With all of this lovely spring weather, and summer not too far behind, it’s time t
o start thinking about other ways to squeeze in fitness without being stuck in a stuffy gym. Personally, I like to have a set routine, so you’ll find me in the gym either way. But that doesn’t mean you won’t catch me outside too!
Every summer I go camping for a week, which is when I tend to get the most out of my outdoor adventure-loving fun. I hit the bike trails a lot, some of them are easy, and some are hard with lots of dirt roads and hills. Swimming, obviously, is another fun go-to workout during summer – not to mention it’s a great arm and leg-toner! And sometimes I just want to relax and breathe in all of the fresh air, so I’ll wander around for a nice, long walk and soak it all in. Sometimes fresh air and a little vitamin D is all you need to brighten your day!
As you can see, there are a lot of fun things you can do outside to sneak in a workout without even realizing it. I’ll still wake up early in the morning and fit in a workout just so I know I accomplished what I wanted to that day (you never know when plans will change!), so when I’m camping I’ll go for an hour-long run alongside the woods. One tip though: make sure you have your iPod. If the bugs and horseflies are around their sounds can get annoying, so use the music to tune it out and stay motivated.
But doesn’t it seem like I’m forgetting something obvious? When you’re camping, you’re usually
around mountains. Don’t worry, collegiettes, I didn’t forget! I love hiking on trails up the mountains that surround my campsite. I climb a different one every year, but this year I’ve decided to tackle two! Not only will I burn a ton of calories and give my muscles a hard-core workout, but the view at the top is spectacular.
You probably are ready to skip spring and head straight into summer now, huh? I sure feel like it sometimes. But remember that you can still go for runs outside while at school Find a path that is a bit wooded so you can feel that connection with nature, run in town, or explore a new path. Oswego State also lets you bring bikes to campus, so kick up the gears and start working on those leg muscles! If nothing else, you will be happy that it’s finally nice enough out for walking without your jacket.
So what about you, collegiettes™? What are some of your favorite outdoor activities?