Worried about how you’ll stay in shape when you can’t get to the gym? Author and expert celebrity fitness trainer Oscar Smith shares some great workouts you can do outside alone. Keep reading to check them out, then stick around to learn more about Smith!
7 Workouts You Can Do Outside Alone
Summertime in lockdown doesn’t mean you have to stay inside to work out. As long as you stay safe, there’s no reason why you can’t get out and do some exercises by yourself. People always forget that a workout doesn’t have to involve weights or a gym—it can look like anything.
Below are some workouts you can do on your own while outdoors, all with the aim to get your heart rate up, work the cardiovascular system, and clean your blood. Remember to do a nice, long stretch before your workout and to bring some water with you to hydrate.
1. Jump Rope
First up: jump rope. You can use any type of timer, or the stopwatch-timer app on your phone. After stretching, do a 40-minute workout with the jump rope and your choice of add-ons. It should be made-up of 10 sets of three minutes of jumping rope, and one-minute breaks in-between.
You aren’t resting during the break but adding something on. Maybe start off with a 60-second plank. After the minute, jump rope for three minutes again. Now, do 60-seconds of push-ups. Then, go back to the jump rope, but this time, go side-to-side—lateral movements, like a boxer. This will use the explosive power in your calves to tighten up your heinie real-quick. Then, do one minute of sit-ups.
Again, that’s 10 sets of your three-minute jumping, with 60-second breaks of add-ons in-between. You can decide what to add on— clutches, dip squats, or whatever. Quick and easy.
2. Basketball
For the next workout you can do outside and on your own, all you’ll need is a basketball and a basketball hoop. Basketball strengthens your hand-eye coordination and your cognitive skills, and it isn’t too impactful. Again, this may not seem like a typical workout, but it gets your heart rate up, your blood flowing, and your body moving.
After stretching and 10 layups on each side—left and right, 20 altogether—do 10 free-throw shots from the line. If it doesn’t go in the hoop, go to where the ball lands and get it in from there. If you get it in the hoop, maybe think about playing with Lebron James. This should last for about 30 minutes.
3. Paddle Ball
Another good thing to try—which will surprise you how quickly you’ll get tired—is paddle ball. Again, stretch and have some water with you. You’ll need your paddle ball board—not a Ping-Pong paddle, as it’s too small, but an actual paddle ball board—you can get it on Amazon—and a wall, be it a handball court or any wall available, plus a blue sponge or tennis ball.
Set a timer for 30 minutes straight. Hit the ball against wall, let it bounce once, hit again. Again, you’ll get tired fast, and if you really want to be challenged, do it with both right-handed and left-handed. You may look a bit unstable out there, but it will present an extra challenge.
4. Run and Sprints
Keeping it simple with the next solo workout, you can just go for a run—a nice, easy jog. Stretch first, then do a mile warmup. This can be on a track or at the park. Do a mile, and if you don’t have anything to measure, set a timer for 10 minutes, as the average person runs at 6.0mph speed, so 10 minutes is about a mile.
Next, do 10 sprints. Sprints mean to run like there is a tiger chasing you. Sprint from a park bench to a tree, or from a bench to a pole. Keep it short and fast. Then, go back to a mile run—again, for 10 minutes. Then, it’s back to 10 sprints. Keep repeating this for a full 30 minutes to get an all-cardio workout. If you get bored, you can switch up your cardio routine with some roller skates.
5. Swim
As it is still the summer months, try swimming—either indoors or outdoors. Do it for 30 minutes or an hour, depending on your time availability and swimming skills. You can do a side stroke, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke—basically, the four main strokes. Maybe alternate between them, and if you are swimming in the ocean, stay parallel to the shore and don’t go too far out to become shark bait. Again, you only need 30 minutes to an hour, depending on your situation.
6. Cycle
If you have a bike, a good, solo, outside workout is cycling. Do some stretching, bring a water bottle or two, and hit the road for 10 miles, 30 miles—whatever your skill and time allows. Do it at a nice and leisurely speed—no need to go crazy. Remember your helmet and keep aware of your surroundings. It is up to you if you want headphones or not, just remember that you should be able to listen to what is going around you. Focus on the distance and your cardio.
7. Classic Workouts
Of course, you can always do the classic workout with weights or do sets of pullups, dips, and park bench basics for upper body, lower body, and core workouts.
No matter what workout you decide to do, staying safe and active during lockdown is pretty simple and straightforward with these easy, solo workouts.
About the Author
Oscar Smith has a lifelong dedication to fitness as a lifestyle. Oscar has personally mastered multiple disciplines to develop a specialized training system for total body transformation. His fitness services are offered at his chic Tribeca personal training gym, O-D Studio. His level of experience and expertise has made him one of the most sought-out trainers in NYC.
With athletic experiences on his high school football and track and field teams, Smith went on to major in physical education and minor in business, and receive his master’s degree in kinesiology and biomechanics. During college, he also become a level two all-around gymnast. With over 25 years of experience, Oscar’s notable accomplishments range in scope.
Oscar is a Certified Personal Trainer [ISSA-International Sports and Science Association], Certified Flexibility Technician, Gymnastics Coach [USGF- United States Federation of Gymnastics], Kinesiology and Biomechanics Specialist (movement of the muscles and tendons), Senior Ocean Lifeguard and Ocean Rescuer (diver), USLA Competitor [United States Lifesaving Association], six-time tri-athlete (30-mile bike ride, six-mile run, one-mile swim), and a New York City Marathon participant. He was also a grade 3 ocean beach lifeguard and member of the lifeguard completion team, travelling to compete in worldwide events.
Smith started his personal training gym, O-D Studio in 2003, before anyone knew what a personal training gym was. He had a simple vision: to create somewhere where people could work out with a one-on-one trainer, where people didn’t pay for the use of a building, but for the use of a trainer.
What he didn’t realize in creating his vision is that his gym would come to attract celebrities, because they could work out without the prying eyes of the public. O-D Studio has since attracted celebrities that include: Katharine McPhee, Tom Brady, Rosario Dawson, Val Kilmer, and many others.
Smith is the author of the book Natural Strength, which focuses on how readers can overcome their weight loss plateaus, and also encourages readers to reconnect with their inner child and try different things to have fun working out again.
He also has a YouTube show, S.W.E.A.T., which explores the latest trends in working out, from aerial silks to trampoline workouts to underwater spin.
- For more information, please visit https://o-dstudiogroup.com/
- Follow Oscar Smith on Instagram @oscar_odstudio
- Watch Oscar Smith’s YouTube show, S.W.E.A.T., at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkOCmjlB-ghUhJf-y8N781g/videos
