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Since the risk for exposure to Covid-19 is lower outdoors, many people are opting for outdoor workouts. Fortunately, the weather is cooperating making exercising outside more enjoyable.

Here is a workout that you can do outdoors that involves both cardio-respiratory and muscle conditioning exercise. The program alternates between periods of running or walking and resistance training.

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There is no perfect way to do this.
Try these different variations:

You could run or walk for 5 minutes and then perform an exercise.

You could run or walk for 10 minutes and then perform a few exercises.

You could run or walk for 15-20 minutes and then perform a variety of exercises and then run or walk for another 15-20 minutes.

Each workout could be a little different which will stimulate your body in a variety of ways and minimize boredom.

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Many of the suggested exercises involve no equipment but to assure an effective full-body workout, pick up a resistance tube with handles for less than $20 – we sell them at our downtown studio (360-574-7292). You can wrap these tubes around your waist like a belt during your running or walking stage and then wrap them around poles, trees or benches to effectively target your back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps and legs. 

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Here is a sample workout routine:

Walk 5-10 minutes to warm-up

Run or Power Walk for 5-10 minutes

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Step Ups:

 

Find a curb/bench/step and put one leg up. Slowly push upwards while balancing on one leg. Slowly lower back down to the starting position. Keep your knee pointed forward.  Do 30 seconds – 1 minute on each leg. Keep your front knee on top of your ankle.

 

 

 

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Rows:

Wrap your tube around a pole at about shoulder height. Hold both handles and pull your arms back to strengthen your back muscles. Concentrate on keeping your elbows close to the side of your body and pull your elbows back as far as you can.  Avoid lifting your shoulders towards your ears.  Perform 10-20 reps. To make the exercise more challenging, hold both handles in one hand and perform a single-arm row.

Run or Power Walk for 5-10 minutes

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Pull ups:

 

Find a park and perform a set of pull ups on the monkey bars. Feel free to use your legs to jump up and then slowly lower down using your upper body. Do as many as you can – one is ok to start!

 

 

 

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Single Leg Squats:

 

Find a pole and holding on with both arms, balance onto one leg, keep your front knee over top of your ankle and slowly squat backwards as low as feels comfortable. Keep your arms straight and slowly return to the starting position, avoid using your arms. Perform 10-20 reps each leg.

Run or Power Walk for 5-10 minutes

 

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Push ups:

 

Perform a set of push ups from your knees or toes. Feel free to use an elevated surface like a bench or curb so you can perform your push ups with better form. Do 10-20 reps.

 

 

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Side Leg Lifts:

Stand on your exercise tube holding your handles in opposite arms. Stand tall as you slowly lift your legs laterally side to side. Perform 1-2 minutes total.

Run or Power Walk for 5-10 minutes.

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Walking Lunges:

Lunge forward while keeping your front knee pointing forward and over your forefoot. Slowly lower the back leg towards the ground keeping your weight positioned over your front leg. Push back to the starting position and complete on the other leg. Perform 10-20 each leg.

 

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Overhead Shoulder Press:

 

Find a bench and wrap the tube underneath the seat. Grab both handles and perform an overhead shoulder press by slowly pressing your arms above your head. Avoid lifting your shoulders up towards your ears. Perform 10-20 reps.

 

 

 

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Bicep Curl:

Stand on the exercise tube and grab both handles. Perform a bicep curl by keeping your elbows at your waist while you lift your hands towards your shoulders. Perform 10-20 reps. To make the exercise more challenging, hold both handles in one hand and perform a single arm curl.

Run or walk for 5-10 minutes.

 

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Tricep Dip:

 

Find a bench/step and sit on it. Place your hands beside your hips on the bench and position them so they’re approximately shoulder width apart. Now slowly perform a tricep dip by lowering your body towards the floor and then back up to the starting position. Keep your hips positioned close to the bench. To make the exercise more challenging, keep your legs straight. Perform 10-20 reps.

 

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V-sit:

Have a seat on a bench/step. Slowly recline back a few inches while maintaining a long spine and good posture. Hold for 2 seconds and then return to starting position. Feel free to lift your legs to make the exercise more challenging. Perform 10-20 reps.

Walk for 5 minutes to cool down and then stretch.

 

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This workout will involve 10 minutes of warming up and cooling down, 25-50 minutes of running/walking and about 20 minutes of strength exercise.

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Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan

Note: As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a complimentary initial in person or virtual personal training appointment to help get you started. Email us for more details.

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We Are Open!

Northwest Personal Training is NOW OPEN! We are SO EXCITED to see you! For Private Training, you’ll have the option to continue doing virtual training, outdoor training or training at the studio. For Group Fitness classes, you will be able to continue doing virtual online classes (live or saved) and we are also going to host some outdoor programming.

We specific safety precautions that we have in place so please watch this video where I explain everything we are doing to keep you safe.

Here is a link to our Reopening Protocol in detail so you can review closely.

#NWPTSTRONG

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