We can go out again, but we still cannot go into a gym, so here are some exercises to build an outdoor session around.
Keeping to the precautions over these weeks is everybody’s job, so take it steadily — but do not give up your routine. You know what they say: mens sana in corpore sano. And at GoRandom we want you to come back to normality feeling better than ever, inside and out. Take note, and use your hours outside to train.
Remember that the outdoor gym equipment in the park is still off limits , as are the children’s swings. And every time you touch a bench or a fountain, disinfect your hands and keep them off your face.
The biggest difference between a gym and the open air is that there are no machines, so you work with your own body weight. That sounds easy, but it is extremely important to do each exercise properly, because it is easy to injure yourself. Slow, concentrated movement is what gets results without doing damage.
Outdoor training
Lateral leg sets on a bench: use the bench as a step. Stand beside it, put the nearer leg on it and lift your whole body up; then set that leg down on the other side, and so on. Start with a set of 15 each side, which works every muscle in the leg as well as your coordination.
Bench jumps: another way of working the legs. Stand in front of the bench with your feet together and jump onto it without separating them; then jump carefully back down. Three or four sets of 15. Try one jump first to be sure the bench is not too high and does not slip.
Press-ups on a bench: hands on the bench, toes on the ground, body straight. Up to four sets of 12. Your hands should be level with your chest, not your shoulders, or the exercise does not work.
Skipping: all you need is enough space that nobody walks into the rope. Start with five minutes at low intensity to warm up and build from there, going faster and lifting your knees higher as you warm up. Fifteen minutes a day will make a difference.
Squats: four sets of 20. You need nothing but your own body, or a couple of weights if you have them. Squats are loved and hated in equal measure, but the effects show quickly.
Burpees: one of the most complete exercises there is, at any level and in any discipline. Hard to do indoors, which leaves no excuse outside. There are variations, but the usual one is: stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, crouch with your hands on the ground, jump your legs back into a plank, jump them forward again and stand up to start over. Aim for four or five sets of 15 and your body will notice.
Twenty minutes of running: no outdoor session is complete without it. Pick somewhere you can move freely but that has some obstacles — a flight of steps, a few bends — so you can vary the pace and keep it interesting. It makes the session more dynamic and works more of the body.
Plogging: in short, plogging joins running to sustainability: it means running while picking up the litter you pass. There is more in our post on Plogging
Build your own outdoor routine and enjoy training again. Before long we will be back to our favourite activities.
