The warm weather, for some parts of the country, is on its way. That means more outdoor activities to take part in. In addition to your weekly strength training sessions at the gym, add in a few of these activities. By trying different activities, in addition to your gym workouts, your fitness program will become more well rounded. If you like the water you’ll love the first two activities on our list.
Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP)
SUP is one of the best upper body and core workouts you can do. It is also a lot of fun, improves balance, and keeps you more active outdoors. There has been a great deal of research on the benefits of SUP done at Bond University in Australia. In one such study, a 2016 publication in BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, Schram and colleagues showed improvements in aerobic and anaerobic capacity after only 4-weeks of SUP training. Strength increases were also seen in the core and back. Read about the full study here. It may not work 85 percent of the muscle like rowing does but it still strengthens 13 different muscle groups, including:
- Lungs (diaphragm)
- Heart
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Feet
- Rhomboid
- Latissimus dorsi
- Trapezius
- Shoulders
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Rotator cuff
- Core
One area that ends up getting a lot of work during SUP are your feet. There are 29 different foot muscles that get activated while balancing on a SUP. In addition, many intrinsic and extrinsic muscles that make up your lower leg and ankle are called into play. An hour of SUP can expend about 600-700 calories. For those individuals who race, those calorie numbers are almost doubled. In the Dana Ocean Challenge which was a 5-mile SUP race, contestants burned on average, 713 to 1,125 calories in just under an hour of high intensity racing.
Another Great Outdoor Activity: Kayaking
Kayak is a great mind/body workout. Here are just a few of the many health benefits from kayaking.
-Improved cardiovascular fitness
-Increased muscle strength (in the back, arms, shoulders and chest)
-Torso strength is increased.
-Can reduce stress level and improve mood
Strength to power a kayak comes mainly from rotating the torso and applying pressure with your legs. The calories expended in kayaking can reach 400 to 500 calories an hour paddling an average of 5 mph. Did you know it takes about 500 strokes to paddle a mile in a kayak? Each of the exercises mentioned, are a form of aerobic (and in some cases anaerobic) exercise which is great for reducing stress. Aerobic exercise, according to Harvard Health, triggers the release of brain chemicals that can quickly improve your mood. All three utilize large muscle groups and are rhythmic in nature which is basically the definition for aerobic exercise.
Add Jumping Rope to Your Exercise Routine
Jumping rope can be done anywhere but it really is a great outdoor activity. Either way, it burns maximal calories in minimal time. Jumping rope makes a great warm-up before strength training. It also conditions your cardiovascular system and in turn strengthens your wrists shoulders and ankles. One of the great by-products of jumping rope is it increases speed and power. In a recent meta-analysis of 21 studies, published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, jump rope training was linked to faster running times. One possible reason for this is because when you jump rope, your feet are striking the ground for shorter periods of time compared to running.
When talking calorie expenditure, jumping rope burns about 75 to 100 calories per 500 jumps. Other research has shown 10-minutes of continuous rope jumping is equivalent to running an 8-minute mile. Here is an easy-to-use calculator to determine your calorie expenditure when jumping rope.
These three exercises are fun to do and you get a lot of bang for your buck if they are done regularly. Among other things, they burn a ton of calories, build strong bones, increase strength and will improve your overall fitness level. Adding a few of these activities into your weekend plans, coupled with your weekly strength training sessions make a great combination. Give one or all a try this summer and who knows maybe you’ll end up in a SUP race!
Stay Strong Together
Jefit, named best strength training app for for 2024, by PC Magazine, Forbes, and Garage Gym Reviews, has a community that’s responsible for > 92,500,000 workouts to date! The app, which recently passed 12.5 million downloads, comes equipped with a customizable workout planner and training log. The app has ability to track data, offer audio coaching cues, and can share workouts with friends. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for your strength workouts. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals.
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