My Summer Workout Plans

Oh yes. . . there are workout plans brewing for the summer, and that’s making me super happy. I’m headed out of New York for a summer in Vermont, and that means I’m trying to pack in as many exercises as possible of the outdoor variety. I’m thinking running, I’m thinking swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and more. But what exactly are all these exercises good for, anyway? It has been a while since I’ve been an outdoorsy girl.

Swimming (Long Distance): From what I hear, our pond in Vermont is a great temperature right now, not too icy and definitely welcoming. Instead of killing myself during punishing workout routines in the beginning, I’m going to start off with some long-distance swimming. I’m planning on eventually working down to having my swimming be part of my cool down to soothe my tired muscles after a hard jog. When you’ve got a big frame, jogging can feel a little jarring!

Hiking: Kicking can lower blood pressure, and that’s my aim. I’m hoping to go on a hike every day for 30 minutes to help my problem due to my itch for salty foods and my unfortunate requirements of prescription meds. To increase the burn, I want to carry small weights, but I do think I’m going to have to work up to that one.

Horseback Riding: Since my niece downsized to a mini horse, I have been on the search for horse lessons in my new area. Good thing it’s a mini horse-country with farms everywhere. . . the benefits of horseback riding are too good to pass up. I want to loosen up my hips, which seem to be stiff. I could definitely loosen them up!

Mountain Biking: I want to make my legs a lot firmer, and this is the way to do it. With the country house situated in between two hills, I’ll be forced to pump up my energy levels to even get going.

I’m looking forward to letting you know how my Vermont toning adventure goes. . . I need this.

Photo (c) REI