Outdoor Fitness – The Top 10 Summer Time Sports

Here you can find out about the best outdoor endurance sports in summer. Find out more about each sport, the equipment you need and all the other exciting details of the following outdoor summer sports:

In the summer time, when the weather is fine, why not take the opportunity for a walk? Set a good pace and swing your arms along with your steps, bent at a 90 degree angle, close to the body. Slightly shorten your stride length compared to normal walking to train endurance and upper body and leg muscles. This so-called Nordic Walking method is even more effective if you use walking sticks. Suitable footwear is also important.

A step up from the outdoor sport of Nordic Walking is, of course, jogging. Jogging and endurance training in general have many positive effects on our physical health. Our blood lipid values are lowered, our blood pressure decreases, our immune system is strengthened, and our bone density increases. Although you can jog all year round, this outdoor activity is so much more fun when the weather is nice and sunny! All you need are proper jogging shoes, functional clothing and a suitable hat in strong sunshine.

Hiking is a great way to experience nature. The strenuous climbs and descents and uneven terrain not only train your stamina, but your leg muscles too. A particularly positive side effect is that nature is a wonderful place to switch off and forget the stresses of everyday life. Another advantage of outdoor exercise is that the summer temperatures are slightly lower at higher altitudes than in valleys, allowing you to escape the midday heat a little. As far as equipment is concerned, you need good shoes, functional clothing, sun protection and, of course, enough food and drink to last for a few hours.

Additional tip for nature fans: Try out the new trend “plogging” from Sweden! This unique form of outdoor fitness combines jogging with rubbish picking. Picking up and collecting the rubbish makes the workout more intense and uses more muscle groups – while simultaneously doing something good for the environment! The perfect outdoor endurance sport for anyone who loves being eco-friendly!

Probably the best outdoor activity on a hot day is, of course, swimming. Whether in a pool, the sea, a lake or in a lido, this outdoor sport is perfect for the summer. The cool water is not only refreshing but also good for your health. Swimming is not only great for stamina, it is also easy on the joints and therefore suitable for everyone.

This form of outdoor exercise is also diverse: you can choose between breaststroke, backstroke, front crawl or butterfly (if you want a challenge!). Choose the style that’s most fun and comfortable for you. However, if you have knee and neck problems, you should stick to front crawl and backstroke. Swimming as an outdoor summer sport is an inexpensive, joint-friendly and effective way to strengthen the whole body and improve stamina. All you need is swimwear, swimming goggles (if you prefer), sun protection and a towel for afterwards.

Very popular in the 90s, inline skating has since lost some of its hype. Although inline skating may look easy, it takes a lot of practice.

This outdoor summer sport improves endurance, balance and coordination as well as strengthens the leg and bum muscles. In addition to the sporty aspect, inline skating is also perfect for those who want to enjoy nature and the landscape around them.

Due to the flowing movements, overloading of the joints is avoided. Perfect inline routes should have as flat a surface as possible. The equipment required is of course the inline skates, but also a protective helmet, as well as joint protectors for the knees, wrists and elbows.

In the following section, we present you the best outdoor strength sports for summer. Here you will learn more about each sport, what equipment you’ll need, which muscle groups are primarily targeted and other exciting details about summer strength sports:

Bouldering – one of the new trendy sports for the summer. Bouldering is said to be the ultimate strength and full-body workout, incorporating aesthetics and mental exertion too. You climb on boulders or artificial rock-climbing walls.

Since bouldering is done without a harness, the athlete never climbs higher than it is safe for them to jump, and a mat blow ensures a soft landing. The exercise is exclusively body-weight-based and finger, arm and leg strength are trained in particular.

Equipment-wise, all you need are climbing shoes, some climbing chalk for your hands (so that you don’t slip from sweaty fingertips), as well as a simple sports outfit.

Can you think of anything better than an outdoor activity on water when the sun is shining? In order to get the most out of your aquatic amusement, we recommend the outdoor water sport rowing. You can find a suitable boat at most canoe or boat rentals. 

Rowing works the upper body muscles particularly intensively, and the exercise also naturally increases calorie consumption and fat burning. In addition to strengthening the muscles, overall fitness is improved. Performing the flowing movement whilst seated spares the joints unnecessary stress. This outdoor sport can be performed either alone or in a group.

A little tip: the narrower the boat, the more shaky and unstable it will be. On calm waters, rowing is also very suitable for beginners. Of course, you need a suitable boat as well as a hat and sun cream.

Like going to the gym, but think it’s a pity to exercise indoors when the sun is shining? The solution: outdoor fitness. You can rely on professional offers from providers in your area. There are increasingly more so-called “outdoor boot camps”, usually high-intensity interval training to strengthen the muscles and increase endurance.

Or alternatively, you can do your own workout programme independently in the park. Perhaps there’s a park nearby that has outdoor fitness equipment or a fitness trail? Get your friends to join you in your outdoor exercise so that you can keep each other motivated.

You will need a sports outfit (including sports footwear for outdoors), possibly a sports mat, as well as a big bottle of water. Remember, when the sun is shining strongly, apply sun cream and take a hat with you

In the following section, we present the best outdoor freestyle sports for summer. You will learn more about each sport, the equipment you need, which muscle groups are primarily targeted and other exciting details:

Have you heard of the new trend sport slacklining? Slacklining is an excellent outdoor summer sport, for young and old!

You balance on a band (the slackline) which is stretchy and flat. Since the slackline is flexible, the first steps are often very shaky – but don’t worry: if you lose your balance, you can just jump off. The slackline is always positioned at a height that it’s safe to jump from.

This outdoor sport trains your balance in particular, but also strengthens the foot and leg muscles at the same time. However, slacklining is not just a trend: it’s also often used in physiotherapy after ligament injuries, for example, to train stability.

Even if your first steps on the slackline are unsure, you will notice improvement quite quickly – practice makes perfect! Of course, you need the right equipment for this outdoor sport. You can buy kits complete with a slackline and the corresponding parts for attaching it.

Slacklining is usually done barefoot. This type of outdoor fitness is therefore perfect for a nice summer workout in the park with friends.

Another outdoor sport for water-lovers: stand up paddling.

Also suitable for everyone, it requires you to stand upright on a kind of surfboard and move forward with the help of a paddle. Calm waters are best for beginners to try out this outdoor activity.

In addition to the fun factor, the sporty component is not to be underestimated: stand-up paddling places particular demand on the abdominal muscles and the trunk of the body. In addition to strengthening the muscles, physical awareness and balance are trained. This outdoor summer sport is therefore perfect as a comprehensive workout with a high fun factor. If you need to cool down, just fall off the board!

You will need a stand up paddle board and paddle (available at many rental shops), swimwear, as well as sun protection and a hat.

If you prefer to take it easy in the summer heat, but still want to do some exercise, you can try outdoor yoga.

Yoga strengthens the body as a whole. It promotes flexibility and can help you cope with stress. You can simply grab your yoga mat, go to the nearest park and get started – or alternatively, if you have little yoga experience, you should be able to find a yoga class near you. They often offer outdoor courses.

You will need comfortable sportswear and a yoga mat.

Do you love speed? Are you fearless when it comes to water? Then this outdoor summer sport is just right for you. Have you ever heard of the trendy sports of water skiing and wakeboarding?

You’re pulled across the water by a rope while standing on a pair of skis (water skiing) or a board (wakeboarding), and you use your weight to steer yourself. You are either attached to a special electric cable car or a speedboat. Water skiing and wakeboarding strengthen your whole body and give you a good, solid workout. They also promote knee stability and balance – an all-round package! Important: As this is an outdoor sport involving water, do not forget to apply and regularly reapply sun cream!

One drawback of this outdoor sport is that it requires a lot of equipment – maybe there’s a water ski operator in your area? Otherwise, you’ll probably have to take a trip to the seaside!

Outdoor fitness in the summertime not only has many benefits for your physical health, but can also be fun and varied. With a wide range of outdoor sports available (if weather permits), it never has to get boring or monotonous. Thanks to the diversity of outdoor sports, there is something for everyone in the summer, from young to old, from professional to beginner!

Water sports are perfect for cooling off in the heat. With the help of a few tips & tricks, it is very possible to exercise and keep fit in the heat.