7 Fun Fall Fitness Activities
Fall may just be the perfect season for fitness activities. On top of weather that is often not too hot and not too cold, the fall foliage, crisp air, and crunch of leaves beneath your feet are hard to beat when it comes to taking your activities outdoors. Take advantage of the beautiful weather and outdoor activities before the Midwest takes a ride on the not-so-fun polar coaster this winter.
Flag football
Go long with your family and friends in a backyard of crunchy leaves. This kind of friendly competition is not only a blast but also provides equal amounts of fitness. Just be careful of muddy patches, or you could be sidelined with a season-ending injury.
Bike
Biking underneath bright, colorful canopies of leaves is a quintessential fall activity. As well as being an activity that will get you outdoors, it is also a major calorie-burner. Cycling can burn anywhere between 400 and 1000 calories in one hour, depending on the intensity and rider weight. (Related: Is Cycling Really That Effective?)
Hit the trails
Fall can envelop all of your senses: the crisp air, stunning fall foliage, the crunch of leaves beneath your feet. These months are a great time to get out and enjoy the fall weather while reaping the health benefits of being outdoors.
Exercising outside enhances the brain-boosting power of exercise. Sunlight increases serotonin production, making you feel happy and awake. That nature hike or bike ride through the trails also boosts critical thinking. A study published in PLOS One found that after spending three days in the wild, hikers performed 50 percent better on problem-solving tasks.
It is no secret that your brain needs rest as much as your body does and immersing yourself in nature allows your prefrontal cortex – the brain’s command center – to rest.
Pumpkin patch workout
While hunting for the perfect pumpkin is not exactly a legitimate sport, you can make it a great workout. Make picking out your pumpkin into an opportunity to get some squats in and instead of opting for a cart to carry your pumpkin, see if you can carry it around yourself for a good arm workout.
Themed race
Fall has an abundance of fun, holiday-themed races. Hit the treadmills or trails in preparation for a race that will be more of a (turkey) trot than a competitive run. Plus, these races are the perfect family and friend group activity, and research shows that working out with a crowd is extremely beneficial.
Exercise during practices
Fall is a very active season for school-aged children and teens. Instead of sitting in a lawn chair while your children or siblings are hitting the practice field, walk some laps around the field or create your own quick outdoor workout to do.
Sweat it out during the commercials
While this activity does not take you outdoors, it will still come in handy. Many of us get excited for fall because of the return of all our favorite shows. But if you are going to sit in front of the TV night after night, incorporate exercise.
While you watch, try running in place, doing standing lunges, lifting weights, or doing tricep dips off the couch. During commercials, you can even do push-ups and sit-ups. In an hour-long show, you have about 20 minutes of commercials and in a 30-minute show about eight.