Favorite Cardio Workouts You Can Do Outdoors

These cardio workouts you can do outdoors will amp up the enjoyment - without sacrificing results!

Cardio workouts you can do outdoors are a wonderful thing - you get to be outside all while getting your workout done. It's more stress-reducing for the average person than the gym, there is usually less of a time commitment involved, AND it's cheaper. What's not to love?

However, one thing that a machine can do for us is keep us accountable. You can use a pre-set program on a machine which helps you resist the temptation to "phone it in." For some, they are more motivated to work out harder on a machine because it's a "real" workout. However, for others the opposite holds true. Others find that they are so bored on machines that they don't work as hard as they could.

The other thing you have to look at is how vigorous your workout is. When outside, there can be so much to look at and see that sometimes we end up letting our heart rate drop. Other times, you may have to wait as a crosswalk before crossing the street. Things like that can really impact on your cardio benefit.

The biggest issue I see however is that people simply don't know what to do when they are outside, which means their workout intensity isn't what it could be. I have three sample schedules below for you to follow, no matter which type of cardio outdoors you prefer.

The Cardio Workouts for Outdoors Templates

Difficulty level: easy

Walk, jog, or ride a bike at an easy pace for 20 minutes. Be sure you could maintain a conversation if you were talking with someone. Be sure to warm-up and cool down for five minutes at a slower pace.

Difficulty level: medium

Walk or cycle at an easy pace for 3-4 minutes. Pick up the pace and make it a very brisk walk/job or cycling pace for 1-2 minutes. Repeat these cycles until you have walked for 20-30 minutes with these intervals. Be sure to warm-up and cool down for five minutes at a slower pace. Tip: If you are listening to music, try to pick up the pace for the length of approximately half of one 3-4 minute song.

Difficulty level: hard

Jog or cycle at a moderate pace for 3-4 minutes. Pick up the pace and make it a sprint for 1-2 minutes. Repeat these cycles until you have gone for about 30 minutes with these intervals. Be sure to warm-up and cool down for five minutes at a slower pace.

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