Embrace Outdoor Exercise with Bill DeHoog's Beginner-Friendly Fitness!
The sun is shining, the beautiful weather is here, and it’s time for us to take our health and fitness outdoors! For those looking to tone muscles, increase mobility, and improve balance as we prepare for the summer fun season, a well-rounded fitness, nutrition, and exercise routine that incorporates strength training, flexibility, and balance exercises is essential!
Thanks to Bill, we all know that regular physical activity offers numerous benefits beyond just physical fitness - it also:
Enhances mood by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural mood lifters
Exercise also reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
It strengthens the immune system, making individuals more resilient to infections.
Consistent exercise can enhance cognitive function, memory, and overall mental health by promoting neuroplasticity and reducing the risk of cognitive decline with age.
Overall, a balanced exercise routine contributes to a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle, enabling individuals to fully enjoy this 2024 summer season and beyond.
In order to encourage a healthy level of beginner fitness - let’s get moving outdoors in the summer months as a fantastic way to promote physical activity while enjoying the sunshine and fresh air!
Here are some beginner-friendly exercises from Bill DeHoog to kickstart your summer fitness journey:
Strength Training with Bodyweight Exercises:
Exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks help build muscle strength and endurance, particularly in key areas like the legs, core, and upper body.
Benefits: Strength training increases muscle mass, which can boost metabolism and help with weight management. It also enhances bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
It also promotes better insulin sensitivity, aiding in blood sugar control.
Resistance Band Exercises:
Incorporate exercises like banded rows, bicep curls, and lateral raises using resistance bands to add variety and challenge to your strength training routine.
Benefits: Resistance bands provide constant tension throughout the movement, effectively targeting muscles and improving strength without putting excessive strain on joints. They also improve joint stability and range of motion!
Balance Exercises:
Include exercises like single-leg stands, heel-to-toe walks, and balance board exercises to challenge and improve balance.
Benefits: Better balance reduces the risk of falls and injuries, particularly as we age. It also enhances proprioception (awareness of body position), coordination, and stability.
Swimming:
Swimming is a low-impact, full-body workout that improves cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility.
Benefits: Swimming is gentle on the joints, making it suitable for individuals with arthritis or joint pain. It also promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and can improve mood and sleep quality.
Walking:
Bill recommends walking as one of the simplest, yet most effective forms of outdoor exercise. Start with short, leisurely walks in your neighborhood or local park to explore the summer sights and get moving!
Benefits: Walking improves cardiovascular health, boosts mood, and helps with weight management. It's low-impact and suitable for all fitness levels!
Hiking:
Hiking on trails of varying difficulty levels offers a lovely, scenic way to explore nature while getting a good workout. Start with easy trails and gradually increase the intensity as you build stamina.
Benefits: Hiking provides a full-body workout, improves cardiovascular fitness, and enhances mental well-being by reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Cycling:
Whether it's leisurely biking around your neighborhood or more intense cycling on local trails, it's a great way to build cardiovascular fitness. Cycling, whether outdoors or on a stationary bike, provides a great cardiovascular workout while also toning leg muscles.
Benefits: Cycling improves cardiovascular health, boosts metabolism, and strengthens leg muscles. It's also a fun and social activity that can improve mood and your mental well-being. Cycling strengthens leg muscles, improves cardiovascular health, and can be easily adapted to different fitness levels, depending on your fitness needs.
Outdoor Yoga or Pilates:
Practicing yoga poses such as downward dog, warrior series, and tree pose improves flexibility, balance, and core strength. Take advantage of outdoor spaces like parks or beaches for yoga or Pilates practices, like leg circles, and a side plank focus on core strength, stability, and flexibility.
Benefits: Yoga and other fitness programs not only increase flexibility and muscle strength but also enhance mental well-being by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, while also improving sleep quality, overall mood, body awareness, and mindfulness.
Kayaking or Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP):
Water sports like kayaking or SUP are excellent ways to stay active while enjoying the beauty of lakes, rivers, or oceans. Many rental facilities offer beginner-friendly equipment and lessons.
Benefits: Kayaking and SUP provide a full-body workout, particularly targeting the core, arms, and back. They also improve balance and coordination.
Group Fitness Classes:
Joining group fitness classes, such as Bill’s Zoom fitness sessions, boot camps or aerobic classes in the park,which can provide motivation and support for beginners and build camaraderie.
Benefits: Group and Zoom fitness classes offer social interaction, accountability, motivation, and professional guidance from instructors and groupmates. We also recommend engaging in recreational sports and games like frisbee with friends or family for an extra workout!