With the ease of restrictions, we are all excited to get back to somewhat normal routines and to explore our surroundings and country a bit more, with outdoor exercise. Nothing like telling people they can’t travel around to make them want to do it even more. 

However a lot of us have been very sedentary the past year so there are a few things to consider before you take on that big run or hike that you’ve been dreaming about, especially as we come into summer, the sun is out and the ground is thawed, ready for us enjoy.  

Getting Back to Outdoor Exercise Tips

Start Slow

Starting slow with the length of your activity but also going at a slower pace than you were used to. We may feel we have the ability to go fast, especially if you’ve been keeping up with exercise during lockdown. You might feel good and are excited to go fast finally, however, the last thing you want is to get an injury that will take you out for another few weeks or even months just as you see all your friends and family out enjoying themselves. Avoid this situation by just going slow at first and building up your fitness or muscles again. 

Rest 

We know that you may want to go out multiple times in a row, maybe that was your normal before. However, our bodies need time to recover, again we don’t want any injuries to take us down. You may feel frustrated that your body doesn’t move like it use to. According to Runner World, estimates range from 4- 25% of endurance decreases after just 3-4 weeks of little to no exercise. It’s recommended that you have a least 48 hours of rest in between exercises until you build up endurance again. 

Be Kind to Yourself 

It’s very easy to compare your fitness or abilities pre-lockdown to now. Be kind to yourself and allow your body and mind to build back up. Try to gauge your running/weights etc, whatever it might be for you, by intensity rather than numbers. Build on this and start introducing numbers as time goes on. 

Have Fun! 

Embrace the fact that we can get out and fulfill our outdoor wants now. Take in your surroundings, take a new route and discover new exercises to incorporate into your routine. Have fun and relish your time in the outdoors.