Outdoor Exercise Essentials: Gym Equipment Guide

Outdoor Exercise Essentials: Gym Equipment Guide - KEFL
You’re probably aware of how fun and refreshing an outdoor training session can be. Instead of closing yourself at home or the local gym, you get to enjoy the fresh breeze, soak up sunlight, and listen to the birds as they sing.
 
With the weather steadily improving, more people are turning to outdoor exercise to stay fit and healthy. The question is, what kind of training should you do? More importantly, what equipment, if any, will you need for your outdoor workouts?
 
Let’s review.
  1. Dumbbells
Dumbbells are a fantastic piece of equipment you can use to do various exercises, strengthen all major muscles in your body, and build muscle. Plus, dumbbells force both sides of your body to work independently, which reduces the risk of side-to-side muscle imbalances from occurring.
 
Here are seven fantastic dumbbell exercises you can do outside:
  • Standing overhead press
  • Bicep curls
  • Tricep extensions
  • Tricep kickbacks
  • Bent-over rows
  • Goblet squat
  • Romanian deadlift
  1. Kettlebells
 
Like dumbbells, kettlebells are small bits of solid metal that offer flexibility and versatility. You can take a simple kettlebell and perform a range of fantastic exercises that train multiple large and small muscles in the body.
 
Here are a few great options:
  • Swings
  • Thrusters
  • Squats
  • Rows
  • Overhead press
  • Windmills
  • Reverse lunges
  • Russian twist
  1. Ab Wheel
Having a solid core is essential for your health, athleticism, and everyday life, which is why having an ab wheel is beneficial for good outdoor workouts.
 
Instead of doing endless (and boring) crunches, sit-ups, and leg raises, you can use the ab wheel to challenge yourself on another level, build stability, and create a solid foundation for long-term fitness progression.
 
  1. Exercise Step 
An exercise step might not seem all that versatile, but consider this:
 
You can use one for numerous exercises and widen your arsenal of activities you can do outside. The best part is that you can even pair the exercise step with another piece of equipment (such as dumbbells) and do activities like:
  • Dumbbell step-ups
  • Weighed jump squats
 
You can also use an exercise step as a stand-alone tool for exercises like:
  • Raised glute bridges
  • Plank taps
  • Incline push-ups
  • Decline push-ups
  • Uneven push-us
  • Side step-ups
  • Bulgarian split squats
  1. Push-Up Stand
Push-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do for core stability, upper body strength, muscle growth, athleticism, and shoulder health. The only problem is, doing push-ups on the floor isn’t always an option. For one, you might experience wrist discomfort. Second, the surface might hurt your hands and ruin the training experience.
 
Luckily, we can use a simple item to fix both issues: the push-up stand. The accessory is designed for push-ups and makes the exercise better because of three reasons:

  1. Your wrists remain extended, which prevents excessive damage and potential aches.
  2. You get to grasp each handle, allowing for a firmer and more comfortable grip during the movement.
  3. Your arms are slightly more elevated, which allows you to descend a bit more before reaching the ground, stretching your chest muscles well.