The great news is that some of your favourite outdoor sports not only constitute great leisure activities, but they are also excellent forms of exercise that can give you a full body workout. This means that an impressive range of sports and activities can be effective in improving your overall fitness level as you build strength and endurance, while burning up calories and excess body fat.

Why Train Outdoors?

There are many good reasons to train outdoors. While some outdoor workouts do require particular equipment, most of the items that you need can be purchased from a company such as MOTackle or moved outside if they are transportable and not too heavy.

In the outdoors there is plenty of room to run, throw and be free enough to raise your heart rate and exercise at your peak. When you train outdoors, you have a welcome change of scenery to that experienced in sweaty and typically busy gyms. Another appealing benefit is that outdoor training is done technology-free – there are no screens featuring music clips or talk shows. Here are a few activity ideas to get you inspired.

Skiing

An outdoor sport usually done in winter, snow skiing involves both skiing and hiking. The motion used delivers an extensive aerobic workout with the each motion using the shoulders, back and legs. When skiing, it is possible to burn 600 to 900 calories in a single hour.

Hiking

Strapping on a backpack and going for a hike can be a great form of total body exercise. No matter how intense or how long the hike you take, a significant number of calories are burnt – all while enjoying fresh air and natural scenery. Not only does hiking burn calories, it can also be an effective way of increasing endurance and lower body strength.

Running

Of all the outdoor sports, running is renowned for being a highly effective form of exercise for increasing endurance, stamina and muscular strength. It is also an effective calorie-burning exercise. Very little (if any) equipment is needed to run and while you do not need any specific experience or training, you can increase your endurance and enhance your running style as you commit to this outdoor activity.

Cycling

Being able to ride a bike is often important when we are children but cycling as an adult presents a good opportunity for exercise and fitness. Increasingly, designated bike trails and lanes on roads make cycling safer, while off-road trails enable cyclists to travel through some beautiful and remote locations with stunning scenery. Cycling burns approximately 400 calories per hour, all while building strength in the lower body, and enhancing balance, coordination and overall fitness.

Swimming

A low-impact workout for every part of the body, swimming is a great outdoor sport that is a particularly appealing option for exercise in warm weather. In one hour, approximately 600-700 calories can be burnt and the actions performed as you swim enhance stamina, strength and coordination.

What other physical activities do you think belong on this list? What has given you the best fitness results? Share your thoughts below.