Autumn is the transition from the busyness of summer to a more focused “back-to-school” vibe that you can still harness to refocus your energy and get back to you. This is a unique opportunity to set a routine that’ll carry you through the indulgent holidays and into the new year ahead of the curve! Since late fall gives us plenty of tempting reasons to stay inside—shorter, darker days and treats galore—getting your momentum before the holidays are in full swing is crucial! If you’re ready to tackle fall fitness like a pro, we’re here to help.
1. Take Advantage of the Outdoors
Without the heat and humidity that made summer workouts hard to stick to, outdoor workouts become much more comfortable as Fall rolls in. Especially after a hectic summer + back-to-school season, many of us are ready to get back to some sort of routine and Fall weather brings us some of the some of the best opportunities to take that long, awful treadmill session outside in the beautiful scenery!
Bonus: did you know that taking your Fall fitness outdoors actually has a number of benefits over sticking to your gym schedule? Whether you’re hitting the long trail or choosing to make exercise productive by taking on yard work, there are numerous benefits including:
- Logging a harder workout: According to the American Council on Exercise, when you’re active outdoors your body is encountering a constantly changing environment. Keeping up requires your body to adapt need to all of the small changes in your surroundings like slight inclines, wind, or obstacles which means you work harder than if you were running on a treadmill!
- No Membership Fees: With the holiday season right around the corner, wouldn’t it be great if Fall fitness didn’t add to the financial stress? With outdoor workouts, all you need is you!
- Cleaner Air: While gyms (at least the good ones!) have decent ventilation systems that keep the air moving, those indoor systems still can’t provide the same clean air as the great outdoors! According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor spaces can be more polluted than outside. This is especially true in larger cities, which only adds to the list of pros.
2. Change When You #FindYourFit
Summer heat and early sunlight pushed many of us to earlier morning workouts, but this is more difficult when it comes to Fall fitness. Since the sun gets to wait until closer to 8 a.m. to wake up, it might be a good time for you to do the same! Working out at different times, whether it be over your lunch break or after work, will help to not only give you a much-needed break from super early mornings but can also help in getting your body out of its normal routine. Just make sure you’ve got your Isotonix ®Turn Down to help you slip into a restful sleep afterward! Switching it up has been shown to help break the mental and physical plateaus that hold us back, and seeing those results can be a great motivator.
3. Hop on the Treadmill (or Off of It!)
If you’re a cardio junkie (guilty!) then it’s time to take a brief hiatus from the treadmill, stair climber, or elliptical that’s been holding you hostage. Incorporating resistance or strength training will do wonders for shaking up your Fall fitness. Plus, the burn you get from strength training lasts much longer than the one from your LSS cardio session and you’ll see improvements in your overall body composition. Hello, little black holiday dress!
Don’t think that just because you hate cardio to begin with that you’re off the hook! Shaking up Fall fitness means this also applies to people whos idea of cardio is running from the treadmill. Taking a step back from the barbell to work in one or two days of cardio might be just what you need to trick your adapted body + brain into stepping it up!
4. Get Creative with Circuits
Between HIIT, tabatas, and circuit training, there are endless ways to turn your slow + methodical routine into a fast-paced + exciting heart-pounder! Mixing different speeds + lengths of cardio with isolated and compound strength training transforms a long workout session from a simple walk into a full-body workout. Not sure where to start? Try some of the ideas below:
Outdoor Trail Circuit:
- Warm Up: Walk 10 minutes
- Easy Jog: 2-3 minutes
- Run: 2-3 minutes
- Sprint: 30-45 seconds
- Recover: Walk or jog until your breathing returns to normal.
- Strength Move: 60-90 seconds, complete as many of one of the following:
- Push-ups
- Triceps dips
- One-legged squats
- Split Squats
- Burpees
- Plank Hip Dips
- Jump Squats
- Side-to-Side Skater
This makes up one cycle! Do 4 to 6 cycles total. Be sure you’re mixing up the strength moves throughout your workout to make the most of your time!
Indoor Bodyweight Circuit:
- Warm Up: Jump-rope 10 minutes
- Tuck Jumps: 12-15 reps
- Push-Ups: 12-15 reps
- Jumping Jacks: 45 seconds
- Rest: 30 seconds
- Air Squat: 12-15 reps
- Mountain Climbers: 12-15 reps
- High Knees: 45 seconds
- Rest 30 seconds
- Tricep Dips: 12-5 reps
- Glute Bridges: 12-15 reps
- Burpees: 45 seconds
- Rest: 30 seconds
Repeat this 3-4 times with 1 minute of rest in-between + you’ll feel the burn!
