Spring Into Fitness: Fun Ways to Take Your Workout Outdoors
Warmer spring weather means it’s time to take your workouts outside. Whether it’s jogging in the park, rooftop yoga, or scenic bike rides, we’ve got some easy ideas to refresh your fitness routine this season.
Take a Run in the Park
After months of spending time inside on a treadmill, there’s no simpler and more inexpensive way to celebrate the changing of seasons than by taking your usual run or jog outdoors. Some of the benefits of running outdoors include soaking up vitamin D and building up resilience and strength from nature’s naturally varied terrain. And let’s not forget the obvious benefit—taking your run outside allows you to reconnect with nature.
For New Yorkers, there’s nothing like running in Central Park in spring—either the entire 6-mile loop or shorter routes like the 1.58-mile Reservoir Loop, which offers views of the city, lush greenery, and cherry blossoms this time of year. In Chicago? Try the 18-mile Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan to enjoy the—finally—unfrozen waterfront and fresh blooms. The Charles River Esplanade is a 3-mile loop that offers Boston runners glimpses of the Charles River, spring greenery, and the skyline.
Try Rooftop Yoga
If running isn’t your thing, take the relaxation of yoga to the next level when you enjoy it on a rooftop this spring. Some of yoga's benefits include improving flexibility and balance, stress relief, better posture, and boosting immunity. Add in the upsides of rooftop yoga, specifically an enhanced connection with nature and a fresh perspective on the practice, and it's the perfect thing to mix up your workout routine this season.
Experience Sky-High Yoga at Edge NYC, a 45-minute yoga class at the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. Doors open at 6 a.m. for the 6:30 a.m. class, and participants are permitted to stay for 30 minutes following the class to enjoy the panoramic early-morning views. Or, start your day with Sunrise Rooftop Yoga on the Spruzzo Rooftop at The Ben, Autograph Collection in West Palm Beach. The hour-long, open-air class is suitable for all levels and offers sweeping views of the ocean and skyline as you stretch your way into tranquility.
Plan a Scenic Bike Ride
With Related’s access to bike-share programs, taking a scenic spring ride is easier than ever. Cycling always offers benefits, such as strengthening muscles and improving cardio and stamina, but scenic cycling affords you the chance to enjoy nature as you do it. Make sure you're properly—and safely—equipped for your ride and well prepared with snacks and water. Weather-appropriate clothing is also a must as spring sunshine can turn into seasonal showers fast. And don’t forget to research your selected trail before you set out to make sure it matches your level of cycling expertise.
Try the 21.9-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail (The Strand) in Los Angeles to enjoy ocean views and quaint beach neighborhoods. If you’re in San Francisco, take the ferry over to Angel Island Loop, a 5.5-mile trail surrounded by gorgeous spring wildflowers and views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the city skyline. Enjoy Washington, DC's famous cherry blossoms from the 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail, as well as scenery like the Potomac River, George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, parks, and other historical spots. Those in West Palm Beach will want to bike the Lake Trail, a 5.5-mile route along the Intracoastal Waterway, which offers expansive waterfront, tropical foliage, and historic mansions to view as you cycle through.
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