Spring is perfect for doing more outdoor sports again. But what are the best outdoor activities for the first warm days of the year? We have five sporty ideas for getting more exercise in the fresh air.
We all know it: Sport is healthy and is good for the body and mind. After the long dark months and workouts at home and in the gym, spring is finally awakening – time to move your training outside again. Exercising outdoors in the fresh air has numerous benefits. Here we reveal what these are and what types of sports work best in the open air.
Exercising outside is healthy – these are the benefits
Regular sports and fitness sessions invigorate us physically and mentally. Sport in nature increases the positive effects even further. Sport outside has these benefits for the body and mind.
- Leave everyday stress behind you: Exercising in nature clears our heads and allows us to leave the worries and stress of everyday life behind us for a few moments. This is good for our mental health. The body also releases happiness hormones, which also relaxes you.
- Energy boost: Goodbye spring fatigue – exercising in the fresh air makes you alert and fit. It’s better to train outside in the morning than to drink your second cup of coffee!
- Strengthen your immune system: The weather in spring can be hard on us, but at the same time our immune system becomes more robust and we are no longer as susceptible to summer flu etc.
- Lose weight: Exercising in nature costs calories, which means you lose weight faster.
- Muscle building: Conditions outside are different and much more unpredictable than indoors, which is why muscles are put under greater strain.
- Vitamin D: Through increased contact with sunlight, the body can produce more vitamin D again – this improves mood and even counteracts muscle soreness.
- Cardiovascular system: The entire cardiovascular system is strengthened and given a boost when exercising outdoors.
- Coordination: Since the conditions in the forest or on the street are completely different than in the gym, our bodies have to constantly realign themselves and find their balance – great for our balance and coordination.
- More training time: When you exercise outdoors, you don’t get bored so quickly, as the training times can quickly be extended many times over.
- Fresh air: When we are outdoors, we breathe in much more oxygen, which leads to better blood circulation in the body.
The best outdoor sports
When the sun starts to shine again in spring and the days get longer, the season for outdoor sports begins. The desire to exercise in the fresh air and get the body fit again increases with every day. So what are you waiting for? With a little will and the right equipment as well as great ideas for outdoor sports, training can start immediately. However, there are a few things you should pay attention to: If you put your feet up in the winter and are starting the new sports season fresh, you should take it slow. You should also make sure you have the right sportswear, especially in the morning and evening, as it can still be quite cool in the morning in spring. At this point it can start. These sports can be optimally implemented in spring:
1. The classic: jogging or walking
Typical outdoor sports such as jogging and walking require the least amount of equipment. Functional clothing and suitable running shoes, that’s all you need to complete the first stretches and let the wind blow around your nose. When walking, additional walking sticks are helpful, but not a must. And if you like something a little more adventurous, you can choose running routes in the forest, which are much more challenging due to the terrain. At the beginning, it makes sense to do light interval training, in which intensive running sections alternate with relaxing phases at walking pace. The good thing: jogging can be done anywhere.
- Suitable for: Anyone with a certain level of basic fitness
- Training from: Fitness and endurance
- Required equipment: Running shoes and functional clothing
Tip: If you want to listen to your favorite music or the latest podcast while training, you should choose sports headphones that don’t restrict your movement.
Here you can find the range of on-ear headphones at Media Markt
2. Sports on the water: stand-up paddling
The trend surrounding stand-up paddling (SUP) is not slowing down. Nature and sports lovers still love meditative movement on the water. Not only is balance optimally trained, but also coordination and muscle strength. SUP is possible wherever there is water; good waves are not necessary. When buying a SUP board, you should make sure that it is as easy to transport as possible. Boards that can be inflated and folded compactly when not in use are best. If you want to hit the waters early in the morning, you should wear a wetsuit, especially in spring.
- Suitable for: Fans of water sports
- Training from: Balance and strength
- Required equipment: SUP board including accessories such as paddles, possibly a wetsuit
Click here to find a stand-up paddle board on Ebay
3. Make a route: ride a mountain bike or racing bike
The Germans are real cycling fans. No wonder, as you can travel long distances on the saddle and enjoy the surroundings. Cycling is also gentle on the joints and promotes coordination and fitness without much effort. The only question is what type of cyclist you are. The racing cyclist likes it fast and light, which requires above all good endurance. Mountain bikers, on the other hand, like to be out in the forest or in the mountains and appreciate the rather rough terrain and lots of adventure when freeriding or downhill. If you want to combine both, get the perfect all-rounder bike, the gravel bike. This allows me to explore the terrain as well as race across the asphalt. By the way, a helmet is mandatory when cycling because it protects you in the forest as well as in traffic.
- Suitable for: Cycling friends
- Training from: Endurance and fitness
- Required equipment: Racing bike, MTB or gravel bike as well as helmet, cycling clothing and possibly gloves, a bike bag and cycling glasses
Tip: If you want to plan tours and track your training sessions, you should think about purchasing a bike computer.
Click here to find a GPS bike navigation system at Media Markt
4. Outdoor sport with a high recreational factor: hiking
What better way to exercise in nature than hiking? Whether in the mountains, through forests, fields and meadows or along rivers and lakes – hiking promotes endurance and strengthens the cardiovascular system. You get a lot of fresh air and the relaxed pace makes this sport possible for everyone, from children to pensioners. Hiking is most fun in a group. Long tours with long breaks raise your fitness level and, above all, are one thing: a lot of fun. And you don’t need much here either, just the right footwear, functional clothing, and if you like, you can buy a few hiking or walking sticks. Of course, a backpack for provisions should not be missing. And if you want to climb altitudes in the mountains, you should also use sunscreen and sunglasses in spring.
- Suitable for: Nature lover
- Training from: Endurance and strength
- Required equipment: Hiking shoes, functional clothing, backpack, possibly sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
Click here to see the range of men’s hiking shoes on Amazon
5. Rolling across the asphalt while inline skating
Inline skating is not to be despised as an outdoor workout because the calorie loss is actually higher than jogging. In particular, muscle strength in the legs and buttocks is strengthened and endurance is improved. This sport is also a lot of fun. Not only do you cover a long distance in a short time and can explore the surrounding area, you can also practice numerous tricks and tricks while skating. And the equipment required is also manageable. Apart from a pair of suitable roller blades and protectors for knees, elbows and wrists, athletes don’t need anything and can start rolling straight away.
- Suitable for: Skaters and everyone who likes to roll through the world
- Training from: Strength and conditioning
- Required equipment: Inline skates and protectors
Click here to see the range of men’s inline skates on Ebay
Now start training outside
Outdoor sports offer many options and there is something for everyone. If you prefer to take a leisurely route and enjoy the landscape, choose a nice tour and pack your hiking boots. If, on the other hand, you prefer speed and a little adrenaline, you can get on a racing bike or MTB or put on inline skates. And if you love being on the water, you can try the trendy sport of SUP and enjoy nature from the water. Of course, classics like jogging or walking are also great sports for the beginning of spring – the main thing is that the body gets moving!
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