Exercising indoors day in day out can get pretty boring. I mean, all you see are 4 walls, and in case you do it in your house, you have to constantly deal with obstructions and distractions. Gyms aren’t merry either considering the sweat smells you have to deal with, plus the intimidation you get from people who consider themselves to be the ultimate “gymnists”. That is why it is important to get out and work out outdoors once in a while.
Taking your workouts outside has many benefits, greatest of them all being that, if you do it in the morning, you get to soak up the benefits of the morning sun. You also interact with nature when working out outdoors, which is good for your mental health.
But there are some necessary precautions that you have to take when exercising outsides that you don’t care too much about when indoors. This post focuses on the 6 most important tips for great outdoor workouts.
1. Always start with a warm-up
Everyone needs to warm up in order to prepare for an intense workout, whether indoors or outdoors, but it is especially important to warm up when exercising outside on a cold morning. Cold temperatures make your body susceptible to sprains and strains, but you can counter that by getting your blood warm through a good, low-intensity warm-up. You are less likely to get injured when your blood is warm. Before you start running, for example, be sure to stretch a bit, particularly the bend-and-hold stretching, swing your arms, and make a few sprints in the backyard. You should repeat this same routine at the end of your workout.