Socially-Distanced Summer Exercise

Winter is over, Spring is thoroughly here, and Summer is well on its way. Though we’re slowly re-opening our communities, many aspects of social distancing are here to stay…at least for now. But don’t let that keep you indoors; shake off the cabin fever with outdoor exercises that’ll have you fit again in a flash. And if these recent sedentary months left you stiff and aching, call Dr. Chani Henderson and schedule a visit at Family & Sports Chiropractic Clinic today.

Indoor exercise, whether a treadmill in your living room or equipment at the gym, is a great way to burn calories, stay active, and keep healthy. Getting outside for a walk, jog, hike, or drag-behind-the-dog adds in vital vitamin D for bone health, serotonin production, and immunity boosts. Exercise outdoors also reduces stress, is cost free, and available to everyone.

While many large group activities and team sports have been canceled, there are plenty of ways you and your family can exercise outside together or with socially distanced friends. Check Coronavirus.wa.gov for your county’s regulations about group size and public space limitations.

Whether solo or six feet apart, here are a few fun summer exercises to get moving.

Easy Exercises To Do This Summer

Swimming: Experts explain that taking to the water—be it pool, pond, or river—is good for those with “knee or joint pain; hate to sweat; are looking for low-impact cardio options” because “swimming is a full-body workout without the sweat and grunting! You can expect to work the arms, back, legs, glutes and core. It’s also a great cardiovascular workout and can be sped up or slowed down to meet you at your fitness level.” Just 30 minutes of steady swimming can burn between 250 to 350 calories.

Dr. Henderson at Family & Sports Chiropractic Clinic in Vancouver WA suggests beach jogging for a great workout

Beach jogging: Walking and running on sand adds extra benefit with minimal impact. Sources explain that “By taking your run to the beach, you aren’t just getting better scenery; you are also getting a better workout…Landing on the soft sand of the beach decreases the amount of stress hard surfaces put on your feet. The resistance of the sand also works your hamstrings, quads, and glutes better than hard pavements.”

Nordic walking: This sounds fancy but is simply walking while using a pair of Nordic walking sticks which resemble ski poles. Fitness experts say that “these walking sticks take some of the pressure off of your lower body and disperse it so you achieve a total-body cardiovascular workout.” A simple pair costs less than $25 on Amazon.

Higher Intensity Exercises to Challenge Yourself

Stand-up Paddleboarding is an excellent full body and core workout

Stand-up paddleboarding: Instructors describe SUP as “Standing on an oversized longboard, you use a paddle to navigate across flat, calm waters. But don’t be fooled by how serene this outdoor workout looks. SUP requires the use of your entire body, with a major emphasis on core stability and control.” Vancouver and the areas around Dr. Henderson’s clinic are full of great spots for water fun and easy paddleboard rentals.

Want to make SUP even more intense? Try SUP Yoga. During these classes “you’re forced to modify your traditional yoga practice—and due to the waves and wind, no practice will be performed in truly identical conditions…Your stabilizing muscles will really be firing since your center of gravity is rooted down through your core.”

HIIT the Court: No, that’s not a typo. During high-intensity interval training (HIIT) you can use a nearby empty basketball court as your gymnasium. Using the layout of the court’s rectangle, creators recommend running sets of the following drills, which should take approximately 15 minutes.

Sprints (5): Sprint from one end of the court to the other, running forward and then jogging back backward. Repeat 5 times total.

Lateral hops (30): Jump over and then back along the full court line, facing forward the whole time. Do 30 hops total (1 to 2 lengths of the court),

Side shuffles (6): Do side shuffles the full distance of the court and back. Repeat 6 times total.

Before, during, and after workout season, schedule a visit to Dr. Henderson and her team for an array of chiropractic services. She’ll help with balance, mobility, pain management, as well as recovery from surgery, sports injury, or car accidents. Considered one of the state’s essential services, their office is open and seeing both new and existing patients.

Learn more about the clinic online or schedule an appointment by calling (360) 254-0400. Follow the office on Facebook for tips, tricks, updates, and informative articles. Then get outside and get moving, your body will thank you for it.