When it comes to outdoor exercise, having the right workout tools can elevate your fitness routine and maximize your results. Whether you prefer strength training, cardio, or flexibility exercises, incorporating the right equipment can add variety, intensity, and convenience to your outdoor workouts.
Exercising outdoors carries its challenges, the foremost of which is that it limits the kind of equipment you can use. While outdoor gyms are certainly a popular choice for many fitness junkies, many people may not feel at home in that environment. Instead, it’s important to find solutions for your fitness regime that enable you to exercise independently and at your pace.
Training with resistance bands is the best way to go for this. Obviously, it’s not really feasible for you to carry your own free weights to a designated outdoor workout space. Using bands and the anchoring and attachments that go with them will provide you the most convenient way to complete a full-body workout wherever you go.
Here are four resistance-training based workout tools that are perfect for outdoor exercise with their benefits and versatility.
1. Standard Resistance Band
The standard resistance band is a versatile fitness tool that can elevate your outdoor workouts to new heights. Using variable resistance, bands allow for various exercises that target different muscle groups. They come in different resistance levels, enabling you to adjust the intensity of your workouts based on your fitness level.
When working out in the open air, the elements and different surfaces you come across can wear down a standard band. Elastics are a fickle thing sometimes in that they weaken the more damage they take. Every nick, cut, or tear hampers the integrity of the band until it breaks. Some companies have combatted this by offering sleeved resistance bands, which keep the band protected from sunlight, dirt, and contact damage from rough surfaces. We highly recommend it.
With a standard resistance band, you can perform exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses, rows, and squats. Its lightweight and compact design make it easy to carry around, making it ideal for outdoor exercise. Whether you’re at the park, beach, or in your backyard, incorporating a standard resistance band into your workout routine will add resistance, challenge your muscles, and enhance your strength and flexibility.
2. Loop Resistance Band
The loop resistance band is a compact and versatile tool that adds resistance to your workouts. It consists of a continuous loop of elastic material that can wrap around various body parts, such as thighs, ankles, or wrists, to target specific muscles. The loop is ideal for strengthening the lower body and activating the glutes. Plus, it adds resistance to exercises like squats, lunges, and lateral movements. It can also work for upper-body exercises, such as shoulder presses and bicep curls.
One of the significant advantages of loop resistance bands is their portability, making them perfect for outdoor exercise. More so than any other band or workout instrument, they take up minimal space in a gym bag. You could feasibly even carry one in your pocket. It’s up to you to choose the band that suits your fitness level and gradually increase the resistance as you get stronger. Loop bands are fairly inexpensive, so upgrading is not much of a hassle.
3. Versatile Anchor
Having a versatile anchor is essential for outdoor workouts using resistance bands. An anchor can be anything stable, such as a tree, pole, or fence, to which you can attach the resistance band. It provides an anchor point for exercises that require stability and resistance, such as standing rows or chest presses.
That said, having your own portable anchoring system will help you to expand the possibility for where you can set up your workout. Think something like this.
Look for an anchor that can easily be attached and detached, and one that can accommodate different resistance band attachments. Look for adjustable straps with loops that can be secured around poles or trees. A portable anchor allows you to enjoy outdoor exercise in various locations and create a challenging workout environment.
4. Handles/Foot Straps
Recommending handles may seem like an obvious or foregone conclusion. However, the reality is that not every resistance band automatically has a handle on it. Many bands, especially flat bands, come without handles with the expectation that users will simply wrap the ends around their hands to exercise.
The problem with this is that people’s hand sizes vary, so you can’t be sure how much of the band you’ll have left to work against. Having handles attached to your band(s) provides more clarity towards the capacity and resistance level of your band.
Handles are beneficial for upper body exercises like bicep curls, tricep extensions, and rows. They offer a secure and ergonomic grip, allowing you to maintain proper form and engage the targeted muscles effectively.
Foot straps, on the other hand, attach to the resistance band and wrap around your feet or ankles. They are excellent for lower body exercises such as leg presses, hamstring curls, and hip abductions. Foot straps provide stability and prevent the resistance band from slipping or moving during exercises, ensuring a safe and effective workout.
Wrap It Up
Taking your workout outdoors is invigorating, and with the right workout tools, you can enhance your outdoor exercise experience. Loop resistance bands, standard resistance bands, versatile anchors, and handles/foot straps are versatile and portable tools that can elevate your outdoor workouts, offering endless possibilities for strength training, muscle building, and enhancing stability and balance.
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