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Fitness
Best Outdoor Workouts
We’re loving outdoor workouts more than ever right now. Whether you’re lucky enough to live near a beach or a park, have a beautiful garden or balcony space, these are our favourite outdoor workouts and everything you need for your next workout.
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Let’s Go To The Beach
Sea swimming is at an all time popularity high, and we can see why! In Ireland, we’re lucky to have a total of 93 Blue Flag beaches and marinas around the country, meaning cool, fresh, clean water, perfect for swimming! Sea swimming is not only an effective workout, but it has also been linked to a number of health benefits including improved mood, relaxed muscles and more restful sleep.
Just make sure you arrive well-prepared. Check the tide timings, be aware of weather warnings and make sure you’re dressed for success with swimwear from Mona, Maygel Coronel, Ganni and more. In winter months, the sea may be too cold for all but the bravest, but you can still enjoy the salty air and a brisk walk.
Yoga Flow In The Park
What better setting for your regular yoga practice than surrounded by lush greenery and bright, blue skies? Create your own practice, or follow along with your favourite YouTube yoga instructor using your phone and headphones. Yoga in the park will bring a whole new level to your sun salutations.
Here’s what you’ll need: some flat ground, your favourite yoga mat from Yoga Design Lab or Manduka, and yourself! If you need a little help with some of the poses, grab a cork yoga block or some resistance bands to enhance your stretch. Breathe deeply, tune in with your surroundings and don’t forget to track your workout on your Fitbit, by selecting Yoga from the pre-loaded exercises on the watch screen.
HIIT The Garden
Staying home? You can still enjoy the luxury of fresh air on your skin while working out. One of our favourite options is to create your own circuit in the garden. There are a few different ways to do this: HIIT, traditional circuit, tabata and more. A circuit can be done at your own pace, while a HIIT workout tends to be 30 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest. Still confused? Don’t be. We’ve got it all laid out in the table below.
The best thing about creating your own circuit in the garden, is you can really choose the exercises you enjoy. Incorporate some resistance moves using TRX bands, or maybe some weighted exercises using weights from K’Well. For cardio, there’s nothing better than skipping. Return to your childhood pastime with smart ropes from Tangram that track your progress and sync it with an app.
Here’s an example of our favourite circuit:
| Exercise | You’ll Need | Circuit Instructions | HIIT Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted squats OR bodyweight squat jumps | K’Well XBag weight carried on back, or K’Well Soft weight held to chest | 10 reps, then move onto next exercise with no break. | 30 seconds of maximum effort, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. Repeat 4x times. |
| Plank shoulder tap | Yoga mat from Yoga Design Lab or Manduka | 12 reps, then immediately move onto next exercise. Each tap is a rep. | 30 seconds of maximum effort, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. Repeat 4x times. |
| Skipping rope OR jumping jacks | Traditional skipping rope from Casall or electronic SmartRope from Tangram | 20 jumps, then immediately move onto next exercise. | 30 seconds of maximum effort non-stop, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. Repeat 4x times. |
| Alternating reverse lunges | Ankle weights from Bala or Equipt | 20 reps total, then immediately move onto next exercise. Each lunge is a rep, so 10x one side, 10x the other side. | 30 seconds of maximum effort explosive movement, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. If you can, do jumping lunges. Repeat 4x times. |
| Press ups | Yoga mat from Yoga Design Lab or Manduka | 10 reps, then immediately move onto next exercise | 30 seconds of maximum effort, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. Repeat 4x times. |
| High knees | Ankle weights from Bala or Equipt | 20 reps total. Rest for 2 minutes, then repeat the circuit 3x more times. | 30 seconds of maximum effort, followed by 30 seconds of complete rest. Repeat 4x times. You’re done! |
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Come Out To The Balcony
Short on space? No problem. You’ll be looking like Juliet, calling from the balcony to your Romeo in no time. Our favourite summer workout for apartments or flats that don’t have their own garden space is a well-placed exercise machine. Choose from Echelon’s Smart Rower Machine, Auto-Fold Treadmill or Indoor Smart Fitness Bike. Take your favourite gym workout home with you with Echelon’s expert equipment, featuring interactive interfaces and a dedicated app with guided workouts by certified instructors.
All that’s left to do is position your Echelon machine of choice on your balcony and get to work!
Running Through The Neighbourhood
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or embarking on your first couch-to-5K, perhaps the most accessible outdoor activity is simply running through your neighbourhood. When it comes to running, your most trusty sidekick is your Fitbit. The Fitbit Versa 3 even comes with in-built GPS, so you can track your run without taking your phone. It will calculate your heart-rate, calories burned, kilometres travelled, steps taken and will even create a map of the route you have taken.
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The Trail Less Travelled
For an outdoor exercise that will have you truly embracing and enjoying nature, we love forested trails and lush parks. Find a hiking trail near you, or take out the bike and plough through the off-road trails. Hiking or biking not your speed? Find a forested walk or scenic loop that will have your heart pumping as you wonder at the beauty of the Irish landscape.
Sweaty Betty’s activewear apparel will see you through whatever your chosen activity is. The iconic Power leggings allow for high performance activity, available also in biker short form for those warmer days. A well-chosen sports bra and a lightweight rain-proof jacket will be invaluable in your journey. After all, there's nothing more unpredictable than Irish weather!
Active Recovery
Now your workout is complete, but it’s important to nourish your body in the aftermath to ensure maximum results and speedy recovery. Theragun’s percussive massage guns are proven to reduce the impact of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, AKA that burn you feel in your muscles the day after working out), and encourage muscle repair. Nourish your body from the inside out with protein powders and supplements from Innermost to maximise your workout.
Shop Nutrition & RecoveryNow we've covered all our bases, what are you waiting for? Get going!
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