Despite the restrictions due to COVID-19, we have an amazing opportunity to take advantage of outdoor activities as we start getting into warmer weather. The one thing we can learn from the past year is that we all need to see our cup as being refillable. For every situation we are given, there is a way to make lemonade out of lemons.

Gyms are not open and may stick with limited access for a while even when they do open. That doesn’t mean we push our fitness and health aside. It may not be the same to exercise outdoors, but you can make the best of it and you may find you really start to enjoy it.

The activities we can do outdoors for the next 6 to 7 months are actually quite extensive. Our go-to outdoor summer activities tend to be jogging, cycling or swimming, but there are way more great ways to stay fit or get fit that go beyond this.

What are some activities that you used to do that you loved? Is that something you could get back into? Start writing a movement menu of different things you can do outside that will keep you consistent and that you will love to do.

Let’s dig into some things that are great ways to get you moving outside and that will get you loving exercise and movement in new and different ways.

Hiking

Such a great way to appreciate the outdoors and challenge yourself in a way other than walking. There is a great book called Halton Hikes: Loops and Lattes, by Nicola Ross, that you can buy to give you locations of trails with maps. It also describes the difficulty of the hikes so you can start out with something a bit easier and work your way up to more challenging hikes. Every city or town has great places to go hiking that aren’t busy, so you can go with someone in your bubble and enjoy a couple of hours of activity that is also a great stress reliever.

Roller skating

Yes, I said roller skating! This is a new old trend that is coming back. This definitely isn’t for everyone, but if you can skate in the winter, you can roller skate in the warm weather. Great activity to do with the whole family on paved trails or in a parking lot.

Walk or run hills

We are all at different fitness levels. Sometimes we want something a bit more challenging than a walk. Running or even walking hills adds a bit more zip to your exercise and challenges your body in a different way, including your muscles and your cardiovascular system.

Do your own triathlon

Not everyone likes to do the same activity, like running, swimming or cycling, for a whole hour. Additionally, those three activities work your body in different ways, so why not go for a 15-minute run, go cycling for 15 minutes, and then come home and go for a 15-minute swim? That 45-minute workout has you use your whole body. The time will fly by!

Play outdoor games with your kids

There are so many games to play with your kids that get all of you active and allow you to spend time with each other. Tag, dodgeball, skipping, hopscotch, hide and seek, backyard obstacle courses, hula hooping, or the alphabet jump game, just to name a few, are all great exercise. Dig into those childhood memory banks for your own favourites: so many ways to get everyone moving and have a ton of fun!

Some other activities that are fun for kids and adults alike are lawn bowling, horseshoes, cornhole, badminton, trampolining, or shuffleboard — get creative!

Outdoor resistance training

No one wants to be lugging dumbbells outside and some of us live in condos or apartments with no backyards. A great way to utilize outdoor space or parks (when they open) is by taking along your strength bands, which are amazing tools to use on the go. You can attach the strength band to a bench or pole, staying in that one spot to exercise your muscles and get some fresh air at the same time. Not only can you work out your whole body this way, but using strength bands is very efficient and challenging.

Outdoor fitness parks

Outdoor fitness parks are becoming more and more popular: They are like playgrounds for adults! You can do many calisthenic exercises with the apparatus they built for us adults to get in a full-body workout; build your own circuit or obstacle course to work your way through your muscle groups. This is a great way to stay active, get strong and have a lot of fun.  

Yoga or movement flows

Why not take your yoga mat to the park or your backyard and watch the sun come up or go down while you do your sun salutations? Yoga is a great way to become more connected to your body, improve mobility, and manage stressors. Add fresh air and nature to the mix and you will notice your stress level decrease alongside that decrease in cortisol levels (a stress hormone).

When things open up, getting into recreational sports like soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball etc., are also amazing ways to be active, get social and have a lot of fun.

Here are some other ideas that are different and fun:

  • Horseback riding
  • Golfing
  • Dancing
  • Frisbee
  • Tennis
  • Paddle boarding
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Water aerobics

As you can see the options are endless, really. Just have fun! Do things that get the blood pumping, that make you happy and get you moving in different ways.

Staying active right now is one of the best ways to improve your health and immunity, get your mind off everyday annoyances, and manage stress. Focusing on what we can do instead of what we can’t is the surest way to keep stress levels down, enjoy life, and appreciate what’s around us.