By Fredricka Hammill, Ph.D.
June and August are great months for getting fit and taking up new activities. If you’re already fit, use the season to cut more fat and boost your fitness level to new heights.
Summer is a great time to start a cardio program or turn up the intensity a notch 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. It’s time to take advantage of ideal weather to play tennis, walk, jog, swim, ride a bike, or go inline skating.
You will make faster progress and be more motivated if you exercise with a training partner or other people. 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 don’t realize you’re exercising. If you’re not into sports and games, put on your inline skates and strut your stuff in the park or at the beachfront.
Take it easy if you haven’t been exercising. Don’t get carried away by playing more volleyball than you should 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 because you put on a few pounds from overdoing it at summer barbecues. It’s a refreshing, invigorating time to be outdoors. What are you waiting for?
Choosing Exercises: Variety Is the Spice of Life!
Take advantage of our incredible warm weather months by going for a walk, jog, or swim. What’s more, nobody has to twist your arm – it feels good to exercise outdoors. Outdoor exercise is fun, so why not use this wonderful time of year to jumpstart your fitness program. Choose about three to five kinds of sports and exercise and try to do each one every two weeks. Below is just a sample of the activities you could choose:
• Walking or hiking
• Jogging
• Road or mountain biking
• Inline skating
• Golf
• Swimming
• Backpacking
• Tennis
• Volleyball
Almost all physical activity contributes to health, but only intense exercise builds fitness. If you haven’t been exercising, begin with an accumulation of 30 minutes of exercise every day. For example, go for a 15-minute walk in the morning and a 15-minute bike ride in the evening. Be more active during the day – work in the garden, park farther away from the grocery store, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Pick up the pace to improve fitness. Exercise above 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 firming muscles and cutting fat. The harder you work, the better you’ll look. Estimate exercise heart rate with a heart rate monitor or take your pulse for 10 seconds as soon as you stop exercising and multiply the number of pulses by six.
Outdoor fitness programs can melt those extra pounds. Most people gain a pound every December and January and carry some of it over to the next year. Those 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 perfect time to put an end to creeping fat gain. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences – the group that determines nutritional requirements – said people who want to lose weight or maintain weight loss should exercise moderately at least one hour a day. That’s a lot of exercise, but it makes sense if you do the math. Each pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, which means you must 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.
Walking and Hiking
Walking and hiking are two of the most popular exercises this time of year. You can begin these activities with little or no preparation and can do them safely at any age without seeing your doctor first – unless you have significant risk factors of heart or metabolic diseases.
Buy some good walking or hiking shoes that support your feet but don’t rub. Sore spots that pop up in the store will create friction burns that will blister your feet. You need something more heavy duty if you plan to hike on trails. Most shoe companies make lightweight, sturdy hiking shoes that provide support and protect your feet from large rocks and boulders.
Try to walk one hour a day. Walking that far at first may be difficult if you are a beginner. Start off by walking slowly for 10-20 minutes. Gradually, increase speed and distance. Involve the entire family – walk with your dog, kids, wife, or significant other. Who knows – your walks can turn into a structured fitness program that extends to the fall, winter, and spring.
Hiking can vary in difficulty from a stroll in the park on Sunday to a vigorous trek on a steep mountain trail. Many families take vacations centered on hiking. This can be a key to disaster if you don’t get in shape first. Try to walk regularly for at least four weeks before going on your mountain vacation. The combination of altitude and steep terrain (and sometimes heat) will exhaust you quickly if you’re not prepared. Pace yourself – begin with easy hikes and progress to more difficult ones during the week. Drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays in the thinner atmosphere. Sun protection is important when you’re outdoors at any time of year.
Jogging
Always remember that heat and humidity can cause dehydration and increase the risk of heat injury. Wear appropriate lightweight running clothes that don’t prevent your sweat from evaporating. Sweat only cools when it evaporates. It’s useless if it falls to the floor or beads up on your clothes. In warmer weather, run during the cooler times of the day – early in the morning or later in the evening. Drink a good-quality athletic fluid replacement beverage, such as Gatorade, to keep cool and provide energy. Thirst doesn’t keep up with your body’s fluid requirements, so drink fluids before, during and after activity.
Running on the beach is one of life’s great pleasures – unless you have tender feet. If you have access to a beach, it’s practically irresistible to run along the water. Your feet are not as tough as they were when you were a child and ran around barefoot all day. Use jogging shoes if you plan a serious sand workout. Vary your run between the hard sand near the water and the soft sand further up the beach. Running in the sand is a great way to build well-shaped, healthy-looking legs, cut fat, and build aerobic capacity at the same time.
Swimming
Water is extremely relaxing, and few activities work so many muscles in a low-impact environment as swimming. So, take advantage of the opportunity to swim outdoors.
If you are not a strong swimmer, start with a simple stroke, such as the sidestroke. You only weigh a few pounds in the water because your buoyancy supports your weight. So, it’s very easy to go through the motions in the water and not get much exercise. Swim hard if you want to burn calories and build your muscles.
A good goal for a modest swimming program is to swim 20 minutes without stopping. Start with one to two laps, rest, and then swim some more. Gradually, add more laps between rest intervals. Mix up your strokes between free-style, backstroke, sidestroke, and breaststroke.
And of course, don’t forget the sunscreen. Even one bad sunburn can contribute to deadly skin cancer later in life. Enjoy the sun but protect your skin.
Summer Sports
The heart of summer is perfect for sports such as golf, tennis, scuba diving, sailing, volleyball, Frisbee, soccer, and outdoor basketball. Take lessons if you don’t know the sport. Four or five tennis or golf lessons can mean the difference between an embarrassing day looking like a self-conscious klutz or having fun playing the sport.
Outdoor sports are a great method of getting in shape without feeling like you’re on an exercise program. You get an incredible workout – if you have the skill to hit the volleyball or tennis ball over the net. Plan sports participation just like you would trips to the gym. For example, set up tennis matches several times a week. This will improve your tennis skills and fitness at the same time.
Road and Mountain Biking
Biking is a great way to get in shape and see the countryside. You can use your bike to run errands, go to the store, or even ride to work. Like other kinds of exercise, you have to push it to get in shape. It’s easy to ride with friends and do more coasting and talking than exercising.
Buy a good bicycle – one that’s appropriate for the kind of riding you’re going to do. You don’t need a mountain bike if you plan to ride on the streets and roads. Conversely, your road bike won’t hold up if you plan to ride on trails and up and down mountain slopes.
Get started right by buying the right equipment. Buy a good quality helmet and wear it whenever you ride your bike. Even a trivial accident could make you fall from your bike, which could kill you or cause permanent brain damage. Biking can make your butt sore and chafe your legs. Buy a pair of Lycra pants with a chamois lining to prevent chafing. A padded seat can make a big difference to your rear end after you’ve ridden for several hours.
June and August are great months for getting fit and taking up new activities. If you’re already fit, use the season to cut more fat and boost your fitness level to new heights. If you are starting a program, there’s no better time of year to try a variety of activities and choose one or two that are right for you.
5-Week Outdoor Cardio Program: Walking and Hiking
Goal: to go on a moderate-intensity hike in a state or national park or forest area for 1.5 to two hours.
Week 1
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Walk for 30 minutes at a slow pace.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Walk 15 minutes briskly once in the morning, once in the evening.
• Saturday and Sunday: At least one other kind of cardio activity (biking, swimming, sailing, tennis, etc.)
Week 2
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Walk for 40 minutes at a slow pace.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Walk 20 minutes briskly – once in the morning, once in the evening.
• Saturday and Sunday: At least one other kind of cardio activity (biking, swimming, sailing, tennis, etc.)
Week 3
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Walk for 60 minutes at a slow pace.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Walk 30 minutes briskly – once in the morning, once in the evening.
• Saturday: 45-minute hike in park or wilderness area.
• Sunday: At least one other kind of cardio activity (biking, swimming, sailing, tennis, etc.)
Week 4
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Walk for 90 minutes at a slow pace.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Walk 45 minutes briskly – once in the morning, once in the evening.
• Saturday: 60-minute hike in park or wilderness area.
• Sunday: At least one other kind of cardio activity (biking, swimming, sailing, tennis, etc.)
Week 5
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Walk for 90 minutes at a slow pace.
• Tuesday, Thursday: Walk 60 minutes briskly.
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: 90-120-minute hike in park or wilderness area.
4-Week Outdoor Cross Training and Sampler Program
Goal: Try at least four different types of outdoor cardio exercises a week.
Week 1
Monday: Jogging, 20 minutes
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Walking, 40 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 20 minutes; jogging 20 minutes
Friday: Golf (walk the course)
Saturday: Jogging, 20 minutes
Sunday: Bike ride, 30 minutes
Week 2
Monday: Jogging, 20 minutes; Golf (driving range)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Walking, 40 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 20 minutes; Jogging 20 minutes
Friday: Golf (walk the course)
Saturday: Jogging on sand, 15 minutes (alternate 1 minute on hard sand, 1 minute on soft sand)
Sunday: Hiking
Week 3
Monday: Jogging, 30 minutes: Tennis (hit against backboard, 20 minutes)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Walking, 60 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 30 minutes; Jogging 30 minutes
Friday: Golf (walk the course)
Saturday: Jogging, 30 minutes (morning); Hiking, 60 minutes (afternoon)
Sunday: Inline skating, 30 minutes
Week 4
Monday: Jogging, 40 minutes: Tennis (hit against backboard, 30 minutes)
Tuesday: Tennis, 1 hour
Wednesday: Walking, 60 minutes
Thursday: Inline skating, 30 minutes; Jogging 30 minutes
Friday: Golf (walk the course)
Saturday: Biking, 60 minutes (morning); Hiking, 60 minutes (afternoon)
Sunday: Inline skating, 60 minutes
References:
Brooks GA, et al. 2000. Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and its Applications. New York, McGraw Hill.
Fahey TD, et al. 2003. Fit and Well. New York: McGraw Hill.
Howley, ET. 2001. Type of activity: resistance, aerobic and leisure versus occupational physical activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33(6 Suppl): S364-369; discussion S419-420.
Hunter, GR, et al. 1998. A. role for high intensity exercise on energy balance and weight control. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 22(6): 489-493.
Laforgia, J, et al. 1997. Comparison of energy expenditure elevations after submaximal and supramaximal running. J Appl Physiol 82(2): 661-666.
Tremblay A, JA Simoneau and C Bouchard. 1994. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism 43(7): 814-818.
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