Top 6 Summer Activities for Health & Fitness
Sometimes there’s nothing better than the great outdoors. In the summertime, it almost feels like a crime to stay indoors. There’s activities galore and communal reveling to be had in the shared warm bliss. Festivals and rooftops, backyards and barbecues are great, but the summer days also have much in store for the active man! So pack up the car or truck and let’s see what we can do to keep ourselves active and healthy this summer.
The simplest things in life our free. There is nothing better than just relaxing in the summer heat with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Science shows that just spending time outside alone makes you healthier. In the backyard or in the tranquil forest, some time under the sun is just what you need. A study at the University of Essex, showed that cyclists exposed to the color green were more likely to exercise easier and had less mood disturbances. Our natural settings of greenery stimulate an active need to be out and about. If that wasn’t enough, researchers found that walking outside triggers creative productivity, whether you were walking through the woods or the park. If it was good enough for Walt Whitman and his glorious beard, it should work for your creative soul as well.
Bring out the lure and bait, it’s time to meditate on the calm and shaking waters. Fishing is a skill based on through the generations. It's a time to bond with friends and families while often enjoying idyllic settings. On average you burn 200 calories an hour fishing and besides working out your body – you're also working out your mind as well. Fishing teaches self reliance and patience. When you're out in the wilderness, it's you, your wits and the virtues of unbridled patience. The wait always pays off. The persistent fisher is a patient man, this type of patience benefits health in an number of ways by eliminating stress, boosting your immune system and lowering blood pressure.
Biking can be a great way to commute if you have the luxury of doing so. But on the other end of the cycling spectrum is a more extreme way of biking. Leave the six speeds and banana seats at home. Mountain biking is a great way to see amazing places and get a killer workout in the summertime. Another study from Stanford, measured cognitive changes in participants who took a 50-minute walk through a natural environment versus a city. They found that those in forests had lessened anxiety and increased performance on memory tasks. Now imagine what a few hour bike ride through rolling hills and steep forests would do for you!
Our brothers who reside on the coast have one of the greatest pastimes at their disposal. Surfing is an absolutely freeing hobby and sport. Make no mistake, it’s a taxing and skill based sport to take up. Leg and core strength are necessities, and if you don’t have that – don’t fret, you will if you stick to it. Surf culture is filled with so many positive aspects. Maybe you're just visiting the California coast and decide to hop on our board or you might have the luxury of living close to the shore. If you've tried surfing or want to give it a go, it's a fulfilling sport to take up.
Oh the places you’ll go. Hiking is a powerful cardio workout. It’s also something anyone can do, as there are different skill level paths to tackle. Hiking outdoors has a lot of great perks, you get great views without being stuck inside a box gym and get to enjoy the smells and sounds of the outside. Since you’re walking most of the time, it’s been proven to boost bone density. If you’re not close to a bunch of mountain ranges, you can always head to the nearest hills on your daily summer walks. Just a five to ten percent increase in incline will increase your calorie burn. Uneven terrain works muscles that are usually neglected and improves your balance and stability.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “In the presence of nature… a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.” There’s nothing like figuring out what you're made of when going on a real camping trip. The ability to be completely unplugged isn't something we always get the chance to do. It's also been proven that we get better sleep when we're back out in the wild. The more you stay in tune with the sun's schedule, the more likely it is you'll go to bed with the sun and rise with it as well. Circadian rhythms are whipped back into shape without artificial light sources keeping us awake.
Enjoying the Outdoors
Fishing the Lakes & Seas
Mountain Biking Extreme
Catching a Wave
Hiking the Trails
Self Sufficient Camping
