Workouts could be so much more fun in the sun
As temperatures begin to rise, IMY BRIGHTY-POTTS suggests we take our keep-fit routines outdoors
As summer sets in, it’s tempting to be outside as much as possible rather than being cooped up in the gym for exercise.
“Studies have shown that outdoor training lowers a person’s blood pressure and heart rate,” says personal trainer Luke Hughes, co-founder of OriGym (origympersonaltrainercourses. co.uk). “This makes exercise outdoors feel less strenuous than the equivalent indoors, meaning you’re able to push yourself harder, and potentially achieve more.”
We asked fitness pros the best way to go about it...
Check out your local parkrun
You can jump in on the parkrun fun in over 750 locations and it’s free (parkrun.org.uk).
Over two million people have completed parkruns and with all experience levels welcome, it’s a great way to work on your fitness while being part of a friendly community.
Check out local outdoor classes
Luke says “outdoor bootcamps and fitness classes are a great way to keep active and make connections with individuals, who share your passion for a specific workout style or routine” – and there are plenty to be found across the country.
“Bootcamps are regarded as one of the best fitness classes because they unite clientele with one goal. So, if you’d like to meet and engage with like-minded individuals, it’s a great process,” adds Luke. Many parks have yoga classes and – even more excitingly – in
some cities you can try yoga on a rooftop, to really get the most out of the sun. has become a popular fitness choice, particularly during the pandemic when we have all been more desperate to get outdoors (in fact, there was reportedly a 323% rise in people ‘wild swimming’).
Personal trainer Tirrel Grant says: “Swimming is great, as you can improve cardiovascular health and the exercise is low-impact – good if you are recovering from an injury. You can improve general fitness levels by swimming regularly.”
Use what’s already there
The simplest of equipment could be beneficial. “The humble park bench can be used for many exercises. Like the benches you find in the gym, you can do tricep dips, incline or decline press-ups, squats, box jumps, and Bulgarian split squats,” suggests Luke.
“A fun way to incorporate swings is to treat them as a swiss ball. For example, you could perform decline press-ups, glute bridges, jack-knives, roll-outs, knee tucks and hamstring curls.”
And for an amazing upper body session: “Bring out your inner child and jump on your park’s monkey bars. Exercises you can do with monkey bars include pull-ups, hanging leg raises and hanging sit-ups,” he adds.
Join a running club
Find running intimidating on your own? Joining a running club could give that extra motivation boost, and clubs are bound to be busier in summer as the weather improves.
Flo Seabright, founder of Fit by Flo (fitbyflo.com), runs a weekly running club and says there’s a host of benefits. “We love our run club because it offers an amazing opportunity for us to come together as a community and take on a new challenge as a team,” she explains.
“Motivating yourself to head out for a run can be hard at the best of times but as part of a group, everyone, regardless of their individual abilities, can get involved with something new in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.”
Look at local community pages to find a running club near you.