Warm weather means you can take your workouts outdoors to tone and build those muscles. The benefits are tremendous. Aside from turning heads, having a well-sculpted body can boost power, endurance, and self-confidence. In this article, we will be enumerating 10 ways to build muscle outside in summer.
Ways to Build Muscle Outside
1. Super Plank
Spice up conventional planks by converting them into a dynamic exercise. The core must stay rigid and protect the spine as you move your extremities. Start in a plank position with the forearms on the ground. Move up into a push-up position by lifting each arm one by one onto your hands. Lower back down into a forearm plank by switching your arms to forearms one by one. Repeat by starting with the arm you ended the last rep with. Repeat for 45 seconds. Planks are excellent way to build muscle in the core area of the body.
2. DB Walking Forward Lunges
Hold the dumbbells with a shoulder-level underhand grip for added intensity promoting arm and leg size. Alternately lunge forward with each leg for 10 steps on the ground or pavement.
3. Bear Crawl
The bear crawl is an excellent exercise to build strong abs and develop total body stability. Because it engages many muscles, the bear crawl has high metabolic and fat loss elements too. Get on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Keep the knees an inch above the ground. Crawl forward by taking a tiny step with the right arm and left leg simultaneously. Then alternate. Keep the hips low and your head up. To make it harder, crawl laterally or backward.
4. Lateral Jumps Superset with Ball Push-Ups
This is a great lower and upper body endurance combo. Using both feet, do 10 side jumps on and off the curb. Then, turn around and repeat from the other side. Afterward, perform 10 push-ups with your hands atop the exercise ball.
5. Reverse Crunches
Reverse crunches can help correct posture while developing strong obliques and lower abdominal muscles. Lie on the ground with the thighs perpendicular to the ground, the knees bent as far as you can, and the feet off the ground. Curl the knees up to your head and bring them back slowly. Keep the knees fully bent throughout the exercise and don’t let the thighs go past perpendicular to the ground. If this is too difficult, grab a weight behind you. This way, you can hold and pull it as you curl your knees. Try doing 3 sets for 12 reps.
6. Bulgarian Split Squats
Do two sets of 10 reps with your right foot on the curb while holding the dumbbells with an underhand shoulder-width grip, and another 10 reps with the left foot atop the curb. Then, do the third set without dumbbells. Hold your arms close to the sides and make sure that your fingertips touch the ground for all reps. Squats are a good way to build overall body muscle.
7. L-Sit
Sit on the ground with your legs straight. Then, place your palms on the ground next to the hips. Push yourself up while lifting the legs slightly off the ground. You can use elevated bars or handles. Hold for time. If this is too difficult, begin with both feet on the ground. Then, support yourself with one foot on the ground.
8. Seated Elevated Ball Twists
Sit on the mat with the heels atop the curb and rotate from side to side with the exercise ball for 30 to 60 seconds. Make this exercise more challenging for your 2nd and 3rd sets by doing Ball Twists with one heel airborne and the other on the curb.
9. DB Farmer Walks
Hold dumbbells at your sides and walk for 60 seconds. Put them down and rest for 15 seconds. Pick them up again, turn around, and walk for another 60 seconds.
10. Seated Feet-Elevated Rows
While seated on the mat, place your heels on the curb. Hold the dumbbells with an underhand grip at waist level and extend your arms. Pull the dumbbells toward your waist and pause one second. Return to start position and do 9 more reps.
Conclusion
If you can’t go to a gym, don’t worry. There are ways to build muscle outside in summer using only basic fitness equipment. All you need are a mat, pair of dumbbells, exercise ball, and a safe curb area to be able to do full-body workouts that promote endurance, balance, flexibility, core, upper, and lower body strength.
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