To check out Fitness by the Lake’s Mississauga boot camp classes, click here.

The warm weather is finally arriving and more and more people are starting to take their workouts outdoors. There are so many benefits to an outdoor workout that you just won’t find indoors! The benefits of an outdoor workout:

• Changing scenery keeps your mind engaged
• Fresh air is good for your emotional well-being
• Many of the structures we pass everyday make for the best fitness machines – and there free!

My favourites:

Trees! They can be used as markers to run back and forth between. You can wrap a band around them for strengthening exercises, or ever work on your triceps by standing in a side plank position about half a body length away from the tree, supporting yourself with your forearm. Then dropping your hip nice and low and bringing it back to neutral, isolating that triceps muscle. As an added bonus, it’s a great oblique workout as well!

 

Benches are another great multi-use machine. You can use them to strengthen your legs with step ups or even jump ups. You can work your lower abdominal muscles by lying on the bench with your back an bum supported and legs hanging off the bench. Bringing your legs up towards the sky, you can either alternate each leg bring it down to align with your hips, or bring both legs down together. Benches are also great for inclined push-ups and triceps dips.

Hills. Sprinting up a hill is a great cardio exercise. Much more engaging than putting the incline up on the treadmill. Depending on the weather, hot, damp or chilly, the terrain of hills can change, making no one workout ever exactly the same – helping your burn more calories!

 

 

 

 

Beach workouts! Of course, nothing can really beat working out on the beach! The scenery alone is worth the sweat. However, a beach workout is one of the most effective calorie burning workouts around. The soft and uneven terrain of the sand is similar to a BOSU ball – your balanced is challenged through each movement – engaging more muscles – make your body work just that extra bit harder. The sand is also a lot easier on your joints, helping you complete some of the more challenging moves, squats jumps, burpees etc., that might cause join pain on a harder surface. All in all – outdoor workouts are fun, creative and effective!

 

Many of the boot camp classes offered in Mississauga incorporate all of the above for a great outdoor workout! Working out with a group adds accountability to your workouts and of course, it’s great to met new people with the same interest. Most boot camps in Mississauga can tailor each exercised performed so that beginners and experts can work side by side as well as feel they both had a terrific challenging workout.

Whether you’re going for a walk, run , bike ride or doing a workout – enjoy yourself and have fun!

To check out Fitness by the Lake’s Mississauga boot camp classes, click here.