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Outdoor Workouts Meant for Heat

USE THE HUMIDITY + SUN TO SWEAT MORE + BURN MORE

Article by Hayley Hyer

Photography by Stock Images

Yes, working out in the heat and humidity of summer is hard. But there are also some reasons why you might want to use it to your advantage! Think hot yoga—intentionally practicing in a room 90 degrees or higher to sweat more and also be able to move more. When it's hot, your muscles are loose, and it can help you prevent injury. You can also go further in your flexibility.

Try out one of these outdoor workouts built for the heat. Just remember to hydrate and wear your sunscreen!

Outdoor Cardio Meltdown from Shape

Who needs the treadmill? Grab a mat (or towel) and a timer and torch fat with this 10-15-20 Cardio Meltdown outdoor workout created by Lindsay Ferrer, a personal trainer in New York City.

  • 10 Long Jumps: Do a long jump the length of your mat or towel, and then shuffle backwards to your start position.
  • 10 Push-ups: Kneeling or full, depending on your fitness level.
  • 15 Sumo Squats: Stand up with your feet wider than your hips and your toes slightly turned out as you sit back into a squat.
  • 15 Burpees: Start with a jump, and then squat down, place your hands on your mat, and jump out into a plank position. Jump feet back towards your hands, pop up into standing position, and finish with a clap at the top.
  • 20 Bicycle Crunches: Lie on your back and bend both knees into your chest, hands clasped behind your head. Find a focal point to the left and right of your body. Look at those two focal points as you twist and crunch to each side, reaching your right elbow to your left knee, and vice versa.
  • 20 Mountain Climbers: Start in a plank position and alternate driving your knees into chest, keeping your hips flat and parallel to the ground.

For a bonus challenge, time yourself performing the full meltdown, and try to beat your best time with your next outdoor workout, says Ferrer.

READ MORE: The Best Outdoor Workouts to Mix Up Your Routine

A Hot Yoga Routine You Can Take Outside from Elle

"Sweating through a killer hot yoga class always feels amazing, but especially in the winter when you've been freezing all day long. On the flip side, in summer, we're a bit less tempted to head to a heated indoor studio when it's just as warm outside. We have to wonder: Why not combine the two, so we can stay outside, enjoy the fresh (but hot) air, and get a good workout? We asked New York City yogi Tamara Behar to do just that, for a simple hot yoga sequence that you'll want to bring outside."

READ MORE: A Hot Yoga Routine You Can Take Outside

Tip: You can do any vinyasa flow outside in the heat to make it hot yoga! If you have a favorite online class, try setting up your laptop and make a hotspot with your phone to connect to the internet and practice out in the sun.

Jump Rope Conditioner from Men's Journal

Jumping rope is one of the most underrated workouts for coordination and athleticism. It’s also the perfect warmup for any workout. Cheyne Zeller, C.P.T., a New York-based strength and conditioning coach at New York Health and Racquet Club created this routine to improve coordination and sweat off the pounds.

Directions: Do 10 reps of each type of jump. Then, sprint for five seconds, turn around, and sprint for another five seconds to the rope. Do not rest between jumps. Vary the types of jumps every time you return to the rope. 

The jump rope conditioning workout

– Basic two-foot jump

– Double unders

– Single leg: alternating

– Single leg: same foot

– High knees: bring both knees up on jump

– Crossing feet in and out laterally

– Crossing hands

READ MORE: 10 Best Outdoor Workouts to Burn Fat and Build Muscle

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