Outdoor Cardio Drills to Elevate Your Fitness

Step Into Fall: Outdoor Cardio Drills to Elevate Your Fitness

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Say goodbye to workout monotony and hello to fresh air and fall colors! This season, expand your workout to the outdoors by adding trails and steps mixed with brisk temperatures. Outdoor cardio drills not only spice up your fitness routine, but also take your endurance and strength to the next level. With the changing season comes a chance to challenge your body in new, exciting ways.

This workout takes full advantage of the outdoors, using everything from park benches to hills, staircases, or even your backyard to create a fresh, invigorating challenge. By combining cardio drills with bodyweight strength training, you’ll not only burn calories but also boost your cardiovascular health, build muscle, and shake up your routine. It’s time to step outside, embrace the season, and push past your fitness plateau!

The Power of Strength & Cardio Workouts

Strength training and cardio go hand in hand when it comes to achieving peak physical fitness. Here’s why combining the two in one workout gives you the ultimate fitness edge:

• Calorie Burn: Mixing strength intervals with cardio drills creates an intense metabolic burn, keeping your body in fat-burning mode long after the workout ends.
• Improved Cardiovascular Function: Cardio exercises boost your heart health, improving blood circulation and lung capacity, making everyday activities feel easier.
• Endurance & Stamina: Cardio exercises like climbing hills or running stairs push your body to sustain effort over time, which strengthens both your heart and muscles. This consistent challenge improves your stamina and endurance to help you perform longer and tackle more demanding fitness tasks.
• Functional Strength: Functional Strength: Strength intervals on the Total Gym build lean muscle, while outdoor cardio drills prepare your body for everyday movements. Whether you’re running up stairs, hiking a steep trail, or chasing after your kids, this combination enhances your ability to move confidently in real-life situations.

Steps & Strength: An Innovative Outdoor Workout

Let’s shake up the routine and use what’s around you! A set of stairs outside your home, a hill in your neighborhood, or any nearby spot can become part of this exciting workout.  The best part is that you can work at your own fitness level by keeping the drills low-impact and walk through the movements, or by kicking it up a notch and maintain a high intensity. The beauty is that it’s entirely up to you! Now let’s get steppin’!

Directions

Find a set of stairs, a hill side, bleachers, or even use your front steps to create an effective cardio workout. Start with a Cardio Endurance activity of your choice (20-30 minutes), then proceed to the Step Drills.   Perform each step drill for 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second active rest. Then, finish off with the Step-Strength workout.  Ultimately, aim to incorporate this style of training into your weekly schedule at least 2 days a week and alternate between strength days. Here’s a simple way to structure it:

• 2-3 non-consecutive days: Perform a strength workout on your Total Gym.
• 2 days: Hit the great outdoors for the Steps & Strength drills.
• Pro tip: These workouts are perfect to pair with any other strength or cardio routines you’re currently doing. Mix and match to keep things exciting!

The Workout

CARDIO ENDURANCE:

• Power Walk, Run, Bike, or Blade
• 20-30 minutes

STEP DRILLS:

• Supplement these drills with cardio endurance work (listed above)
• Perform 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 sets of each drill             

1. Sprints (walk/run every step)  
2. Double Sprints (walk/run every other step)
3. Cross Overs (do both sides)
4. Hops

STEP STRENGTH:

• Finish up your cardio with a few strength movements on the steps.
• 10-20 reps, 2 sets

1. Incline push ups (hand on a raised object)
2. Decline push ups (feet placed on a raised object)
3. Dips

Check out the video to see a demonstration of how to perform these cardio drills for a killer outdoor workout!

Performing cardio drills along with strength exercises will give your workout an innovative twist to challenge your muscles. 

Take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and make your fitness routine more exciting by getting outside. The combination of outdoor drills not only breaks the monotony of indoor workouts, but it also pushes your fitness to a higher level.

So, grab your sneakers, breathe in the crisp air, and step into your fall fitness workout!

Maria

@GROOVYSWEAT