Summer is a great time of the year to put your gym membership on hold and enjoy improving your health and fitness outdoors. Scientific studies have shown hormonal benefits to exercising outdoors, and of course it’s a great,way to get some vitamin D.

My absolutely favorite place to workout in the summer is the playground. It’s a body weight only workout paradise. The monkey bars are great for developing grip and general upper body strength; you can do pushups with your upper body elevated or lower body elevated, and burpees in the sand will give you a whole new feeling. Of course, remember that it is a place for children, so make sure that you don’t take it away from them.

The beach can be a great place for a cardio workout. Mixing high intensity intervals of swimming and sprinting will shoot your metabolism through the roof. If you plan on swimming though, swim across the shoreline so that you don’t venture too far out, and have a partner with you to ensure safety.

Climb a tree! It’s something that we used to do when we were kids, and it builds great balance and upper body strength. Ensure that the tree is sturdy enough for your body weight, and only go up as far as you are comfortable. This can be done repeated times for a great workout. Remember while you’re climbing up it though, that you have to be able to make your way down too.

Hit the water. With a kayak or canoe that is. These can often be rented, and they offer a fantastic way to build cardio while enjoying a beautiful summer day on the water. Make sure that you have proper protection from the sun though, since it can be quite powerful in the middle of a body of water.

I hope that you enjoy a beautiful summer of pursuing higher levels of fitness!