways to get fit outdoors.

Free Running: Otherwise known as Parkour, this activity was founded by David Belle in Paris and involves running, jumping and swinging from fences, walls, buildings and any other obstacles that you will find in every city. Since its discovery it has appeared in many films including James Bond and Rush Hour. This will just about work every muscle in your body, but is something that needs to be practiced and not something you can just start doing without any thought. It wouldn’t be wise to start jumping off buildings straight away!

Outdoor Activities

Kite Flying: There are several ways in which you can fly a kite and the days in which you were taught to fly a kite at home in the local playing field appears to be over. The new revolution can involve kite flying from buggies, skateboards and surfboards. However you will need to be in area where you have some wind as obviously you will not be able to fly anything without it! Also you would need to be wary of pedestrian and the public as these kites are big and can be dangerous when they are moving at lightening speed.

Inline Skating: Has increased over the years due to people wanting to get fit outdoors and you see many people gliding through parks. It will increase your balance and posture and strengthen your core muscles at the same time. Be wary though as some parks have banned the sport due to the number of accidents with pedestrians so if you want to look into it further, be sure to check where you can and can’t go.

Gardening: Studies have shown that gardening acts in the same way as yoga, by releasing body tension. Also believed to burn off up 400 calories in an hour! It will increase your cardiovascular fitness and your muscular strength. Who would have thought that clearing out some weeds and doing some pruning could be so healthy and increase your fitness levels

Tai Chi: Now if you prefer a gentler way to exercise and improve your balance and co ordination then Tai Chi is a wonderful way to exercise without causing too much strain or exertion. It was traditionally used as a form of combat many centuries ago; however the moves involved tend to be more defensive than offensive. Although the movements appear slow, you can still burn around 200 calories per hour. It is also beneficial for those that suffer from stress as it is widely used to combat tension and depression related illnesses.

There are many ways to get fit outdoors which doesn’t have to be boring or tedious. In fact it can be a lot of fun. Some of these activities will cost little or no money and are great for getting fit without having to resort to expensive gyms. 

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