5 Fun Ways to Take Your Workouts Outside In Northern Virginia
We all know exercise is good for our health, but did you know that there are specific benefits of exercising outdoors, from improved concentration to a boost in Vitamin D levels? If you’ve been a dedicated gym-goer all winter, it’s the perfect time of year to brighten up your workout routine by taking it outside.
We were recently talking about our favorite things to do in Fairfax and NoVA outdoors and thought these ideas would help you get started!
Try an Outdoor Yoga Class
There’s nothing like yoga to help you decompress, tune into your body, and feel more grounded. Taking your yoga outdoors—and hearing birds chirp, feeling a gentle breeze, and smelling the fresh dewy air—can take your practice to a whole new level. There are several outdoor yoga classes near DC and Fairfax, many of them free! One of the most popular is the summer yoga series at National Harbor. Check it out!
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Join an Adult Summer Soccer League (or Dodgeball or Cornhole)
Whether you miss the days of soccer after school or have never played before in your life, there’s no time like the present to get (back) in the game. Team sports are a great way to make friends as well as work out your body. The FXA Sports Association has adult leagues for over 15 sports (yes, including cornhole), and many welcome social/beginner players. You can join a team or form your own. A lot of the summer leagues start up in early June, so get cracking! Here’s the link to FXA sports.
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Challenge Yourself to Hike the Entire Fairfax CCT
The Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail, better known as the Fairfax “CCT” is a 41.5 mile point to point trail that transverses all of Fairfax County, connecting the Occoquan River in Laurel Hill with Great Falls Park. While it would be a great feat indeed to complete the entire trail in one day, it’s probably more feasible (and more fun) to break it up into chunks–and with several parking areas and road crossings along the way, it’s easy to “section hike.” Depending on your schedule and fitness level, you might try and hike the CCT over a long weekend, or do part of it every weekend in June. Here are some great tips and resources for hiking the Fairfax CCT.
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Learn to Kayak & then put your skills to use!
We’re lucky to have a slew of lakes, rivers, and other waterways near Fairfax, and if you haven’t yet taken advantage of them, why not start now? Most of the state and regional parks in the area, such as Pohick Bay Regional Park and Burke Lake offer canoe, kayak, and paddleboard (SUP) rentals at reasonable rates. If you don’t know where to begin, head to the Fairfax REI store–they offer dozens of classes and excursions for beginning boaters.
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Enroll in outdoor bootcamp
You don’t have to be in a gym to get in shape. If you want a killer workout under the sky, try one of Sarge Fitness’s outdoor bootcamps. Despite the name, “Sarge” won’t bark orders at you, but you will be challenged with military boot camp inspired high-intensity drills, obstacles, core conditioning, and body weight exercises. The goal is to progress your fitness from week to week–in the company of other motivated individuals. You can choose from several locations; check it out to find the most convenient for you (if you’re on the fence you can sign up for a free trial week).
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We hope you find something here you’re inspired to try. If so, snap a photo of the activity you chose and tag us @hessplasticsurgery when you post on Instagram. We’d be thrilled to see you enjoying the NoVA outdoors!