Outdoor Exercising Tips

by Molly Rausch Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Athletic Trainer

Hello everyone! This week’s “Fitness Tip of the Week” is about exercising outside! This week of warmer weather has me longing for fresh air and the great outdoors. I know a lot of us would like nothing more than to move our indoor fitness workouts outside. During this pandemic; however, there becomes a conflict between being safe indoors versus trying to stay safe while outdoors. With states and countries starting to reopen, it’s important to keep a balance between protecting ourselves and maintaining a healthy mental status. Our new normal includes preparing for all the usual outdoor elements (i.e. weather, pollen, etc) along with pandemic protective measures.

COVID Related Outdoor Tips:

The most important step before heading outside is to follow COVID safety recommendations. Keep up-to-date with your area’s restrictions and follow them. The CDC and WHO also update their guidelines as more information becomes available, so it’s important to stay informed and keep checking for updates. The following list of tips is not a complete list and things are changing quickly, so keep checking with your local and state authorities for updates on what you should be doing. So, here are some tips:

• Wellness Check: whether we are having pandemics, flu season, or living in an alternate universe where COVID doesn’t exist, it is always important to stay home if you aren’t feeling well. The body heals quicker and less people get sick as a result if you just stay home when you are ill.
• Maintain Distance: if you are going outside for your workouts, remember to maintain distance and stay at least 6 feet away from others. If you have a normal running route or hiking trail but it’s usually busy, pick a different area or time to reduce contact with others.
• Mask Wearing: the mask is there to protect you from others and others from you. It can only do that if you are wearing it and wearing it correctly.
• Surfaces Touched: be mindful of what you touch while you are out. Elevator buttons, door handles, and cross walk buttons are all things you may touch to get out and go for a run. Don’t touch your face and wash your hand when you get back.
• Avoid public restrooms: sometimes it is unavoidable, but reduce your risk of exposure by reducing the use.

Tips for Exercising Outside:

COVID-19 precautions are not the only thing you need to also be mindful of. The weather plays a huge part Below is a list of some of the considerations to keep in mind when exercises outside and tips to help plan a successful workout: 

• Time of day: the hottest part of the day is between 11 am and 3 pm. If possible, avoid working out during these times. Early mornings are a great time to get that workout in. 
• Clothing: wear breathable, light colored clothing. Dark colors absorb sunlight, making you warmer. Make sure it’s breathable both in fabric type and fit. Tight clothes make it harder for your body to cool itself. 
• Sunscreen: protect your skin! 
• Hydration: there are so many things I could say about hydration. The warmer it is, the more you sweat, resulting in an increased need to hydrate. Don’t wait to hydrate until you feel thirsty. Stay on top of it early.
• Electrolyte replacement: sweat is composed of both water and salt. You need to also replace your electrolytes to maintain homeostasis in your body. Replace what you lose!
• Shade: when possible workout in the shade. It helps you stay cooler and get more from your workout. 
• Forecast: keep an eye on the weather. Knowing what the temperature and humidity is can help you plan your workout for the day. Storms can also come in quickly, so knowing what’s predicted can help you stay safe. 
• Body awareness: listening to your body can help you be successful with your workout and stay safe. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can happen quickly, turning a fun, outdoor workout into a medical emergency. It’s okay to take more breaks for rest or hydrating if that’s what your body is telling you. 
• Altitude: for those hikers out there, don’t forget the changes in oxygen levels, temperature, and wind speeds as you reach higher elevations.
• Pollen: itchy eyes, sneezing, and difficulty breathing can all happen because of pollen in the air. If you have seasonal allergies, plan ahead and adjust as needed. With COVID, be extra careful to know your symptoms are indeed from allergies, because you don’t want to assume and get a lot of other people very sick.

If you have any questions on this topic, please feel free to contact me at mrausch@healthworksfitness.com or comment below!