By Fredricka Hammill, Ph.D.
June and August are great months for getting fit and taking on new activities. If you’re already fit, use the season to shed extra fat and elevate your fitness level to new heights.
Summer is a great time to start a cardio program or increase the intensity if you’re already on one. There’s no reason to stare at the wall while exercising on the treadmill, elliptical trainer, or stationary bike. Take advantage of the wonderful weather to play tennis, walk, jog, swim, ride a bike, or go inline skating.
You’ll make faster progress and stay more motivated if you exercise with a training partner or others. You can also incorporate apps like that tdee calculator to stay clear of your objectives. A brisk set of doubles in tennis or a vigorous game of beach volleyball with friends on a beautiful sunny day is so much fun that you won’t even realize you’re exercising. If sports and games aren’t your thing, put on your inline skates and show off your moves in the park or along the beach.
Take it easy if you haven’t been exercising. Don’t get carried away by playing too much volleyball or jogging too far. Pace yourself—don’t try to compete with your sister-in-law who was a tennis player on the college varsity team. And don’t shy away from activities just because you’ve put on a few pounds from overindulging at summer barbecues. It’s a refreshing, invigorating time to be outdoors. What are you waiting for?
Selecting Workout routines: Selection Is the Spice of Life!
Take advantage of our incredible warm weather months by going for a stroll, jog, or swim. What’s more, no one has to twist your arm—it feels good to exercise outdoors. Outdoor exercise is enjoyable, so why not use this glorious time of year to jumpstart your fitness program? Choose about three to five types of sports and exercises and try to do each one every two weeks. Below is just a sample of the activities you might choose:
• Strolling or mountain climbing
• Jogging
• Highway or mountain biking
• Inline skating
• Golf
• Swimming
• Backpacking
• Tennis
• Volleyball
Nearly all physical exercise contributes to well-being, but only intense exercise builds fitness. If you haven’t been exercising, start with accumulating 30 minutes of exercise each day. For example, take a 15-minute walk in the morning and a 15-minute bike ride in the evening. Be more active throughout the day—work in the garden, park farther away from the grocery store, and take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Increase the intensity to improve fitness. Exercise at more than 60 percent of your maximum heart rate for at least 20 minutes, three to six times per week. For most women, your exercise heart rate should exceed 120-160 beats per minute during the workout. Intense exercise is best for toning muscles and burning fat. The harder you work, the better you’ll look. Estimate your exercise heart rate with a heart rate monitor or take your pulse for 10 seconds immediately after stopping exercise and multiply the number of pulses by six.
Outdoor fitness programs can help shed those extra pounds. Most people gain about a pound each December and January and carry some of it into the next year. These pounds add up; it’s easy to gain 10 or more pounds by the time you’ve been out of school for 10 years.
This is a good time to put an end to creeping weight gain. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences—the organization that determines dietary requirements—states that individuals who want to lose weight or maintain weight loss should exercise moderately for at least one hour a day. That’s a lot of exercise, but it makes sense when you do the math. Each pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, which means you need to burn 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound of fat per week through exercise alone. It takes about an hour of moderate exercise for the average woman to burn 500 calories—less time if you exercise more intensely.
Strolling and Mountaineering
Strolling and mountain climbing are two of the preferred workout routines this time of 12 months. You’ll be able to start these actions with little or no preparation and might do them safely at any age with out seeing your physician first – except you’ve gotten vital danger elements of coronary heart or metabolic illnesses.
Purchase some good strolling or mountain climbing sneakers that assist your ft however don’t rub. Sore spots that pop up within the retailer will create friction burns that can blister your ft. You want one thing extra heavy responsibility if you happen to plan to hike on trails. Most shoe firms make light-weight, sturdy mountain climbing sneakers that present assist and shield your feet from massive rocks and boulders.
Attempt to stroll one hour a day. Strolling that far at first could also be tough in case you are a newbie. Begin off by strolling slowly for 10-20 minutes. Regularly, enhance pace and distance. Contain the whole household – stroll together with your canine, children, spouse, or vital different. Who is aware of – your walks can flip right into a structured health program that extends to the autumn, winter, and spring.
Mountaineering can range in issue from a stroll within the park on Sunday to a vigorous trek on a steep mountain path. Many households take holidays centered on mountain climbing. This is usually a key to catastrophe if you happen to don’t get in form first. Attempt to stroll usually for at the least 4 weeks earlier than going in your mountain trip. The mixture of altitude and steep terrain (and typically warmth) will exhaust you rapidly if you happen to be not ready. Tempo your self – start with simple hikes and progress to tougher ones throughout the week. Drink loads of water and put on sunscreen to guard your pores and skin from UV rays within the thinner environment. Solar safety is essential while you’re outdoor at any time of 12 months.
Jogging
All the time do not forget that warmth and humidity could cause dehydration and enhance the danger of warmth damage. Put on applicable light-weight working garments that don’t forestall your sweat from evaporating. Sweat solely cools when it evaporates. It’s ineffective if it falls to the ground or beads up in your garments. In hotter climate, run throughout the cooler occasions of the day – early within the morning or later within the night. Drink a good-quality athletic fluid alternative beverage, comparable to Gatorade, to maintain cool and supply vitality. Thirst doesn’t sustain together with your physique’s fluid necessities, so drink fluids earlier than, throughout and after exercise.
Operating on the seashore is one in every of life’s nice pleasures – except you’ve gotten tender ft. You probably have entry to a seashore, it’s virtually irresistible to run alongside the water. Your feet will not be as robust as they had been while you had been a toddler and ran round barefoot all day. Use jogging sneakers if you happen to plan a severe sand exercise. Fluctuate your run between the exhausting sand close to the water and the gentle sand additional up the seashore. Operating within the sand is an effective way to construct well-shaped, healthy-looking legs, lower fats, and construct cardio capability on the identical time.
Swimming
Water is extraordinarily stress-free, and few actions work so many muscle groups in a low-impact atmosphere as swimming. So, reap the benefits of the chance to swim outdoor.
If you’re not a robust swimmer, begin with a easy stroke, such because the sidestroke. You solely weigh a couple of kilos within the water as a result of your buoyancy helps your weight. So, it’s very simple to undergo the motions within the water and never get a lot train. Swim exhausting if you wish to burn energy and construct your muscle groups.
A superb aim for a modest swimming program is to swim 20 minutes with out stopping. Begin with one to 2 laps, relaxation, after which swim some extra. Regularly, add extra laps between relaxation intervals. Combine up your strokes between free-style, backstroke, sidestroke, and breaststroke.
And naturally, don’t neglect the sunscreen. Even one dangerous sunburn can contribute to lethal pores and skin most cancers later in life. Benefit from the solar however shield your pores and skin.
Summer time Sports activities
The center of summer time is ideal for sports activities comparable to golf, tennis, scuba diving, cruising, volleyball, Frisbee, soccer, and out of doors basketball. Take classes if you happen to don’t know the game. 4 or 5 tennis or golf classes can imply the distinction between an embarrassing day wanting like a self-conscious klutz or having enjoyable enjoying the game.
Outside sports activities are an ideal technique of getting in form with out feeling such as you’re on an train program. You get an unimaginable exercise – if in case you have the ability to hit the volleyball or tennis ball over the online. Plan sports activities participation similar to you’d journeys to the health club. For instance, arrange tennis matches a number of occasions per week. This may enhance your tennis expertise and health on the identical time.
Highway and Mountain Biking
Biking is an effective way to get in form and see the countryside. You should utilize your bike to run errands, go to the shop, and even experience to work. Like other forms of train, it’s important to push it to get in form. It’s simple to experience with associates and do extra coasting and speaking than exercising.
Purchase a very good bicycle – one which’s applicable for the sort of driving you’re going to do. You don’t want a mountain bike if you happen to plan to experience on the streets and roads. Conversely, your highway bike received maintain up if you happen to plan to experience on trails and up and down mountain slopes.
Get began proper by shopping for the suitable gear. Purchase a very good high quality helmet and put on it every time you experience your bike. Even a trivial accident may make you fall out of your bike, which may kill you or trigger everlasting mind injury. Biking could make your butt sore and chafe your legs. Purchase a pair of Lycra pants with a chamois lining to forestall chafing. A padded seat could make a giant distinction to your rear finish after you’ve ridden for a number of hours.
June and August are nice months for getting match and taking on new actions. In the event you’re already match, use the season to chop extra fats and increase your health stage to new heights. If you’re beginning a program, there’s no higher time of 12 months to attempt quite a lot of actions and select one or two which are best for you.
Objective: to go on a moderate-intensity hike in a state or nationwide park or forest space for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Week 1
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Stroll for half-hour at a sluggish tempo.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Stroll quarter-hour briskly as soon as within the morning, as soon as within the night.
• Saturday and Sunday: No less than one different sort of cardio exercise (biking, swimming, cruising, tennis, and many others.)
Week 2
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Stroll for 40 minutes at a sluggish tempo.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Stroll 20 minutes briskly – as soon as within the morning, as soon as within the night.
• Saturday and Sunday: No less than one different sort of cardio exercise (biking, swimming, cruising, tennis, and many others.)
Week 3
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Stroll for 60 minutes at a sluggish tempo.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Stroll half-hour briskly – as soon as within the morning, as soon as within the night.
• Saturday: 45-minute hike in park or wilderness space.
• Sunday: No less than one different sort of cardio exercise (biking, swimming, cruising, tennis, and many others.)
Week 4
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Stroll for 90 minutes at a sluggish tempo.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Stroll 45 minutes briskly – as soon as within the morning, as soon as within the night.
• Saturday: 60-minute hike in park or wilderness space.
• Sunday: No less than one different sort of cardio exercise (biking, swimming, cruising, tennis, and many others.)
Week 5
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Stroll for 90 minutes at a sluggish tempo.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Stroll 60 minutes briskly.
• Saturday: Relaxation
• Sunday: 90-120-minute hike in park or wilderness space.
Objective: Attempt at the least 4 several types of out of doors cardio workout routines per week.
Week 1
Monday: Jogging, 20 minutes
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Strolling, 40 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 20 minutes; jogging 20 minutes
Friday: Golf (stroll the course)
Saturday: Jogging, 20 minutes
Sunday: Bike experience, half-hour
Week 2
Monday: Jogging, 20 minutes; Golf (driving vary)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Strolling, 40 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 20 minutes; Jogging 20 minutes
Friday: Golf (stroll the course)
Saturday: Jogging on sand, quarter-hour (alternate 1 minute on exhausting sand, 1 minute on gentle sand)
Sunday: Mountaineering
Week 3
Monday: Jogging, half-hour: Tennis (hit towards backboard, 20 minutes)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Strolling, 60 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, half-hour; Jogging half-hour
Friday: Golf (stroll the course)
Saturday: Jogging, half-hour (morning); Mountaineering, 60 minutes (afternoon)
Sunday: Inline skating, half-hour
Week 4
Monday: Jogging, 40 minutes: Tennis (hit towards backboard, half-hour)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Strolling, 60 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, half-hour; Jogging half-hour
Friday: Golf (stroll the course)
Saturday: Biking, 60 minutes (morning); Mountaineering, 60 minutes (afternoon)
Sunday: Inline skating, 60 minutes
References:
Brooks GA, et al. 2000. Train Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and its Purposes. New York, McGraw Hill.
Fahey TD, et al. 2003. Match and Effectively. New York: McGraw Hill.
Howley, ET. 2001. Sort of exercise: resistance, cardio and leisure versus occupational bodily exercise. Med Sci Sports activities Exerc 33(6 Suppl): S364-369; dialogue S419-420.
Hunter, GR, et al. 1998. A. function for prime depth train on vitality stability and weight management. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 22(6): 489-493.
Laforgia, J, et al. 1997. Comparability of vitality expenditure elevations after submaximal and supramaximal working. J Appl Physiol 82(2): 661-666.
Tremblay A, JA Simoneau and C Bouchard. 1994. Impression of train depth on physique fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism 43(7): 814-818.
