Move the workout space outside to maximize sensory experience

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By Chris Shearman

Though so many LSU students enjoy their free membership to the REC Center, the weather outside during these end of fall days, is perfect for taking that workout routine outside. It might seem that running or walking is the only outdoor activity, but there are many alternatives to the weight room that provide a killer workout with little to no weights.

Baton Rouge is a great city that offers many different parks and areas to run and workout in.

Perhaps the most relevant to LSU students is the LSU Lakes. Not only do these lakes have shorter and longer distances mapped out, but the gathering area has several pull up bars and a padded surface. The padded surface is ideal for low impact lunges and jumping rope. Including the pull up bar in the workout provides an arm and back workout that laughs at doing single arm curls.

An example of the ideal LSU lakes workout would be implementing some circuit training. Start out by running a 400 meter run or quarter mile to get some blood to the body and the heart rate up. Next do a stunted number of reps alternating from push-ups, pull ups, into body weight squats; perhaps starting with 15 reps each, then 12, then 10, then 8, then 6. In between each set, run 400 meters.

This creates five sets of high intensity non stop workouts and will burn more calories than the standard weight workout.

Any workout can be taken up a notch by doing it as fast as you can. Though crossfit is the biggest name in workouts like the aforementioned, many fitness enthusiasts are making up their own workouts that will push one to maximum intensity.

Another excellent way to take advantage of the outdoor parks in Baton Rouge is Highland Park near Siegen Lane and Highland Road. Highland Park provides not just a scenic running trail, but fantastic hills to run sprints up.

Now this is where a backpack and the thickest school books possible come in handy. To create killer uphill sprints, fill a backpack with three or four of the heaviest school books from home and do 10 sprints up the biggest hill in the park. To prevent injury, run the sprints at 80% and always keep a mind muscle connection to help prevent any pulls or tears.

Although a solid running routine should not hide from the cold weather, when the January and February months come in, the lifting might have to move inside. But for now, while the sun is out and the mid day temperatures are still warm, get outside and try some hand stand push ups against a tree and run some sprints up a hill.

Originally Published: Issue 823 - November 11, 2009

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