As the weather starts to get warmer and the day stays a little lighter for longer, you might be feeling restless. Maybe you’re stuck inside the same four walls on the treadmill, fed up of counting the cracks in the wallpaper as you run – or maybe you’re like me, watching television and eating snacks, not even thinking about getting up. If you are looking for other ways to exercise that don’t involve a treadmill and the indoors, here is a list of outdoor exercises that you can try now that we are heading into spring.

You have the usual, walking, hiking and running. Sometimes just going for a walk can keep your spirits up, especially on a warm day. You have the choice of doing these activities alone, maybe with some music playing, processing your thoughts – or with others, you could find some friends and hike as a group, or if you have a dog you could take them for a walk. None of these need to be intense either, a leisurely stroll is just as good for the mind as a sprint up and down the road. Find a pace you’re comfortable with and stick with it.  

But spring in England isn’t known for being particularly warm, here are some other activities you may want to try; 

Cycling

Aside from the added outdoor scenery, cycling makes a great cardio workout. You don’t even have to go far, it could just be a fun alternative to driving to the shops, or maybe you want to follow a cycling route, or even make your own.  

There’s even an outdoor Velodrome at Palmer Park with casual cycling sessions or the cycling club if you wish to have a safe, enclosed space to cycle.  

Bodyweight exercises

These you can do just about anywhere, be it the local park or the grass nearby your home. Plus, there’s no extra equipment required, anything you want to do you can do for free. Push-ups, for example, walking lunges or squat jumps.  

Yoga

This can be done anywhere, with or without an instructor. There are many online exercise videos to choose from if you need some inspiration or guidance that means you don’t have to be a part of a group to try it out. Just find yourself a spot you’re comfortable in when the sun is out, and have a go.  

Caversham Court and Prospect Park have large open spaces with refreshment cafe’s you can treat yourself to when you’re finished.  

Kayaking

If you’re looking to work your upper body strength, this is always a good activity to try, and it gets you out on the water doing something different to the usual everyday exercises – unless you’re a kayaker, of course. Or, this might be a fun activity to do with a group of friends, getting in exercise on a day out.  

You might want to check out Reading’s own Canoeing or Rowing Clubs down in Caversham, by the Thames.  

Interval Training

Also known as High-Intensity Interval Training ( HIIT ). This is where you put your body through short but intense periods of exercise, with or without equipment. These workouts tend to last between 10-30 minutes and may include something like sprinting for 10 seconds and resting for 50 seconds, or sets of high knees for 20 seconds with 10-second breaks between.  

Outdoor sports

There are many outdoor sports that you can try such as Tennis, Basketball or Badminton, which usually have their own outdoor courts or facilities, but if you feel so inclined, can probably be played anywhere if you have a net and some rackets, or a hoop. You could try a game of football or rugby, squash or rounders, anything that gets the blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing. Like Kayaking, this could easily be turned into a get-together with mates.  

Sol Joel Park would be a good place to try, with football, cricket and softball pitches, and hard basketball court, with a StreetSide parkour facility as well.  

Playground circuits

Are often now equipped with exercise equipment for adults themselves, such as ramps for push ups, monkey bars, and rings for pull ups, if you’re in the mood for some outdoor exercise they’re a good place to start. If you’re looking for outdoor gym equipment, check out Cintra or Palmer Park.  

Rock climbing

Generally, when we think of rock climbing it might be the indoor rock climbing centres that we picture, but outdoor rock climbing is just as good, with the same equipment but different surfaces and routes to try. You may want to try traditional climbing with more protection if you’re less comfortable climbing outside, or something more daring like free climbing, using only the natural surface before you to climb your way up.  

On Whiteknights Campus is the SportsPark facility, with gym studios, a sports hall and outdoor playing fields, if you’re looking for something closer to the University and might want to visit straight after class. Off campus, there are a multitude of leisure centres such as Bulshmere Leisure Centre and Rivermead Leisure centre, with sports halls, gyms and outdoor pitches. And if you have a fitness routine or workout, you can always adapt it for the outdoors as the weather gets warmer; take it into the back garden or over the park. Head out and enjoy the weather where you can, after all, we aren’t known for our dry days.  

You might enjoy Reading Parkrun.