Why you should start your summer workout now?
With the warm weather and longer days upon us, the bulky oversized sweaters and jeans have been packed away in favor of more form-fitting and fun clothing choices. One of the best things about summer workouts is the ability to get outside and away from the typical gym workouts, using your creativity and natural surroundings as your “gym”, rather than having to deal with a crowded environment. Whether you choose to exercise outside or remain in the gym, summer workouts will not only help your body physically but just as important, mentally. Some of the key benefits to a regular exercise routine during the summer include:
- Better health – Loss of weight, lower blood pressure, stronger muscles, and bones, increased metabolism
- Better mood – Higher energy levels, increased brain function and memory, look good/feel good, more restful sleep, improved sex life,
- Stress relief – Decreased anxiety and depression, helps control breathing patterns, increases endorphins, reduces the risk of injury concerns
Whatever your reasons and motivation for starting your summer workout are, make sure you take note of the following tips for a safe, healthy, and productive workout.
10 Tips For Your Summer Workout:
1. Pick realistic goals:
With the increase of social media, everyone wants that washboard stomach and booty that you can bounce a quarter off, but that is going to take more than a few crunches and a couple of squats. While chances are you may not reach all of your goals during the summer, realize that there should be a bigger picture, which extends year-round. Setting out a plan and goal is key to success. Hoping for a quick fix is likely going to result in failure, but with small goals that result in a bigger end-game, not only will you be more likely to stick with your workout, but you will be happier with your journey to success.
2. Nutrition is a key part of your fitness goals:
Some people operate on the belief that if they work out more than they can eat more junk food. While it is ok to treat yourself during the summer, implementing a proper nutrition plan will help you reach your workout goals quicker. Replacing junk food with healthy alternatives and preparing your own food rather than eating out will allow you to monitor and fuel your body properly. There is a lot of information about nutrition on the internet, but being that all bodies are built and react differently, it may be in your best interest to seek out a professional nutritionist to properly understand what you need to put into your body for optimal results.
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3. Get your priorities in order:
It’s hard to gain muscle mass and lose body fat at the same time, so figuring out which one is of higher importance is key. Or maybe you are content with your body makeup and want to improve your athletic performance. Whatever your goal is, understand that it is hard to accomplish multiple things at once. Additionally, when it comes to priorities, understand that you may have to give up going to some summer parties or that you might have to incorporate a workout schedule into your holiday plans. If improving your body and mind is your goal then you have to make it a priority in your life, not just for a couple of months, but for all twelve.
4. Workout smarter, not harder:
Grinding through a heavy and intense workout has its benefits both physically and mentally, however, sometimes it is important to workout smarter than harder. Incorporating compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and presses into your workout will target multiple large muscle groups at the same time as you burn calories and increase strength. For those looking to improve speed, agility, and quickness, mixing in aerobic training with anaerobic will not only help break the monotony but will also help improve your endurance.
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5. Sleep and recovery:
Taking time to rest and recover properly is one of the most important yet often ignored parts of working out. Your body needs time to repair and regrow all of the muscle tissue that you have torn up during your workout. Making sure that you get a proper 7-9 hours sleep as well as incorporating “rest days” into your training schedule is important. These rest days do not mean that you have to stop being active, as a casual bike ride, yoga, a walk or even gardening is enough to keep your body moving and an opportunity to repair itself. It is also important to incorporate a proper daily and pre/post workout stretching routine into your schedule to help ease the aches, pains, and potential for injury.
6. Stay hydrated:
Not only is it important to make sure that you stay hydrated during your workout, but leading up to your training session as well. Various studies calculate how much water you should be drinking daily, ranging from eight cups on non-workout days to an additional twelve ounces for every thirty minutes of exercise. Make sure that you are well hydrated before, during, and after your workout as your body loses fluid when you sweat, and often we don’t realize how thirsty we really are until it is too late. Not only will drinking water help keep us hydrated, but it will also help flush out toxins, regulate moods, improve our focus and maintain energy levels.
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7. Listen to Your Body:
Knowing what you are capable of, compared to what the person next to or your workout partner is doing is very important. While it is good to try and push yourself into doing a couple more reps, at some point your body is telling you to tap out for a reason. Ease into your workout program and maintain a gradual pace as you continue to build intensity. Racing into and diving too deep into a workout can easily result in injury, which then sets you back in your goals. Also realize that while mild soreness is to be expected the day after a workout, if you are fatigued and in pain, listen to your body and give it a rest.
8. Update Your Playlist:
While some people don’t like to listen to music during their workout, preferring to focus on the task at hand, others enjoy the motivation and sometimes slight distraction, especially during a long run, bike, or hike. Although it is good to have music playing during your workout, make sure that it doesn’t distract from your session. Try adding remixes or mash-ups of your favorite song to keep things fresh and maybe consider a lengthy “mega-mix” so you don’t have to worry about changing the track in the middle of your set.
9. Choose the right workout equipment:
Whether you hit the gym, the park, or workout in your garage, choosing the right equipment for your fitness goals is important. While most gyms have a selection of cardio and resistance equipment, taking your workout to the park or staying at home may require you to consider what equipment you need. Portable pull-up and dip bars, resistance bands, and parallettes will help with your strength goals, and a jump rope will take care of your cardio needs. Whether you use equipment or just your body weight, creating a proper atmosphere for your workout is important to help accomplish your goals.
10. Be proud of your successes!
Whatever your ultimate fitness goal is, remember to celebrate some of the smaller goals along the way. Whether it is adding a few more push-ups, running further or faster, or losing a pound or an inch, use it as an opportunity to celebrate and feel good about your accomplishment. Use these successes as motivation to help you take the steps you need to reach your next goal. Consider keeping a journal of your workouts and goals with a reward set for each milestone reached.
While you may not reach all of your goals by the end of the summer, understand that even the smallest of improvements should be considered an accomplishment and that each day moving forward you are in better shape and better health than when you started. Although everyone wants to be in “beach” shape, realizing that improving your physical and mental state is more than a two month journey and one that you would want to maintain year round.
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