Fit Villains: Selfish, Shameless, Sassy, Fitness.

Spring has sprung and this girl is taking advantage! The bulk of my workouts are OUTSIDE during these months: playgrounds, parks, parking lots, the canal, the mountain - the city becomes my ‘gym’. I’m on my 5th ‘outsy’ in a week, and feeling oh, sooooo good. Just the thing I needed. :)

Working out outside has MANY perks: it’s free, fresh and you can do something different everyday. Unlike working out at home or at the gym, you’re free to explore the world and play without confinement or limitations. It can be a lot of fun (and a great mood booster), but despite all it’s awesomeness, there are a few drawbacks to getting sweaty on the go. If you’re smart, they are fairly easy to overcome with a wee bit of planning.

When it comes to getting sweaty outside, here are a few takeaways, tips, tricks and ideas that I’ve accumulated over the last few years!

9 SWEAT OUTSIDE Tips

1. Don’t ditch your old, dirty yoga mats! Old mats are the bomb. Your brand new, gorgeous, super expensive yoga mat WILL get dirty on the go. Save it for fancy yoga class, and bring old ratty-tat-mat with you to the park. (Towels & blankets work too, or you can buy a cheaper mat for your outdoor adventures for around $15-$25 bucks).

2. Not all parks are lean, clean havens. When doing work on the ground, take a quick look and make sure you’re not about to put your hands in glass, trash, dog poop, little rocks etc. I always have sanitizer & bandaids with me: you never know when you’ll need them and I don’t want to have to slow down if I can help it. I also like to wear gloves when working out outdoors: less mess, a little padding and yeah, they make me feel bad ass. You can opt for a fancy pair of workout lifting gloves, or inexpensive, plain cut off, cotton winter mini-gloves.

3. Bring water (duh) and a snack (double duh). Make sure to eat before, but have something ready to nosh on if you’re doing a long workout (if you have to stop for a snack when you’re already hungry, chances are it won’t be as good for you). I like bananas, carrots, protein bars, and even sometimes a small turkey/chicken wrap.  

4. BATHROOMS. Know where they are if you’re a frequent visitor. Many parks have bathroom facilities, but if not, see what’s around. (If you have to go suddenly, and it’s a ways away, run or jog there and you won’t skip a beat).

5. Bring a towel and a shirt change for really hot days, especially if you’re working out with friends (post sweat chit chat may mean a longer ‘outsy’ than planned.) You never know where you’ll end up!

6. Minimize what gear you bring. Resistance bands & tubes are lightweight and awesome for outdoor sweat. Sometimes I prefer a towel to my mat, since it rolls up easier in my bag. I usually bring one sports bag with me, a light one, and load it up with everything I’ll need (I do my circuits around it, or keep it within sight). My TRX has arrived, and it’s tiny/perfect for outdoor sweat (I’m so excited, so excited, SO EXCITED to use it this summer!)

7. Use what’s THERE as often as possible. Benches = tricep dips, seated crunches, incline pushups, step ups/box jumps. Swings add instability and are great for one leg bulgarian squats, modified ‘roll outs’ (when you’re in an incline plank position, push the swing away from you and draw it back). Monkey bars are awesome for hanging leg raises , pullups and inverted crunches. Use what’s around ya!

8. Sunscreen. It’s easy to get burned on the go! Bring extra to reapply as you get sweaty (tip: if a whole bottle feels too bulky, squeeze a bit into a ziplock bag and stick it in your wallet).

9. Have a game plan. I like to save my circuits on my phone for easy access, but having at least some idea of what you’re doing before you head out is helpful. You can modify it as you see fit (I often change my mind when I get there), but don’t head in without a plan B!

Quick On The Go Circuit Ideas

Build a circuit of your own by throwing together some of these wicked  ‘anywhere’ exercises. Try to choose 1-2 moves from each group and aim for 30-90 seconds for each.

Cardio

• Short sprints/jogs/runs. Hills are great too!
• Jumping Jacks
• Lateral Shuffles
• Heismans
• Jump Rope
• High Knee Runs In Place
• Stairs

Total Body Moves

• Burpees
• Mountain Climbers
• Inchworms
• Bear Crawls
• Lunge With Lat Pull down (using a band or towel)

Lower Body

• Wall Sits
• Squats
• Squat jumps
• Lunges (reverse, walking lunges, side lunges, curtsy lunges, lunge hops)
• Single leg Squats/Bulgarian Squats (back leg elevated on a bench)
• Single leg deadlifts
• Hip Bridges
• Standing Leg Lifts (lift out to the side, using a railing/tree for balance)

Upper Body

• Tricep Dips
• Pushups
• Decline/Incline Pushups
• Resistance Band Rows
• T-Stabilizations (alternating side plank with arm raise)
• Resistance Band Bicep Curls

Core

• Plank
• Side Plank
• V-Ups (seated or on the floor)
• Bicycles
• Russian Twists
• Plank Oblique Twists (in plank, draw your knee to the opposite elbow)

A FAB tool I often use for building circuits are Fit Decks: bring a deck along with you to take some of the thinking out, especially if you’re with friends!

What are your favorite Workout On The Go tips?